THE CONCEPTS OF GOOD

AND EVIL IN
EPICUREANIST AND
HENDONIST
PHILOSOPHIES
REPORTER:
JESSANE COMCOM

Hedonist Philosophies
The moral doctrine called hedonism (a Greek

word for happiness). It is based on the Greek

concept of hdonh-hedone or sensuous pleasure, and
contends that happiness is goal of human life that
must be searched for and pain must be avoided.

The Hedonism considers further that the quantity of

pleasure must be understood and explained by the

intensity of pleasure. According to hedonism,
therefore, the more quantity (intensive) pleasure we
have, the happier we shall be.

Hedonists maintain that most moral virtues are to be

learned and pursued. For them, pleasure is natural

and has a very strong inclination that we do not have
to command ourselves by moral ought. Thus, they
contend that it is rather foolish and meaningless to
command ourselves to cultivate other moral virtues
(which are unnatural) and perform in accordance
with those virtues. On the contrary, the most
important thing as understood by the hedonist
(namely, what is morally right)

EPICUREANISM: The Doctrine of

Pleasure
Epicurus was born around 341 B.C.E, seven years

after Platos death, and grew up in the Athenian colony

of Samos.
Communities of Epicureans sprang up throughout the
Hellenistic world; along with Stoicism, it was one of the
major philosophical schools competing for peoples
allegiances. Epicureanism went into decline with the
rise of Christianity. Certain aspects of Epicurus thought
were revived during the Renaissance and early
modern periods, when reaction against scholastic neoAristotelianism led thinkers to turn to mechanistic
explanations of natural phenomena.

Epicureanist Philosophy
Epicurus developed an interesting, rather moderate

and philosophically acceptable moral theory based

on hedonism.
Epicurus philosophy deals with ones very own
practical concerns, a way of living, not an abstracts
system of thought. Perhaps it may be said that the
greatest appeal of Epicurus philosophy lies in its
simplicity and common sense.

EPICUREANISM AND HEDONISM

Hedonism always has followers in the history of

humankind, perhaps not as a theory of morality, but

almost the justification of the pursuit of sensuous
pleasure. As stated above, Epicureanism has been
understood as synonymous with Hedonism, which
we showed above as a misconception of Epicurus
philosophy.

To Epicurus, indeed pleasure is what good is, and

the ultimate goal of human life. However, instead of

the momentous intensity of sensuous pleasures.
Epicurus found the maximum pleasures in those
which would endure and even make us wise. In fact,
Epicurus himself led the life of a philosopher free
from bodily pain and from mental agonies and
turmoil, enjoying the joy of friendship.

Hedonism is always associated with egoism (which

purports that the criterion of right action is selfinterest and the greatest gratification of ones own
self-interest is considered the ultimate goal of life),
that is, as long as hedonism asserts the pursuit of
pleasure, the pursuit of pleasure is unfailingly
associated with self-interest.

Types of Pleasure
1. Moving pleasures -occur when

process of

one is the

satisfying a desire.

2. Static pleasures -occur after

ones
desires have
been satisfied, the
state of satiety, of no
longer being in
need
or want, is itself
pleasurable.

Critique and Significance

Hedonism explains very well the emotional basis and

aspects of human actions.

It proposes an earthly goal for man, namely, the
temporal welfare here on earth.
Hedonism makes morality extrinsic because it makes
it dependent on the effect or on a concurrent factor of
an act.

Business Application
a. The pleasure pain principle is
sometimes
used in
business decision-making
(cost-benefit analysis of
pleasure and pain).
b. The pleasure pain principle
can also be
used to
describe profit-loss
situations in business.

END