Pleasure

meaning that is, “pleasure, and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain, and the privation of pleasure” (82). A further description of the utilitarian theory is that it assumes that we can indeed make moral judgments, have moral disagreements, and therefore be mistaken in our moral beliefs. Granted that our moral beliefs, and provide supporting reasons for our moral…

Seldom, one thinks of the meaning of its own existence. Further, if any is assigned, it’s usually nominated by religion or social constructs, which in reality have no productive value. This is evident in everyday conversation when one finds individuals unsure, hesitant, nervous or even unaware of this matter. For centuries though, philosophers or lovers of wisdom as defined in Latin, have sought to find the meaning of life. The different outcomes, the different interpretations and the different…

it brings pleasure and prevents pain. Hedonism specifies that pleasure is the ultimate, highest good. Therefore, it is the end goal. In Bentham’s view of utilitarianism, the “pig philosophy” argues that the end result justifies the mean because “a pig enjoying his life would constitute a higher moral state than a slightly dissatisfied Socrates” (Pojman and Fieser 97). Meanwhile, Mill explains that eudaimonistic utilitarianism captures happiness through higher- and lower-order pleasures. Higher…

Percy Shelley argues that poetry is the device that elevates the beauty of society. Poetry brings imagination to the forefront, either by developing a divine idea or making a beautiful object even more beautiful. In response to the idea that poetry lacked relevance, Shelley claims that poetry not only elevates what we perceive as beauty; it is also the center of knowledge. This idea is further clarified when Shelley notes the comparison between poets and philosophers. Through his approach,…

able to choose between pleasure and the truth people can often choose the truth. I guess a hedonist could say that we can still find pleasure in the truth. Pluralism is the belief that there are things more valuable than pleasure/happiness and they have three categories to divide them. The categories are personal values, social values, and pleasure. They also believe that if pleasure is used to broadly, to the point where it is meaningless. I agree with pluralism that pleasure can be completely…

Juxtapositions contradict different ideas in order to show the larger intention. Juxtapositions between pleasure verses sin is uncovered, “If they should refuse to attend school or heed your words, you must punish them, whether young or old, for as I have already observed in these parts, too much pleasure brings on sin and ruin.” Nash writes the letter essentially to show the contrast between to much pleasure brings on sin. In order to be a good Christian is to be a well educated man and…

What is Utilitarianism? Utilitarianism is a philosophical concept that holds an action to be held right if it tends to promote happiness for the greatest number of people. Utilitarian’s define the morally right actions as those actions that maximize happiness and minimize misery. Many believe that utilitarianism is an unrealistic theory. Arguments and responses to utilitarianism being too demanding have been made John Stuart Mill and Peter Singer. First, I will explain how Mill and Singer…

Hedonism Is The Highest Good When we are driven by pleasure, it creates motivation to create happiness for yourself and for others. This pleasure and self indulgence is called hedonism. Living with hedonism is living a stress free, happy life. In Jeremy Bentham’s article, The Principle of Utility, he states that our actions should produce benefit, advantage, pleasure, good and happiness. Living a happy life can lead to success, as studies have shown. One test, referred to as the marshmallow…

happiness. In line with this contemporary definition, Bentham recognized the fundamental role of pleasure and pain in the human life and used his knowledge to create an act utilitarian measure of actions. Bentham approves or disapproves an action based on the amount of pain or pleasure the action causes. Likewise, he equates good actions with pleasure and evil actions with pain. Bentham also claims that pleasure and pain can be quantified numerically. Thus, an evil action causing…

utilitarianism is to make life better, increasing the good things, and decreasing the bad things. Some examples of good things include pleasure and happiness, and, for bad things, pain and unhappiness. In ethical theory, the morals are…