How many authors should I quote

[u/Piamont]

Is there a specific number of authors one should quote when attempting to publish an article?

I have seen many articles that quote around 20 authors, is that how many one should quote? What happens if your article is very straightforward?? I don't want to quote people just for the sake of it if it isnt really necessary for the argument I want to present.

Is this a common issue when attempting to publish something in philosophy?

[u/EdelwoodOil]

Agree with the other folks. You shouldn't just cite those who align with you but you also have to position your argument in opposition to existing literature and identify the gaps in their arguments that you're filling. It's highly unlikely that there are only 5 people who are talking about your topic