The German philosopher, journalist and writer, his work represented in a consistent individualism. He clarified in his monumental work “The Ego and His Own” (1845), that the self is the only reality. He referred also to the value of an object on the benefit for oneself. Max Stirner, whose real name was Johann Caspar Schmidt, in his philosophy was influenced by the works of Hegel and Feuerbach. Of them starting, he developed his materialistic individualism and solipsism, the subjective self and one’s own consciousness is the only content being recognized …
Max Stirner was the son of Johann Caspar Schmidt, an instrument maker on 25 Born in Bayreuth in October 1806.
Stirner was raised in a Protestant family. His father died when Stirner was only six months ancient. The mother married again in 1809. She went with the family in the West Prussian Kulm. 1818 Stirner turned twelve years ancient back to Bayreuth. There he attended high school, which was under the management of the later successor of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel at the University of Berlin, Georg Andreas Gabler. With graduation, Max Stirner started at the University of Berlin to study law. He learned his passion for philosophy and theology.
He visited among other lectures of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher. During his erratic studying in Erlangen and Königsberg, he traveled through Germany for a long time. In 1839 he completed his academic training with the teacher’s exam. In the two years 1835 and 1836 he completed his legal training at a royal school in Berlin. In 1839 Stirner teacher at a girls’ school in Berlin. During this time he made the acquaintance of members of the group “The Free”. There were found together at the Young Hegelian philosopher Bruno Bauer.
The bohemian-style anarchic way of life with the group members was seen as a irritation of the commoners. Stirner published essays in newspapers during this time, the anonymous or with the signature: Max Stirner appeared. In the vicinity of the Young Hegelians, he made the acquaintance of the pharmacist’s daughter Marie Dähnhardt, whom he later married. His wife brought a considerable fortune in the connection that allowed Max Stirner, to dedicate himself to his philosophy. From the year 1842, Stirner reviews and newspaper articles.
To this time he also started work on his magnum opus, “The Ego and Its Own,” which was released in 1845. With that Stirner worked initially with translation and compilation work. His creativity was always for more. He got into a major economic crisis, which finished in poverty. 1846, his marriage, which remained childless was divorced. Stirner was influenced in his philosophy of the works of Hegel and Feuerbach. Of them starting, he developed his materialistic individualism and solipsism, which recognizes the subjective self and one’s own awareness of the content being single.
In its further development into a strong individualism forehead fell into a critical relationship to Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and German idealism. He was already in the general terms an attack on the individual. Especially in thoughts and ideals he saw a suppression of the individual being. In his major work “The Ego and the property” is Stirner from analyzing the mechanisms of oppression and developed a solution but also as a liberation. As inhibiting factors for the development of the ego is one of Stirner the religious conviction, philosophy or political directions socialism, communism and liberalism.
He calls the other hand, the return of the ego leads to himself only that which is founded on the self itself, to its free development and has validity. Accordingly, I accomplished the liberation of the ideological barriers of Stirner’s work only in the ego itself “The Ego and His Own” Although sparked controversy, but was quickly forgotten. In actuality, it only won again in 1893 by the followers of Nietzsche and Paul Lauterbach in 1968 by the Marxists, Hans G. Helms. They sat opposite Friedrich Nietzsche and Karl Marx, Max Stirner as his conqueror, with all, was with Stirner’s radical individualism as a literary “Evil”.
Stirner’s scandalous masterpiece addition to sales bans and suspensions took several small counter-writings by itself. The author responded with the title “reviewer Stirner”. Karl Marx and Ludwig Feuerbach also made adjoin against “The Ego and Its Own.” They wrote the rebuttal titled “Saint John”, but never came to their lifetime for publication. In the corner of Stirner’s radical egoism was went by plant extracts, among other things, mere citations of memorable aphorisms. Nevertheless, he took a special position in the philosophy of the 19th One century.
Appropriate positioning of Max Stirner and his work in the history of philosophy has failed to materialize today.
Max Stirner died on 25 June 1856 in Berlin.
