Hedonism

Hedonism is a school of thought that argues that pleasure and happiness are the primary or most important intrinsic goods and the aim of human life. A hedonist strives to maximize net pleasure (pleasure minus pain), but when we say that pleasure is the only intrinsic good, we do not mean that 'pleasure' refers only to physical pleasure.

History

Hedonism is a concept that has been explored and theorized in philosophy since ancient times. The earliest and most famous proponent of hedonism was the philosopher Epicurus. Epicurus proposed that the ultimate goal of human life was to experience pleasure, and that this pleasure was the highest good.

Types of Hedonism

There are several types of hedonism, including:

• Ethical hedonism: This is the idea that all people have the right to do everything in their power to achieve the greatest amount of pleasure possible to them. It is also the idea that every person's pleasure should far surpass their amount of pain.

• Psychological hedonism: This is the idea that humans are psychologically constructed in such a way that we exclusively desire pleasure.

• Cyrenaic hedonism: Founded by Aristippus of Cyrene, Cyrenaics were an early Socratic school who argued that the only intrinsic good is pleasure, which meant not just the absence of pain, but positively enjoyable sensations.

Criticisms

Hedonism has been criticized by various philosophers. Some argue that not all pleasures are good, and others argue that the pursuit of pleasure can lead to negative outcomes. It has also been criticized on the grounds that it is self-defeating, in that the pursuit of pleasure can lead to unhappiness.

See Also

• Epicureanism
• Utilitarianism
• Eudaimonia
• Happiness

References

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Hedonism

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  Thomas Hobbes (portrait)

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  Robert Nozick 1977 Libertarian Review cover

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  Epicurus Altes Museum

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  Bacchante by Frederick William MacMonnies 1894 Brooklyn Museum

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  Aristippus

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  Jeremy Bentham by Henry William Pickersgill detail

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  Peter Singer no Fronteiras do Pensamento Porto Alegre