Hedonism and Stoicism Flashcards
Hedonism is
A system of philosophy which advocates the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain as the primary objective
man has one moral obligation:to gratify his desire for pleasure and to eradicate or at least minimize pain as much as possible
Egoistic School of Hedonism
Human being should strive for the utmost self-gratification irrespective of any painful consequence to others
An eastern thinker Yang Zhu (4th century B.C.) who views wei wo, or “everything for myself”, as the only virtue necessary for self-cultivation
A school of Hedonism that doesn’t seem like hedoism
Ideal Utilitarianism is one school of hedonism that approves only of pleasures to which each individual is entitles and advocate as a goal the greatest possible benefits for a ll mankind
Cyrenaic School of Hedonism
Founded by Aristippus (453-356 BC)
advocated immediate pleasures as the chief goal in life. They were not concerned with a possible future life but only with the present life. Every experience should be enjoyed to the fullest lest the opportunity for such an experience be lost forever
Epicurus (342-270 BC)
did not agree with the Cyrenaics and saw that many pleasures are actually detrimental. He saw that people who eat and drink and be merry for tomorrow we die, too often live with those consequences.
He also saw that some painful experiences should be endured because they produce a better future.
The summum Bonum of Epicurus
Prudence.
It can guide us to proper pleasures.
and can impel use to undergo pain for the sake of a better future
Indiscriminate and continual participation in pleasure may dilute it. Overindulgence in a particular food would make one sick of it at some point
Epicurus Logical argument against fear of death
There is no need to fear death because when we are alive, there is no death to fear; and when we die, either we are nonexistant or there is life after death, if there is an immortalitiy then we need not be concerned with death (for it doesn’t exist) and if there is no future life then we will not be able to fear or worry.
The great stoic Philosopher..
Epictetus (AD 50-120)
One of life’s greatest values is contentment, a life of tranquility, serenity, and composure. To permit another person to disturb you is to be aslave to them
Objects which you desire intensely obtain a hold on you
In order to become free it is necessary for you to extinguish your desire for allthings, life itself as well as goods
Serenity is helped to be achieved by understanding the true nature of things, their temporal nature
Stoic Philosphy urges
to accept what can not changed.
Most of our misery comes from within, from our refusal to accept our position in life
The Will
Anytus and Meltus have power to put me to death, but not to harm me.
This philosophy shows that an individuals will must be kept inviolable and autonomous. No one has power over a person will unless he consents
The secret to dying it to be “like a man who gives up what belongs to another”
Stoic reactions to diffcult problems and sex
Difficult problems should be embraced. They are spiritual exercises.
As the body needs physical exercise in order to remain in fit condition, man’s s spirit also requires the spiritual exercise derived when he confronts his problems and combats life vicissitudes
According to Epictetus, the craving for sex is undesirable,
Abstinence is the only way.
