Gottlieb Fichte (1762-1814) was a German philosopher known for his contributions to idealism and his role in the development of German philosophy. He is often associated with the German Idealism movement, alongside philosophers like Immanuel Kant and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. Fichte emphasized the importance of the self and consciousness in understanding reality. Fichte's most notable work includes the "Foundations of the Entire Science of Knowledge," where he argued that the self is the basis of all knowledge. His ideas influenced various fields, including political theory and education, and he is considered a precursor to later philosophical developments in existentialism and phenomenology.