The belief that pleasure is the most important thing in lifeThe
name derives from the Greek word for "delight" hdon "pleasure"+ ism
= HEDONISM
(a) Motivational hedonismis the claim that only pleasure or pain
motivates usmost significant form of psychological hedonism.
(b) Normative Hedonism
is the claim that all and only pleasure has worth or value, and
all and only pain has disvalue.Jeremy Bentham endorsed both sorts
of hedonism in his An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and
Legislation:
Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign
masters, pain, and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what
we ought to do, as well as to determine what we shall do (Bentham
1789)
Normative Hedonism
PleasurePain understood broadly, to include all pleasant feeling
or experience, such as elation, ecstacy, delight, joy, and
enjoyment. include all unpleasant feeling or experience: aches,
throbs, irritations, anxiety, anguish, chagrin, discomfort,
despair, grief, depression, guilt and remorse
The view that our fundamental moral obligation is to maximize
pleasure or happiness. Ethical hedonism is most associated with the
ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus who taught that our life's goal
should be to minimize pain and maximize pleasure. In fact, all of
our actions should have that aim.
Concerning the nature of pleasure, Epicurus explains that at
least some pleasures are rooted in natural and, as a rule, every
pain is bad and should be avoided, and every pleasure is good and
should be preferred.
