objectivism

/əbˈdʒɛktəˌvɪzəm/

Objectivism is a philosophical belief that the reality of things is independent of people's experiences or feelings about them — so if a tree falls in the forest, and nobody hears it, it still makes a sound.

Objectivism gets its name from the idea that everything humans know and perceive is objective, existing in reality rather than being given meaning by the human mind. Reason, logic, and scientific proof are all primary tenets of objectivism; beliefs, perceptions, and feelings have much less importance. Novelist Ayn Rand borrowed the word objectivism as the name of her own philosophy, which says that the most rational way to live is to always act in your own self-interest.

Definitions of objectivism

1. noun

   (philosophy) the philosophical doctrine that physical things continue to exist when not perceived
   synonyms: naive realism, realism

   type of:

   philosophical doctrine, philosophical theory

   a doctrine accepted by adherents to a philosophy
2. noun

   the idea that moral truths do not depend on human awareness so that morality exists independently of our knowledge or perceptions
3. noun

   a modern movement in the arts emphasizing form and image