• Philosophy -> Metaphysics and Ontology

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Who are some famous philosophers who discussed egoism in their works?

Kaci Stannah

Oh wow, that's a really good question! Let me think... well, the first philosopher that comes to mind is Ayn Rand. She's probably the most famous philosopher who discussed egoism in her works. I remember reading her book "The Virtue of Selfishness" and it really made me think about the concept of self-interest. She argues that we should pursue our own happiness and well-being, as long as we don't harm others in the process.

Another philosopher who talked about egoism is Max Stirner. He believed that individuals should reject all external authorities and focus solely on themselves. He called this philosophy "egoism," although it's more commonly known as "Stirnerism." His ideas were pretty radical for his time, and he's still pretty controversial today.

Friedrich Nietzsche is also associated with egoism, although he didn't necessarily use that term. He believed that individuals should strive to become "Supermen" (or "Übermensch"), which basically meant rejecting traditional morality and embracing their own instincts and desires. Some people see this as a form of egoism, although it's a bit more complex than that.

There are also some other philosophers who touched on egoism, although perhaps not as directly. For example, Immanuel Kant believed that moral actions are those that are done out of a sense of duty, rather than self-interest. However, he also argued that individuals should treat themselves as ends in themselves, rather than means to an end. This could be seen as a kind of egoism, since it emphasizes the value of the individual.

Overall, there have been a lot of philosophers who have explored egoism in some way or another. Some have embraced it wholeheartedly, while others have been more critical. It's definitely an interesting topic to think about!