HEDONISM
HEDONISM
(Greek hedone -) - ethical teachings and moral views in which all moral definitions are derived from pleasure and pain. G. originates from the Cyrenaic school and develops as a type of worldview that defends the priority of the needs of the individual over social institutions as conventions that limit his freedom and suppress his originality. The Cyrenaics believed that pleasure was the highest good and should be achieved by any means necessary. In this they differed from Socrates, who, while recognizing pleasure, interpreted it as something being done well. In his polemics with the Sophists, Socrates insisted on distinguishing between pleasures - bad and good, as well as true and false. Plato, in his mature works, hoped to show that although a good life is not good because it is full of pleasures, it is still possible to prove that the most pleasant life is at the same time best life. Similarly, Aristotle believed that pleasure as such is not and is not worthy of preference in itself. These ideas were received in the eudaimonism of Epicurus, who believed that the real good was not pleasure of the body, but of the soul, and more strictly - ataraxia, i.e. “freedom from bodily suffering and mental anxieties.” However, the difference between G. and eudaimonism is insignificant: both teachings orient a person not towards, but towards pleasure, and if for good, then for the sake of pleasure.
In the Christian Middle Ages, G.'s ideas had no place; and only in the Renaissance did they find new supporters (L. Valla, C. Raimondi), and even then at first only in a soft Epicurean version. In the new European ideas of G., on the one hand, they are embodied more or less fully and adequately in most philosophical and ethical teachings of that time. They are expressed by B. Spinoza, J. Locke, and representatives of ethical sentimentalism (F. Hutcheson, D. Hume). T. Hobbes, B. Mandeville, C. Helvetius directly take people out of pleasure. However, the latter is increasingly associated with the socially determined interests of the individual; This line in modern European moral philosophy from Hobbes to Helvetius finds a direct continuation in classical utilitarianism, in which pleasure is equated with benefit. Only in the works of de Sade is pleasure affirmed in its pure form - in opposition to social institutions and in indirect polemics with the theory of the social contract. On the other hand, in the New, G.’s ideas turned out to be moved into such contexts (rationalistic perfectionism and social organization, in one case, and utopias of immoral permissiveness - in another), which ultimately led to the crisis of G. as a philosopher. worldview. Regarding pleasure as a practical-behavioral and explanatory-theoretical principle, K. Marx, Z. Freud and J. Moore, from different positions, formulated the provisions that conceptually formalized this. Thanks to psychoanalysis, the situation in the study of pleasure is changing: from a psychological point of view, pleasure can no longer be considered as a universal principle of behavior of a social individual, especially when it comes to morality. Moore showed that G., asserting pleasure as the only good, fully embodies the naturalistic error. In the light of such criticism and after it, G. could no longer be perceived as a theoretically serious and reliable principle.
Philosophy: encyclopedic Dictionary. - M.: Gardariki. Edited by A.A. Ivina. 2004 .
HEDONISM
(from Greek - ) , ethical , affirming pleasure as the highest good and human. behavior and reducing all the variety of moral requirements to it. The desire for pleasure in G. is considered as basic the driving principle of a person, inherent in him by nature and predetermining all his actions, which makes G. a type of anthropological. naturalism. As a principle, G. is the opposite of asceticism.
IN Dr. In Greece, one of the first representatives of Greek ethics was the founder of the Cyrene school, Aristippus. (beginning 4 V. before n. e.) , who saw the highest good in achieving the senses. pleasure. In a different way, G.'s ideas were developed by Epicurus and his followers (cm. Epicureanism), where they came closer to the principles of eudaimonism, since the criterion of pleasure was the absence of suffering and a serene state of mind (ataraxia). Hedonistic become widespread in the Renaissance and then in ethical times. Enlightenment theories. Hobbes, Locke, Gassendi, French materialists 18 V. in the fight against religious understanding of morality often resorted to hedonistic. interpretation of morality. The most complete principle of G. was received in ethics. the theory of utilitarianism, which understands benefit as pleasure or the absence of pain (I. Bentham, J. S. Mill). G.'s ideas are also shared by some modern bourgeois philosophers - J. Santayana, M. Schlick, D. Drake and etc. Marxism criticizes Geography primarily for its naturalism. and ahistorical person, sees in him an extremely simplified interpretation driving forces and human motives. behavior tending towards relativism and individualism.
Marx K. and Engels F., Works, T. 3, With. 418-20; Gom-perts G., Life Understanding Greek philosophers and internal freedom, lane With German, St. Petersburg, 1912.
Philosophical encyclopedic dictionary. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. Ch. editor: L. F. Ilyichev, P. N. Fedoseev, S. M. Kovalev, V. G. Panov. 1983 .
HEDONISM
(from Greek hedone - pleasure)
an ethical direction that considers sensual joy, pleasure, enjoyment as the goal or goal of all moral behavior. A hedonist is what we call a “sweet tooth.” This direction was founded by Aristippus of Cyrene (therefore also called Cyrenaic philosophy). Ours is; if the latter is soft, pleasure arises; if the movement is sharp, a feeling of displeasure arises. Virtue is to enjoy, but only the educated, insightful, and wise know how to enjoy correctly; he does not blindly follow every whim that arises, and if he enjoys, he does not surrender to the pleasure, but stands above it, owns it. Dr. hedonists defined the highest good as a cheerful (mental disposition), the joy of communicating with people, or simply as freedom from displeasure and pain. Were hedonists Helvetia And La Mettrie.
Philosophical Encyclopedic Dictionary. 2010 .
HEDONISM
(from the Greek ἡδονή - pleasure) - a doctrine in ethics that considers pleasure to be the highest good, and the desire for pleasure as a principle of behavior. It is necessary to distinguish from G., which recognizes the desire for happiness as the basis of morality. G. became widespread already in ancient Greek. philosophy. The Cyrenaics (see Cyrene School), declaring pleasure as the goal of life, preached the pursuit of pleasure, immoderation and licentiousness in behavior. On the contrary, Epicurus considered the problem of the measure of pleasures, pointing out that excessive feelings. pleasures lead to satiety and even turn into... Epicurus believed that serenity and fear of the gods and death ensure a calm life filled reasonable feelings. and spiritual pleasures. In the Middle Ages. In ethics, pleasure was considered a sin, and bliss was considered a good, the achievement of which is possible only through asceticism. renunciation of all earthly pleasures.
Further development of hedonistic. teachings received during the Renaissance, when against the feudal-church. asceticism formed humanistic. , which proclaimed the natural, acquired from nature and inclinations of man, in the treatises “On pleasure as a true good” (“De voluptate ac de vero bono”, 1431) by L. Valla and “Introduction to the science of morals” (“Isagogicon moralis disciplinae” ", 1470) Bruni-Aretino, directed against religions. teachings about the sinfulness of the flesh, Epicurus is revived, the cut is given feelings. character, and the principles of the bourgeois are expressed. individualism. On hedonistic the morality of the Renaissance humanists means. degree based on ethics. egoism of the materialist educators of the 18th century. (Holbach, Helvetius).
Kant criticized G., considering it a teaching not based on internal. dictates of reason, but on feelings alien to reason. motives. In contrast, utilitarianism (Bentham, J. S. Mill) linked pleasure with utility. The further development of G. is due to the development of individualism in the bourgeoisie. morality. Society the principles of morality are opposed to the good of others. personality and its right to enjoyment at any cost, even to the point of immorality. Yes, English. ethicist G. Williams in op. “Hedonism, and cruelty” (G. Williams, Hedonism, conflict and cruelty, “J. Philos.”, 1950, v. 47, November) proclaimed the moral right to torture people for the sake of pleasure. personality. Scientific The "philosophy of pleasure" was given by Marx and Engels in The German Ideology (1845–46). The classics of Marxism, pointing to the class conditionality of forms of pleasure, denied the philosophy of G. the right to be a “life understanding” of society as a whole. In the bourgeoisie In society, pleasure is the opposite of labor, which is associated with deprivation, political and moral dependence of the worker on the exploiter. The bourgeois abstract the theory of pleasure from the living conditions of individuals, thereby turning it into a hypocritical moral doctrine (see K. Marx and F. Engels, Works, 2nd ed., vol. 3, p. 418).
Lit.: Marx K. and Engels F., German, Works, 2nd ed., vol. 3, M., 1955 (chapter “My self-pleasure”); Shishkin A.F., From the history of ethical teachings, M., 1959, p. 68, 88; Watson J., Hedonistic theories from Aristippus to Spencer, Glasgow–N. Y., 1895; Gomperz H., Kritik des Hedonismus, Stuttgart, 1898; Duboc J., Die Lust als sozialethisches Entwicklungsprinzip, Lpz., 1900; Balicki Z., Hedonism jako punkt wyjścia etyki, Warsz., 1900; Rockhardt (Keis J.), Die absoluten Gesetze des Glücks, Geisenfeld, .
Philosophical Encyclopedia. In 5 volumes - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. Edited by F. V. Konstantinov. 1960-1970 .
HEDONISM
HEDONISM (from the Greek ηδονή - pleasure) is a type of ethical teachings, as well as moral views, according to which all moral definitions (the concepts of good and evil, etc.) are derived from pleasure (positive) and suffering (negative). In the teachings of representatives of the Cyrene school, hedonism develops as a type of worldview that defends the priority of the needs of the individual over social institutions as conventions that limit his freedom and suppress his originality. It is among the Cyrenaics that hedonism is revealed as a practical doctrine: on the one hand, to the extent that hedonism affirmed the intrinsic value of the individual, humanistic features are obvious in it, and to the extent that it was assumed that pleasure is an absolute value, hedonism turned out to be a possible basis for an apology for evil and immorality. There are “egoistic hedonism” (theories according to which exclusively personal pleasure is the ultimate goal of action) and “universalistic hedonism” (when pleasure as happiness is the ultimate goal of action).
Aristippus, following the Sophists, did not distinguish between pleasures (according to their source), however, he accepted the pleasure that can be achieved in the present, and ignored the possible, but unattainable pleasures in the present. Hedonism is softened in teachings typologically characterized as eudaimonism. Such is the hedonism of Epicurus, who considered the real good not the sensual pleasures of the body, but the genuine and sublime pleasures of the soul, or more precisely, the state of ataraxia. Strictly speaking, the differences between hedonism and eudaimonism are not significant: both teachings orient a person not towards good, but towards pleasure, and if towards good, then for the sake of pleasure. IN Christian tradition There was no place for ideas of hedonism in the Middle Ages; only in the Renaissance did they find new supporters (G. Boccaccio, L. Bruni, L. Valla, F. Petrarch, C. Raimondi), and even then mainly only in its soft Epicurean version.
In modern European thought, significant transformations are taking place with the ideas of hedonism. These ideas turn out to be embodied more or less fully and adequately in most philosophical and ethical teachings of that time. T. Hobbes, B. Mandeville, C. Helvetius, as well as B. Spinoza, derive people’s behavior from pleasure. However, the latter is increasingly associated with the socially determined interests of the individual: in Hobbes it is limited to the social contract, in Mandeville the human desire for pleasure is interpreted as used by educators and politicians to control people, in Helvetius it is placed in a correctly understood interest (see Reasonable egoism). This line in modern European moral philosophy (from Hobbes to Helvetius) finds a direct continuation in classical utilitarianism, which identifies pleasure with benefit. This idea ultimately led to the conclusion that pleasure is not the determining motive of behavior, but only accompanies the activity that is perceived as successful. Along the same line, the ideas of liberalism developed, a current of thought based on an adequate and consistent justification for the autonomy of the individual as a person and citizen. Only in the works of de Sade is the principle of pleasure affirmed in its pure form, namely as the principle of a hedonic mindset and practice, as opposed to social institutions and in indirect polemics with the theory of the social contract. Thus, although the ideas of hedonism were embodied in most teachings, they were simultaneously transferred to such contexts (rationalistic perfectionism and social organization, in one case, and utopias of immoral permissiveness, in the other), which ultimately led to the crisis of hedonism How philosophical worldview.
K. Marx, 3. Freud and J. Moore, from different positions, formulated provisions on pleasure as a practical-behavioral and explanatory-theoretical principle, which conceptually formalized this crisis. Thus, in Marxism, in the order of social and philosophical criticism of hedonism, it was shown that pleasure and suffering are a function of the actual social relations of people. Thanks to psychoanalysis, with its detailed study of unconscious motivation and the formation of a person’s character, and attention to observation techniques, the situation in the study of pleasure is radically changing. Freud, from a psychological point of view, proved that pleasure, being initial, cannot be universal principle behavior of a social individual, especially (as was emphasized by Freud’s followers) when it comes to the moral foundations of behavior. Moore, criticizing Mill and Sidgwick, showed that hedonism, affirming pleasure as the only good, fully embodied the naturalistic error. In particular, in hedonism, like , the concepts of “desire” and “worthy of desire”, a means of achieving the good and what is part of the desired good, pleasure and the consciousness of pleasure are mixed; the introduction of rationality criteria into hedonistic reasoning implicitly sets a limit to pleasure and thereby destroys hedonism as a concept that asserts the absolute value of pleasure. In the light of such criticism, hedonism could no longer be perceived as a theoretically serious and reliable ethical principle and moved into the sphere of “moral ideology” and into practice. Pleasure becomes the subject of special consideration of special sciences, for example. psychology or consumer theory.
Lit.: MooreJ. E. Principles of ethics. M., 1984, p. 125-85; Sidgwick H. The Methods of Ethics. Cambr., 1981; Gosling J.S.W., TaylorC. C. W. The Greeks on Pleasure. Oxf., 1982.
R. G. Apresyan
New Philosophical Encyclopedia: In 4 vols. M.: Thought. Edited by V. S. Stepin. 2001 .
Synonyms:
See what "HEDONISM" is in other dictionaries:
- (Greek, from hedone pleasure). Greek system philosopher Aristippus, who considered sensual pleasures the highest good of people. Dictionary foreign words, included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. HEDONISM [Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language
Hedonism- (gr. hedone – konildilik, rahattana) – adam tershiligi rahattarga umtylyp, azaptardan kashudan turada dep karastyratyn philosophy, ethics principle and moral criteria. Hedonistic philosophy astaryn (subsoil) igiliktin (good)… … Philosophy terminerdin sozdigi
Ushakov's Dictionary
Hedonism
gedoni zm, hedonism, pl. No, husband.(from Greek hedone - pleasure) ( Philosopher). An ethical teaching, most clearly expressed in ancient Greece, based on the position that man always strives for pleasure and avoids suffering.
Modern economic dictionary. 1999
HEDONISM
(from Greek hedone - pleasure)
Culturology. Dictionary-reference book
Hedonism
(Greek hedone - pleasure)
ethical teaching, originally developed by the ancient Greek Cyrene school of philosophy and Epicurus; recognizes pleasure as the purpose of life and the highest good; defines good as that which brings pleasure, and evil as that which entails suffering.
an ethical position that affirms pleasure as the highest good and criterion of human behavior and reduces to it all the variety of moral requirements. The desire for pleasure in hedonism is considered as the main driving principle of a person, inherent in him by nature and predetermining all his actions. As a normative principle, hedonism is the opposite of asceticism.
Pedagogical terminological dictionary
Hedonism
(from Greek hedone - pleasure)
1. a type of ethical teachings in which all moral definitions (the concepts of good and evil, etc.) are derived from pleasure (positive) and suffering (negative). As a type of ethical teaching, G. originates from Aristippus of Cyrene. In the teachings of the Cyrenaics, philosophy emerges as a type of worldview that upholds the priority of the needs of the individual over social institutions as conventions that limit his freedom. It is among the Cyrenaics that the duality of G. as a practical teaching is revealed: on the one hand, to the extent that G. affirmed the intrinsic value of the individual, humanistic features are obvious in it (fully manifested in the teachings of Epicureanism, eudaimonism, utilitarianism), on the other hand, in that to the extent that it was assumed that pleasure is the highest value and its obtaining is permissible by any means, G. turned out to be a possible basis for the apology of evil and immorality. Criticizing G., Aristotle expressed the following arguments:
a) pleasure in itself is not actually good,
b) not every pleasure is worthy of choice,
c) there are some pleasures that are worthy of election in themselves, but differ in type or source.
This position predetermined the modulation in G.’s argumentation, which was developed in eudaimonism. Such is G. Epicurus, who considered the real good not the sensual pleasures of the body, but the genuine and sublime pleasures of the soul (see). In Christian medieval tradition G.'s ideas had no place; and only in the Renaissance did they find new supporters. In modern European thought of the 17th-18th centuries. G.'s ideas, on the one hand, turn out to be embodied more or less fully and adequately in most philosophical and ethical teachings (T. Hobbes, B. Spinoza, D. Hume, C.A. Helvetius), and this tradition finds direct continuation in the classical utilitarianism, and on the other hand, over time they move into the contexts of rationalistic perfectionism and social organization, in one case, and the utopia of immoral permissiveness, in the other, which ultimately led to the crisis of G. as a philosophical worldview. K. Marx, Z. Freud and others, from different positions, formulated the provisions regarding pleasure as a practical-behavioral and explanatory-theoretical principle that conceptually formulated this crisis. In Marxism - in the order of socio-philosophical criticism of G. - it was shown that it is not pleasures and suffering that determine human activity, which is social in nature, but, on the contrary, social connections of a person, within the framework of which his activity unfolds, determine the method and content of pleasure. From a psychological point of view, Freud showed that pleasure, being initial, cannot be a universal principle of behavior of a social individual. In the light of such criticism, G. could no longer be perceived as a theoretically serious and reliable ethical principle. Pleasure becomes the subject of special consideration of special sciences, for example psychology or consumer theory.
2. A system of moral principles, according to which good is pleasure, and evil is suffering.
(Bim-Bad B.M. Pedagogical encyclopedic dictionary. - M., 2002. P. 50)
an ethical and psychological doctrine that arose in antiquity, asserting that pleasure is the highest good, the goal of the individual, the criterion of truth and expediency, the main motive of its behavior. The predominance of a person’s hedonistic inclinations is undesirable in professional selection for teaching. educational establishments.
(Kodzhaspirova G.M. Pedagogical dictionary. - M., 2005. P. 27)
Dictionary of economic terms
Hedonism
(from Greek hedone- pleasure)
the desire of an individual to increase his well-being in the name of maximizing the pleasure received from life.
Terms of Film Semiotics
HEDONISM
(Greek hedone - pleasure) - the principle of substantiation of moral requirements, according to which good is defined as that which brings pleasure and relief from suffering, and evil - as that which entails suffering... In Greece, followers of the ethics of Aristippus were called hedonists. HEDONISM reached its most developed form in the teachings of Epicurus. The ideas of HEDONISM occupy a central place in the utilitarianism of John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) and Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) (Philosophical Dictionary).
Philosophical Dictionary (Comte-Sponville)
Hedonism
Hedonism
♦Hedonisme
A doctrine that considers pleasure (hedone) as the highest good or moral principle. It is reflected in the views of Aristippus (***), Epicurus (although his hedonism is accompanied by eudaimonism), and among the newest researchers - in the views of Michel Onfray (***). Hedonism is not necessarily associated with selfishness, because it is able to take into account the pleasure of other people, and with materialism, because there are also spiritual pleasures. Strictly speaking, this is what weakness hedonism. As a theory, it is acceptable only if the term “pleasure” is interpreted so broadly that it loses its clear meaning. Of course, I would very much like to think that a person who dies under torture, but does not betray his comrades, acts out of pleasure (trying to avoid even more cruel suffering from the consciousness of his betrayal, which would lead to the torture of his comrades, or from the consciousness of defeat). But then we will have to recognize hedonism as a theory that is suitable for all cases of life and does not have its own distinctive characteristics as a virtue. If everything in the world is explained by hedonism, why distinguish hedonism as a separate doctrine?
The motto of hedonism was most accurately formulated by Chamfort (***): “Enjoy and give pleasure; do not harm either yourself or others - this, in my opinion, is the whole essence of morality” (“Maxims”, Chapter V). A very attractive formula and even, for the most part, correct, it’s just a pity that it’s too short. She elevates the pleasure principle (purely descriptive) into a moral principle (which is normative). But is the pleasure principle, with all its universal simplicity, sufficient? It is necessary to answer the question of what kind of pleasures and for whom can justify suffering, and which ones. We have to choose between pleasures, as Epicurus put it, and it is very doubtful that the moral content of pleasure itself is sufficient for this choice. Are there not enough scoundrels in the world who enjoy life? What about admirable suffering? Or, for example, consider deception that does not harm anyone and even brings pleasant moments to others. Let's say you boast about a feat that you have never accomplished, and your listeners, listening to your story, experience almost the same pleasure as you yourself. But does this make your deception any less contemptible? It will be objected to me that contempt is a type of displeasure, therefore, the above example speaks not against, but in favor of hedonism. So be it, but then I want to treat hedonism with even greater caution. Hedonism is as irrefutable as it is unsatisfactory - avoiding the trap of paradox, it immediately falls into tautology.
Aristippus (2nd half of the 5th century BC – early 4th century BC) – ancient Greek philosopher from Cyrene to North Africa, student of Socrates, founder of the Cyrene school, one of the founders of hedonism.
Michel Onfret (born in 1959) is a French writer and philosopher, the author of one of the theories of hedonism, who studied the relationship between ethics and aesthetics, moral hedonism and political anarchism, the creation of philosophical mythology, the influence of modern natural sciences on the human worldview. Author of the works “The Womb of Philosophy. Criticism of Dietary Reason”, “The Art of Pleasure for the Materialist and Hedonist”, “Forms of Time. Theory of Sauternes" and "The Sanity of a Gourmet. Philosophy of taste."
Sebastien-Roch-Nicolas Chamfort (1741–1794) - French moralist writer, playwright, author of the collection “Maxims and Thoughts, Characters and Anecdotes.” Chamfort is often called one of the wittiest men of the wittiest century.
Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms
Hedonism
♦ (ENG
Hedonism
m.
A direction in ethics that recognizes pleasure as the highest good, the purpose of life;
desire for pleasure, enjoyment.
Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron
Hedonism
or Idonism(from the Greek ηδονή - pleasure) - an ethical teaching that recognizes sensual pleasures as the highest good and purpose of life. See Cyrene school.
Russian language dictionaries
Review of hedonistic teachings
The founder of hedonism is considered to be the ancient Greek philosopher Aristippus (435-355 BC), a contemporary of Socrates. Aristippus distinguishes two states of the human soul: pleasure as a soft, gentle movement and pain as a rough, impetuous movement of the soul. At the same time, no distinction is made between types of pleasure, each of which in its essence is qualitatively similar to the other. The path to happiness, according to Aristippus, lies in achieving maximum pleasure while avoiding pain. The meaning of life, according to Aristippus, is precisely in obtaining physical pleasure.
Epicurus describes pleasure as the principle of a successful life. Epicurus considers satisfaction of desires to be freedom from reluctance and aversion. The goal in this case is not satisfaction itself, but deliverance from suffering and unhappiness. The highest pleasure and its measure, according to Epicurus, is the absence of pain and suffering. Therefore, happiness is achieved through ataraxia - liberation from pain and anxiety, moderate consumption of earthly goods. Utilitarian Jeremy Bentham called this approach “hedonic prudence.”
Henry Sidgwick, in his account of 19th century utilitarianism, distinguishes between ethical and psychological hedonism. Psychological hedonism is an anthropological hypothesis about man’s desire to increase his own joys. Thus, the prospect of satisfaction or the avoidance of disappointment is the only motive for human actions. Ethical hedonism is, in turn, a normative theory or group of theories that a person must strive for satisfaction - either one's own (hedonic egoism) or universal (universal hedonism or utilitarianism). Unlike Sidgwick, who is a supporter of universal hedonism, Bentham wrote:
Nature has placed man under the power of two sovereign rulers: suffering and joy. They determine what we should do today, and they determine what we will do tomorrow. As the standard of truth and falsehood, so the chains of cause and effect rest at their throne.
David Pearce's work, The Hedonistic Imperative, views hedonism as a fundamental moral value for the entire biosphere.
In cinema
- The Shortbus Club by John Cameron Mitchell is a film that has been called a hymn to hedonism.
- In the animated series “Futurama” there is a minor character - the Hedonist Robot, as the name suggests, who sets the goal of his life to obtain pleasure. He constantly lies on the couch, which is part of his body, and continuously eats grapes.
- Also, ideas of hedonism can be seen in the film “Dorian Gray”. A character named Henry Wotton widely disseminates his ideas among acquaintances and friends. The plot of the film and book by Oscar Wilde is based on the dissemination of these ideas.
see also
Links
- Hedonism- article from the Krugosvet encyclopedia
- A. N. Dolgenko. Decadent hedonism
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
Synonyms:See what “Hedonism” is in other dictionaries:
- (Greek hedone pleasure) a type of ethical teachings and moral views in which all moral definitions are derived from pleasure and pain. G. originates from the Cyrenaic school and develops as a type of worldview that defends ... Philosophical Encyclopedia
- (Greek, from hedone pleasure). Greek system philosopher Aristippus, who considered sensual pleasures the highest good of people. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. HEDONISM [Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language
Hedonism- (gr. hedone – konildilik, rahattana) – adam tershiligi rahattarga umtylyp, azaptardan kashudan turada dep karastyratyn philosophy, ethics principle and moral criteria. Hedonistic philosophy astaryn (subsoil) igiliktin (good)… … Philosophy terminerdin sozdigi
Hedonism- Hedonism ♦ Hedonisme The doctrine that considers pleasure (hedone) as the highest good or moral principle. It is reflected in the views of Aristippus (***), Epicurus (although his hedonism is accompanied by eudaimonism), among the newest... ... Sponville's Philosophical Dictionary
hedonism- an ancient concept meaning fun and pleasure in the ethics of the ancient Greek philosophy of the Cyrenaics, it was the basis of the doctrine that recognized the meaning of life as not only bodily, but also spiritual pleasure. Dictionary practical psychologist. M.: AST,... ... Great psychological encyclopedia
- (Greek hedone - pleasure) ethical teaching, originally developed by the ancient Greek Cyrene philosophical school and Epicurus; recognizes pleasure as the purpose of life and the highest good; defines good as that which brings pleasure, and evil as that which... ... Encyclopedia of Cultural Studies
hedonism- a, m. hédonisme m. A direction in ethics that recognizes pleasure as the highest good, the purpose of life; desire for pleasure, enjoyment. BAS 2. Lex. Toll 1863: hedonism; Ush. 1935: gedoni/zm; Krysin 1998 ... Historical Dictionary Gallicisms of the Russian language
- (from the Greek hedone pleasure), a direction in ethics that affirms pleasure, pleasure as the highest goal and the main motive of human behavior... Modern encyclopedia
- (from the Greek hedone pleasure) a direction in ethics that affirms pleasure, pleasure as the highest goal and the main motive of human behavior. In antiquity, developed by Aristippus and the Cyrene school; Epicurus and his followers come close to... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
- (from the Greek hedone pleasure) an individual’s desire to increase his well-being in the name of maximizing the pleasure received from life. Raizberg B.A., Lozovsky L.Sh., Starodubtseva E.B.. Modern economic dictionary. 2nd ed., rev. M.:... ... Economic dictionary
- (Greek hendone pleasure) an ancient concept meaning fun and pleasure. In the ethics of ancient Greek Cyrenaic philosophy this concept was the basis of a doctrine in which the meaning of life was recognized as pleasure, but not only bodily... Psychological Dictionary
Books
- Boris and Gleb, Ranchin Andrey Mikhailovich. The first Russian saints, brothers Boris and Gleb, chose voluntary death for themselves, abandoning the struggle for power over Kiev and the entire Russian land. This happened almost a thousand years ago, in the summer...
One of the most popular areas of philosophy and ethics is hedonism. It has ancient origins and a long history, and it is worth saying that the theory of hedonism is very interesting: it proclaims the main good or even the meaning of people’s lives is pleasure and pleasure.
A little history
The founder of hedonism is Aristippus, a contemporary of Socrates, who lived in 435-355. BC. He believed that the human soul throughout its entire life can remain in only two states - pleasure (he described this state as soft and gentle) and pain, which is a rough movement of the soul.
According to his idea of life, any person throughout his existence strives to experience as much pleasure as possible, while trying to avoid pain. This is precisely the meaning of life. Moreover, Aristipus considered pleasure as physical satisfaction, and the meaning of the word “hedonism” is pleasure, satisfaction, pleasure and similar synonyms.
Another philosopher who contributed to the development of hedonism was Epicurus. He believed that the indicator of a person's successful life is satisfaction. Moreover, it is not an end in itself. The main thing is to try to avoid unhappiness and suffering throughout your life.
It is worth saying a few words about such a phenomenon as radical hedonism. He was first mentioned by the ancient Greek philosopher Hegesius, who is often called the “teacher of death.” He argued that the main thing in life is not to experience pain and suffering, so each person should think about his own balance. If he begins to experience more discomfort than satisfaction, then he has the right to take his own life.
Later, utilitarians began to study the principles of hedonism. For example, in the 19th century, Henry Sidgwick divided hedonism into:
- Psychological.
- Ethical.
The first, according to his opinion, is manifested in a person’s desire to satisfy his own joys, and this is what motivates a person to take certain actions. And the second type of hedonism assumes that a person constantly strives for satisfaction throughout life, and it can be both personal (hedonic egoism) and common to any group of people (utilitarianism).
Enjoyment and happiness
For a person who has a hedonistic mindset, the main thing throughout life is to achieve three goals - pleasure, eternal youth and health. If you believe this point of view, then most of modern humanity can be called hedonists. Still would! Who among us does not dream of being forever young, healthy and happy?
It’s just that sensual or intellectual satisfaction is perceived by hedonists simply as an act of pleasure. For example, a representative of hedonism will watch a movie or read a book just to have a good time, and not to learn something new or gain something for himself.
It is worth noting that one of the most famous psychologists in the world based his theory of psychoanalysis on the principle of hedonism. A person, according to Freud, strives throughout his life to obtain satisfaction and avoid troubles. Moreover, there is no deviation from the norm in this; it is a natural physiological and psychological process.
After some time, the rat stopped eating, completely refused water and did nothing but press the pedal. It turns out that excessive pleasure for her could result in inevitable death. In this regard, psychologists are confident that hedonism necessarily needs a moral limiter. Author: Elena Ragozina
In 2017, few people are familiar with the concepts of hedonist, epicurean and sybarite. If you do not delve into philosophy and psychology, these words will remain unfamiliar. These concepts are already quietly considered archaisms ( outdated words) or at least terms that are used extremely rarely. After reading the article, you will not only learn the meaning of unknown words, but also be able to understand whether you have anything in common with these concepts.
Meaning of the word
A hedonist is a person who lives for pleasure. In simple words, is someone who selfishly cares about his own comfort, pleasure and good. Such people don't think about tomorrow and do not worry about physical goods. One of these was.
It is important for a hedonist that the feeling of aesthetic pleasure and pleasure does not leave him. Such people, according to their own psychology, live “one day at a time.” In addition, hedonists are susceptible to stress factors if they are deprived of their main happiness - a feeling of satisfaction.
Philosophy and psychology of hedonism
In general, hedonism in philosophy presupposes a feeling of pleasure as main meaning life. If we look at this concept in more detail, two philosophers appear on the scene - Aristippus and Epicurus.
Aristippus is an ancient Greek philosopher who developed the movement of hedonism. Aristippus believed that the meaning of life is to achieve happiness through the emotion of pleasure, avoiding pain and suffering. At the same time, pleasure is seen as something soft and gentle that inspires and brings physical happiness.
Unlike Aristippus, Epicurus was a follower of the down-to-earth concept of hedonism. Epicurus viewed this movement as a deliverance from bothersome worries, burdens, suffering and grievances. In the concept of the philosopher, the emotion of moral and physical satisfaction meant a feeling of a successful life. According to the concept of Epicurus, the meaning of life was to get rid of suffering and resentment.
Interestingly, an example of hedonism is Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. For modern example Let's consider the behavior of Robot Bender from the animated series "Futurama", where the replicas of the man-machine clearly reflect a tendency towards hedonism.
Why is hedonism bad?
It would seem that what’s wrong with a person constantly striving for good and happiness? Everything would be fine if this was achieved in ways that do not interfere with other people and society as a whole. However, hedonists sometimes pose a threat to others and thereby make many enemies.
Now let's think about the fact that happiness is different for each individual. There are 7 billion people on planet Earth, and everyone enjoys specific things. Some are happy after sex, others enjoy the euphoric feeling of drugs, and some find it satisfying tasty food. Also, most people enjoy power, money, and the authority of status. In addition, adolescents experience gambling addiction when computer game becomes the meaning of life.
All this is nothing more than a form of hedonism. Don't believe me? Think for yourself. A drug addict uses drugs, from which he receives satisfaction in bouts of euphoria. The addict is not going to give up harmful substances, arguing that drugs make a person happy. Isn't this hedonism? The same applies to other cases, for example, casual sexual relationships, overeating, abuse of power and authority.
In such cases, hedonists openly make enemies without thinking about the consequences. Ordinary conversations are unlikely to help solve this problem. Here you can no longer do without the help of a psychologist and loved ones.
No one is saying that striving for the highest good is wrong. But do not forget that hedonism manifests itself in tandem with selfishness. This means that those around you will suffer.
How to identify hedonism
You can test a person’s propensity for hedonism using online tests on the Internet. In addition, a number of signs that are inherent in such people are described below:
- weak willpower;
- the pursuit of benefits with the least effort;
- ignorance, inhospitability, selfishness, pride;
- heightened self-esteem;
- laziness;
- weak ability of self-control.
When this trend was just emerging in Ancient Greece, philosophers could hardly imagine the current world with debauchery, sex and drugs, which sometimes take precedence over common sense. IN ancient world this movement involved thinking about beauty and the desire to obtain satisfaction by enjoying the beauty of women and the taste of wine.
Now the direction remains the same, but there are more ways to get pleasure. Many ways to achieve satisfaction are contrary to society. Which, in fact, is the problem of hedonism at the present time.
Synonyms and antonyms
Related terms in meaning are sybarite, epicurean. A slightly distant, but still close concept is an esthete. Let's consider each synonym separately.
A sybarite is a person who lives for luxury and pampering. This concept has come to us from the ancient Greek city of Sybaris, which was distinguished by its special splendor, and its inhabitants by their unbridledness. The ancient sybarites loved to eat exclusively delicacies. Their tables were dominated by seafood (crabs, oysters, shellfish) and other expensive treats. Nowadays, when they say “sybarite,” they mean a person who is spoiled by luxury.
An Epicurean is a person who lives to achieve pleasure through liberation from suffering and resentment. This concept is identical to hedonism, but differs in that it does not set as its own goal the search for sources of happiness. After all, the main source of satisfaction is spiritual peace and ataraxia - serenity. Epicureanism does not do as much harm as hedonism. After all, Epicureans value friendship and moral goods, unlike selfish hedonists.
Epicurus, a philosopher who put forward one of the concepts of hedonism, adhered to his own movement - Epicureanism, where this name came from.
Since hedonism is a form of aesthetic pleasure, it is impossible not to mention aesthetes.
An esthete is a connoisseur of beauty, grace, and elegance. In other words, the esthete takes pleasure in whatever he likes to look at. Sometimes forms of aestheticism appear when delicious food or a view brings satisfaction beautiful body. The disadvantages of such people include the fact that aesthetes evaluate everything by appearance.
In addition to synonyms that are close in meaning, antonyms of the concept “hedonist” are also distinguished. These words include “ascetic”.
An ascetic is an individual who abstains from receiving satisfaction and leads a strict lifestyle. Such a person limits himself to all the benefits that make him feel pleasure and joy.
Ascetics tend to overwork at work, load their heads with problems and get little rest. These stressors initially cause depression. And after deep mental disorder They even go as far as committing suicide.