Hedonism

John Stuart Mill’s theory of higher and lower pleasures can be a tricky one. In fact, Mill defines happiness as the absence of pain, and unhappiness as the consequence of pain and the absence of pleasure. In other words, in his view, happiness is directly, related to pleasure. However, Mill points out the fact that not all pleasures are the same. For instance, he claims that intellectual pleasures are with no doubt safer than physical pleasures. As humans, we tend to chase the pleasures of…

In utilitarianism, the line between pragmatism and morality is nonexistent as it asks individuals to consider themselves a part of a whole so they can act solely to benefit the larger unit. Essentially, Bentham's model determines whether an action is right or wrong based on the net amount of pleasure or pain it causes the involved parties. Furthermore, he specifies the various qualities that determine the value of the subsequent pleasure or pain, breaking them into seven categories that range…

“According to the normal view, happiness is the summum bonum towards which we’re naturally impelled by virtue - which in their definition means following one’s natural impulses” (72). Pursuing happiness is thought of as a self-centrical idea in the outside world. Once an individual attains happiness, they do not feel obligated to help the people around them, because they would rather continue to further their pleasure. Utopia, an imaginary perfect society created by Thomas More, is far different…

In the philosophical dialogue, I represented Epicurus and his views on “what traits, if any, do all human beings share?”. Epicurus would answer this question by stating that all humans are self-centered, seeking to secure pleasures and avoid pain. In other words, everything that one does is simply for the sake of gaining pleasure. To Epicurus, pleasure is the only intrinsic good and it is the foundation for all human choices and all evaluation of things as good and bad. In this context, pleasure…

Utilitarianism is an ends-based method of ethical analysis. Rather than attempting to apply a code of moral behavior to the public, this approach focuses on the cost-benefit analysis (Blume and Heineman, 2007) of a policy and underscores its usefulness based on the overall outcome in society. In the case of medical conflicts of interests, the utility of the new policy centers on the creation of consumers that are more informed and the possibility for its largely positive outcome. The primary…

Singer talks about his beliefs and theories on abortion and infanticide. There are many opinions and perspectives on these topics but within utilitarianism is a kind of consequentialism, which states that the best action is the one that maximizes utility and its actions are solely judged by its consequences. Knowing the meaning, Singer makes sense in a way that a baby cannot maximize utility and a baby doesn’t even know or make decisions. Although this may be correct, to me, its not morally…

Our class discussions and the Zelenski chapter on Happiness distinguish between Eudaimonia and hedonia as potentially different motivations, routes, or forms of well-being. This week, choose one small activity that seems eudaimonic (mostly about being your best self) and another that seems more hedonic (mostly about pleasure). Do them both. For the written portion of the assignment, write a short essay (250-300 words) that: briefly describes the activities, and why/how you identified them as…

Robert Nozick, a professor of philosophy at Harvard University, argues against the idea of Hedonism: that our sole value is not just to seek pleasure, but also to become a certain sort of person. He uses the idea of an “Experience Machine” to disprove the ideas of Epicurus and other hedonists. Entering the experience machine allows for one to choose…

People have long tried to interpret ethics in societies. Who, how, and why ethics was created are common debates among philosophers. In its simplest form, ethics can be described as how a differentiates between right and wrong. Whether that be due to society’s standards or their own, there are many theories to explain this daily-occurring phenomenon. Kantianism, the divine command theory, existentialism, ethical relativism, the virtue theory, and utilitarianism are the more widely known theories…

The NFL has been the center of many ethical controversies. Many of these controversies come to the forefront of media outlets around the time of the Super Bowl. Advertisements that air during the Super Bowl have been associated with many of these Super Bowl related controversies. Many companies have even been known to produce advertisements specifically for the reason of creating a situation in which their ads will disrupt the normal family oriented flow of the Super Bowl. The choice and…