What is an egoist?

Egoism (sometimes called psychological egoism) is the ethical theory that the only morally relevant consideration is one's own self-interest. In other words, egoism holds that the only action that is morally right or wrong is the action that either maximizes or minimizes one's own self-interest.

There are many different versions of egoism, but all of them share the core belief that the only thing that matters morally is one's own self-interest. Some egoists argue that this is because humans are naturally selfish creatures and that it is impossible to truly act altruistically. Others argue that even if it were possible to act altruistically, it would still be wrong to do so because it would not be in one's own self-interest.

Egoism is a controversial ethical theory, and it has been criticized on a number of grounds. One common criticism is that it is too narrow and that it does not take into account the interests of others. Another criticism is that it is too selfish and that it encourages people to act in a way that is harmful to others.

Despite these criticisms, egoism remains a popular ethical theory, and it has been defended by a number of prominent philosophers, including Ayn Rand and Max Stirner.