Hedonism Flashcards
what is hedonism?
The central principle of hedonism is the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain
It posits that pleasure is the only intrinsic good and pain is intrinsic bad
Typically, hedonism focuses on individual pleasure and pain. It’s about typical experiences of pleasure and pain
what does ethical hedonism suggest
Ethical hedonism in particular suggests that individuals ought to act in ways that maximize their own pleasure
what is an example of what a hedonist might say
‘I always choose what feels good
Lifes to short not to enjoy
Pleasure is what makes life worth living
Why do I purposely do something that doesn’t make me happy
what is the problem with hedonists?
Not always realistic
-if working gives me pain and I don’t work again I will suffer by loosing my home
It’s selfish
-if personal pleasure and pain are all that matters Then the actions themselevs don’t matter. Only results as they pertain to me
-What if I like things that theirs think are awful
-e.g. I really love pinching babies, a hedonic worldview suggests that I should pursue my baby-pinching dreams
what is the hedonic treadmill
Desire -> strive -> obtain -> enjoy -> adapt -> desire more
Most people find that they have a base level of happiness that is more or less constant throughout their lives. As you met through life by having better vacations, better foods even after that you still revert back to your base level of happiness
