Hedonists philosophy. Who is a hedonist? Hedonism in philosophy

Using hamburgers as an example, the author identifies 4 archetypes of human behavior, characterized by specific psychological attitudes and behavioral patterns: Hedonist, Nihilist, Rat Race Participant and Simply Happy Person

(I think it would be better without hamburgers, but what can you do, American author)

Archetype Hedonism

The first archetypal hamburger is a tasty but unhealthy bun with questionable toppings. Eating this hamburger at the present moment would be good, since it would give me pleasure (“current good”), but in the future it would certainly turn out to be evil, since I would feel bad afterwards (“future evil”).

A characteristic feature that defines archetype of hedonism, precisely lies in the fact that everything that happens at the moment is perceived as good, but in the future it will certainly turn out to be evil. Hedonists live by the principle: “Strive for pleasure and avoid suffering”; All their efforts are aimed at enjoying life today and now, ignoring the potential negative consequences of their actions in the future.

A hedonist seeks pleasure and avoids suffering. He cares only about satisfying his own desires and thinks almost nothing about future consequences. A fulfilling life, in his opinion, comes down to a sequence of pleasant sensations. If something gives him pleasure at the moment, this serves as sufficient justification for doing it until a new hobby comes to replace the old hobby. The hedonist enthusiastically makes new friends and lovers, but as soon as their novelty fades, he immediately finds new attachments. Since a hedonist is fixated only on what is happening to him at the moment, for the sake of momentary pleasure he is ready to commit actions that can subsequently cause him enormous damage. If drugs bring him pleasure, he will take them; if he feels that work is too difficult, he will avoid it.

The hedonist makes the mistake of identifying any effort with suffering, and pleasure with happiness. We cannot find happiness if we seek only pleasures and avoid suffering. And yet, the hedonist living inside each of us, in an inescapable longing for some kind of Garden of Eden, continues to identify work with suffering, and idleness with pleasure.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who in his scientific work studies almost exclusively states of highest creative activity and spiritual elation, argues that “ The best moments in a person's life usually come when his body or mind is stretched to the limit in a voluntary effort to complete some difficult task or accomplishment" A hedonistic existence without struggle is not a recipe for happiness.

Living in a hedonistic manner can also be useful at times. Anyone who lives for today becomes younger at heart - as long as in the long term this does not lead to any negative consequences (like those that occur from taking drugs). If we relax a little, sit back and enjoy life - lay on the beach, eat hamburgers from McDonald's, and then enjoy an ice cream sundae with whipped cream or just watch TV - it will only make us happier.

Question: Think back to a time—whether it was a single episode or a long period of time—when you lived as a hedonist. What have you gained and what have you lost by living this way?

Rat Race Archetype

The second type of hamburger that came to mind was a bland, meatless veggie bun made with only healthy ingredients. Eating such a hamburger would be good for the future, since as a result I would be healthy and feel good (“future good”), but at the moment it would cause me nothing but trouble, because I would be disgusted to chew this rubbish (“current evil”).
This hamburger matches rat race archetype. From the point of view of the “rat”, the present is not worth a penny compared to the future, and the poor fellow suffers in the name of some anticipated gain.

Participants in the rat race are distinguished primarily by their inability to enjoy their activities, and also by their ineradicable belief that if they achieve some specific goal, they will be happy forever and ever.

The reason why there are so many people around us participating in the rat race is because of our culture, which encourages such superstitions to take root. If we finish the semester with only tens, we receive a gift from our parents; If we fulfill the plan at work, then at the end of the year we receive a bonus. We get used to not thinking about anything other than the goal that looms before us on the horizon, and not paying attention to what is happening to us at the moment. All our lives we have been chasing the endlessly eluding ghost of the future.infantry We are rewarded and praised not for what happens to us along the way, but only for the successful completion of the journey. Society rewards us for results, not for the process itself; for the fact that we have reached the goal, and not for the fact that we have walked the path that leads to it.

As soon as we achieve our intended goal, we immediately experience a feeling of relief, which is so easy to confuse with happiness. The heavier the burden we carry on the journey, the stronger and more pleasant the feeling of relief we experience. When we confuse this momentary relief with happiness, we reinforce the illusion that simply achieving a goal will make us happy. The feeling of relief, of course, has a certain value for us - it is pleasant and very real - but it should not be confused with happiness.

The feeling of relief can be considered a kind of negative happiness, since its source is the same stress and anxiety, but taken with the opposite sign. By its very nature, relief involves unpleasant experiences, and therefore the happiness that arises from a feeling of relief cannot last for any long time. If a woman suffering from a painful migraine suddenly stops having a headache, she will feel like the happiest person in the world because of the mere absence of pain. But since such “happiness” is always preceded by suffering, the absence of pain is just a momentary relief from extremely negative experiences.

Moreover, the feeling of relief is always temporary. When our temples stop pounding, the absence of pain itself gives us a certain pleasure, but then we very quickly get used to this state and take it for granted.

A participant in the rat race who confuses relief with happiness spends his entire life chasing his goals, believing that all he needs to do to be happy is simply achieving something.

Question: don't you feel from time to time that you are just like a participant in the rat race? If you could look at your life from the outside, what advice would you give yourself?

Archetype of Nihilism

The third type of hamburger is the worst of all, being both tasteless and unhealthy. If I ate it, it would harm me both in the present, since the hamburger tastes disgusting, and in the future, since eating it would seriously harm my health.
The closest parallel for such a hamburger is archetype of nihilism. It is characteristic of a person who lost the taste for life;such a person is unable to either enjoy momentary joys or strive for a great goal.

In the context of this book, a nihilist is a person who became disillusioned with the very possibility of happiness and resignedly resigned himself to the fact that life has no meaning. If the archetype of the rat race very successfully characterizes the state of a person who lives for a bright future, and the archetype of hedonism - the state of a person who lives for today, then the archetype of nihilism accurately reflects the state of a person who is chained to the past. Those who have come to terms with their current misfortune and are confident in advance that the same life is destined for them in the future, cannot get out of their heads their previous unsuccessful attempts to become happy.

Question: Try to remember a time - whether it was a single episode or a fairly long period of time - when you felt like a nihilist, unable to get out of the shell of your then misfortune. If you had the opportunity to look at this situation from the outside, what advice would you give yourself?

Both a participant in the rat race, a hedonist, and a nihilist - all of them, each in their own way, are mistaken - they incorrectly interpret reality, do not understand the true nature of happiness and do not know what is needed for a full life. A participant in the rat race suffers from the “deception of all achievements” - the false belief that if we achieve a very important goal, we will be happy for the rest of our days. The hedonist suffers from the “deceptiveness of the present moment”—the false belief that happiness can be experienced by immersing ourselves in an endless stream of momentary pleasures in isolation from our life’s purpose. Nihilism is also a delusion, an incorrect interpretation of reality - a mistaken belief that no matter how you look at it, happiness is still unattainable. The misconception mentioned above stems from the inability to see the possibility of a synthesis between the desire to achieve something and the current moment - some kind of third path along which it will be possible to get out of the unenviable situation in which we find ourselves.

Archetype of Happiness

However, these three archetypes I have presented by no means exhaust all possible options - there is one more that we need to consider. How about a hamburger that's every bit as tasty as the one I gave up, and every bit as healthy as a meatless veggie bun? A hamburger that simultaneously contains both present and future good?

This hamburger is a living illustration archetype of happiness. Happy people live calmly, in the firm belief that... The very activities that give them a lot of pleasure in the present will provide them with a fulfilling life in the future.

The illusion of a participant in the rat race is that if someday in the future he manages to achieve his intended goal, he will be happy for the rest of his days; he does not realize that the path to the goal is no less important than the goal itself. The illusion of a hedonist, on the contrary, is that only the path is important to him, but not the goal. The nihilist, despairing of achieving the goal and giving up on both it and the path to it, became completely disillusioned with life. A participant in the rat race becomes a slave of the future, a hedonist becomes a slave of the present, and a nihilist becomes a slave of the past.

In order to become happy seriously and for a long time, it is necessary to enjoy the very road to a goal that we consider worthyy. Happiness does not lie in climbing to the top of a mountain, nor in wandering aimlessly through the mountains; happiness is what we experience when we climb to the top.

Our main goal is to spend as much time as possible doing those things that are a source of not only present but also future benefits for us.

Question: Think back to one or two times in your life when you enjoyed both present and future benefits.

Exercise Four Sectors

Surveys of people who regularly keep diaries indicate that writing about the events in our lives - both negative and positive - helps improve our mental and physical health.

For four days in a row, write for at least fifteen minutes a day about what happened to you in each of these four quadrants. Write about the times when you were a participant in the rat race, a hedonist and a nihilist. On the fourth day, write about happy times in your life. If you get moved enough to want to write more about a particular sector, do so, but don't write about more than one sector per day.

Don't worry about grammar or spelling - just write. It is important that in your essay you honestly talked about the emotions that you once experienced or are experiencing now, as well as about what kind of behavioral scenario you carried out (that is, what actions you performed then) and what thoughts were in your head or arose in it while writing this text.

Here are some instructions on what to write in each of these four quadrants:
. PARTICIPANT IN THE RAT RACE. Tell me about a time in your life when you felt like a rat, running non-stop on a treadmill towards a “brighter future.” Why did you do this? What benefits did such a life bring you, if, of course, there was any benefit in this for you? What price did you pay for it or did you not pay any?
. HEDONIST. Tell us about a time in your life when you lived as a hedonist or indulged in hedonistic pleasures. What benefits did such a life bring you, if, of course, there was any benefit in this for you? What price did you pay for it or did you not pay any?
. NIHILIST. Tell us about the most difficult moments in your life, when you gave up on everything and resigned yourself to your bitter fate. Or what happened to you over a longer period of time during which you felt helpless. Share your innermost feelings and thoughts that came to your mind then and now as you write this text.
. HAPPY MAN. Tell us about an incredibly happy time in your life or a time when you were especially happy. Travel back in time in your imagination, try to re-experience your emotions at that time, and then write about them.
Whatever you write, as long as you write it, your writings are for your own eyes only. If, after finishing writing, you want to read what you have written to a loved one, you, of course, have the right to do this, but it is important that you do not feel constrained when performing this exercise. The more you can open up, the more benefit you will get from your writings.

The nihilism sector and the happiness sector will need to be worked on at least twice more. When you do the exercise again, you can remember the same events or write about something different. Review everything you've written from time to time - this can be done once every three months, once a year or once every two years.

based on the book by Tal Ben-Shahar: Learning to be Happy

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.

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 of a 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 of 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 the ancient Greek Cyrenaic philosophy, this concept was used as the basis for a teaching in which pleasure, but not only bodily pleasure, was recognized as the meaning of life... Psychological Dictionary

Books

Boris and Gleb, Ranchin Andrei 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... Category: Lives of Saints and Clergy Series: Lives of remarkable people Publisher: Young Guard,
The idea of morality and basic normative and ethical programs, R.G. Apresyan, The book analyzes the nature and imperative-value content of morality. Revealing the sources of morality, the author pays special attention to a person’s ancestral experience (in particular, expressed in... Category:

Hello, dear readers of the blog site. The modern world is an incredible abundance of pleasant things and entertainment. In such conditions it is difficult to rely on and remain an ascetic.

But the elevation of pleasure to its apogee was practiced long before the advent of expensive cars, dishes from all over the world in one restaurant and things for every taste. Is it possible that hedonism is a natural state for humanity that has always been in our nature? Or not? Let's figure it out.

Excursion into history

Aristippus is an ancient Greek philosopher and father such a doctrine as hedonism. In his concept, he believed that there are only two states for a person, which are diametrically opposed in nature. This is pleasure and pain.

What kind of pleasure it is and how it is achieved does not matter. Because it still brings a high level of pleasure, in which there is no place for suffering. Meaning of life Aristippus interpreted it exactly as physical pleasure.

Hedonism in the modern world

Due to the pace of modern life, a person bears a lot of responsibilities and routine tasks that he must perform to survive in society. A large information flow tires us, and this makes us chronically dissatisfied.

Therefore, more and more people are joining the trend of hedonism, to enjoy now. And not to work from early morning until late evening, so that somewhere later you can buy an apartment for your old age.

An abundance of pleasant things and a variety of entertainment allows you to achieve pleasure right now. Hedonists strive to acquire the best things, because they often believe that this is what can bring happiness. For example, expensive alcoholic drinks, a leather sofa.

Society began to distinguish healthy and unhealthy hedonism. The first includes satisfying one’s desires without harming other people and the environment. The second one has the opposite position. When a person, in order to obtain pleasure, is ready to disregard the feelings of others or morality, laws.

Examples of excessive hedonism

There are many examples in history when hedonism went beyond acceptable limits and left a negative imprint on society:

During the gold rush in California, people rushed to look for the precious metal in order to get rich quickly. They left their homes and lived in special camps. Opium was brought there, and people, wanting to get at least illusory pleasure, became drug addicts and could no longer get anything.
After the revolution in France, hashish was a common way to achieve pleasure. Almost all highly intelligent people of that time exchanged their high ideals for pleasures of this dubious kind.
During Prohibition, another form of pleasure was banned – alcohol. However, in underground clubs it was poured out to everyone willing and able to pay. Even those who had no addiction to alcohol before now wanted to get what was banned throughout America (forbidden pleasure).
The hippie era. They took psychedelic substances and also advocated, including sexual intercourse. They found happiness in freedom and baubles in their arms. As a result, their subculture was lost among hundreds of others.

If you listen to your desires and while striving for self-development, and not to get pleasure at the expense of others, then hedonism as a movement and philosophy of life coexists normally with other life positions. At least that's how it was until today.

Good luck to you! See you soon on the pages of the blog site

The origins of hedonism are deeply rooted in history.

Any culture is defined by its teachers and founders. Hedonism can already be recognized for the fact that it originated a long time ago, back in Ancient Greece, and the founder of this trend was the student of the great Socrates, who is still respected.

Freud, developing this teaching, determined that a person from the day of his birth is a natural hedonist, but over time everything becomes boring, and to get pleasure from life you need control over your actions and the method “work hard, try - enjoy life.”

Hedonist: the meaning of life in the meaning of the word

Who is a hedonist? Let’s define the meaning of the word. Hedonism is a system of beliefs, principles and human values that define their highest life mission as receiving every second of pleasure.

Perhaps society is ready to support good impulses to be happy, but not the methods by which most hedonists achieve their “ceiling” of pleasure.

Ways for hedonists to get a permanent high

A hedonist is convinced that in order to obtain pleasure one can sacrifice the norms of morality, honor and ethics established unspoken in society.

Let's look at the main ways hedonists get pleasure:

sex;
alcohol;
hobby;
Job;
Friends;
confession;
achieving higher spiritual development.

In addition to the main ways that lead to bliss, a hedonist is able to capture moments of happiness from any little things: be it contemplation of nature, organizing parties, traveling around the world, even virtue can cause the realization of complete happiness.

Our expectations as a barrier to hedonism

Hedonist is, first of all, a philosophical term. From the point of view of human psychology, only he himself can assess his condition, and it consists of his expectations and attitude towards life and the situations that occur in it. For example, a person can “get” an absolute buzz when eating instant noodles, while another needs to go to dinner at an elite restaurant of their favorite cuisine to find happiness. In both cases, they both get maximum pleasure.

In sexual relationships, substitution of concepts can also occur. For some, sex with your beloved wife once a week is absolute bliss, while for others, daily intimacy with different partners is necessary. Much closer to the term “hedonism” will be the one who sets up a “happiness” scale in his head and tries to realize himself in accordance with it.

A hedonist is convinced that he himself makes him happy, therefore, in satisfying primary needs, it is necessary to determine in advance the bar that will allow, by realizing them to a minimum, to get maximum pleasure.

Are hedonists and egoists different people?

Often, hedonists are not liked because they believe that they live only for themselves; in fact, this is not at all the case. When there are happy people nearby, their number is growing every day, you can spread optimism, but doing this is much more difficult than spreading negativity around.

Hedonists try to constantly develop, because by degrading you can only get a short-term high, mainly alcoholics and drug addicts suffer from this. Therefore, it is desirable to have fun without harming others, but first of all, ourselves.

The hedonist approaches the egoist in an effort to comprehend himself spiritually, to find out the purpose of his own “I” and to endow it with absolute happiness in his head. A person who takes grandmothers across the road, helps loved ones financially, and is ready to provide moral support to relatives can also be a hedonist, but only on the condition that his good deeds make him happier every minute.

What is a hedonist afraid of?

The most terrible word for hedonists is “debt”. If you tell him that he must do something or that his obligation includes doing the following, the response will be blame and indifference.

Any resistance in his body that separates him from receiving pleasure, an action that is useless in the opinion of the hedonist, brings the human mechanism into a stupor. He turns into a negative character, both for society as a whole and for his family and friends.

A hedonist can be the most responsible person, fulfill all orders efficiently and on time, but there is no need to push and rush him, and, especially, to impose your own opinion on him.

Hedonists among us

Taking a close look at your friends, colleagues at work, family and friends, it is easy to identify a hedonist. These are mostly creative people who lead a different lifestyle from the majority of people, often look or strive to appear younger than their age, can be very active, or have a philosophical outlook on life. They have a distinctive sense of humor, self-irony, are vulnerable, sensitive, and romantic.

If you can look into their soul and understand them, then it will be interesting for you to spend time with them, communicate and even do business.

Conclusion

To summarize: hedonists are among us and this factor cannot be refuted. Until we understand their soul and share some of their views, it is difficult for us to accept them into our circle.

A hedonist is a person who is able to bring benefit to society without causing harm to his beliefs and principles.

Your choice to become a hedonist or not to accept this teaching at all, but to respect a person who is capable of being happy is simply necessary, because the world develops only with a positive attitude towards him, and not vice versa.

Try to answer a number of questions: how developed is hedonism in you, which of your friends would you define as a true hedonist, and evaluate your attitude towards this term?

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 the good is not good because it is full of pleasures, it is still possible to prove that the most pleasant life is also the 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 found themselves moved into such contexts (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 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 man, sees in him an extremely simplified interpretation of the driving forces and motives of man. 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 with rational 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 pleasures that can be achieved in a given time, and ignored 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 the Christian tradition of the Middle Ages, ideas of hedonism had no place; 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 as a 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 a universal principle of behavior of a social individual, especially (as was emphasized by Freud’s followers) if we are talking about 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:

- (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