CASTRO, ABEGAIL C.

BEED 2A

UNIT 3: ETHICAL FRAMEWORKS/MORAL THEORIES

LESSON 1: HEDONISM
LEARNING AVTIVITIES :
1. What is good life according to the hedonistic perspective?
- As a theoretical approach to life's value, hedonism asserts that a life is
fundamentally or ultimately worth living because of the pleasure it provides, minus the
pain or suffering it causes.
2. Enumerate the different types of hedonism and briefly explain each type.
TYPES OF HEDONISM
B. Value Hedonism and Prudential Hedonism
When the term “hedonism” is used in modern literature, or by non-philosophers in their
everyday talk, its meaning is quite different from the meaning it takes when used in the
discussions of philosophers. Non-philosophers tend to think of a hedonist as a person who
seeks out pleasure for themselves without any particular regard for their own future well-
being or for the well-being of others. According to non-philosophers, then, a stereotypical
hedonist is someone who never misses an opportunity to indulge of the pleasures of sex,
drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll, even if the indulgences are likely to lead to relationship problems,
health problems, regrets, or sadness for themselves or others. Philosophers commonly refer
to this everyday understanding of hedonism as “Folk Hedonism.” Folk Hedonism is a rough
combination of Motivational Hedonism, Hedonistic Egoism, and a reckless lack of foresight.
A.Value Hedonism and Prudential Hedonism

When philosophers discuss hedonism, they are most likely to be referring to hedonism about
value, and especially the slightly more specific theory, hedonism about well-being. Hedonism
as a theory about value (best referred to as Value Hedonism) holds that all and only pleasure
is intrinsically valuable and all and only pain is intrinsically disvaluable. The term
“intrinsically” is an important part of the definition and is best understood in contrast to the
term “instrumentally.” Something is intrinsically valuable if it is valuable for its own sake.
Pleasure is thought to be intrinsically valuable because, even if it did not lead to any other
benefit, it would still be good to experience. Money is an example of an instrumental good;
its value for us comes from what we can do with it (what we can buy with it). The fact that a
copious amount of money has no value if no one ever sells anything reveals that money
lacks intrinsic value. Value Hedonism reduces everything of value to pleasure. For example,
a Value Hedonist would explain the instrumental value of money by describing how the
things we can buy with money, such as food, shelter, and status-signifying goods, bring us
pleasure or help us to avoid pain.

C. Motivational Hedonism

Motivational Hedonism (more commonly referred to by the less descriptive label,

“Psychological Hedonism“) is the theory that the desires to encounter pleasure and to avoid
pain guide all of our behavior. Most accounts of Motivational Hedonism include both
conscious and unconscious desires for pleasure, but emphasize the latter. Epicurus, William
James, Sigmund Freud, Jeremy Bentham, John Stuart Mill, and (on one interpretation)
even Charles Darwin have all argued for varieties of Motivational Hedonism. Bentham used
the idea to support his theory of Hedonistic Utilitarianism (discussed below). Weak versions
of Motivational Hedonism hold that the desires to seek pleasure and avoid pain often or
always have some influence on our behavior. Weak versions are generally considered to be
uncontroversially true and not especially useful for philosophy.
Philosophers have been more interested in strong accounts of Motivational Hedonism, which
hold that all behavior is governed by the desires to encounter pleasure and to avoid pain
(and only those desires). Strong accounts of Motivational Hedonism have been used to
support some of the normative types of hedonism and to argue against non-hedonistic
normative theories. One of the most notable mentions of Motivational Hedonism is Plato’s
Ring of Gyges example in The Republic. Plato’s Socrates is discussing with Glaucon how
men would react if they were to possess a ring that gives its wearer immense powers,
including invisibility. Glaucon believes that a strong version of Motivational Hedonism is true,
but Socrates does not. Glaucon asserts that, emboldened with the power provided by the
Ring of Gyges, everyone would succumb to the inherent and ubiquitous desire to pursue
their own ends at the expense of others. Socrates disagrees, arguing that good people
would be able to overcome this desire because of their strong love of justice, fostered
through philosophising.
Strong accounts of Motivational Hedonism currently garner very little support for similar
reasons. Many examples of seemingly-pain-seeking acts performed out of a sense of duty
are well-known – from the soldier who jumps on a grenade to save his comrades to that time
you rescued a trapped dog only to be (predictably) bitten in the process. Introspective
evidence also weighs against strong accounts of Motivational Hedonism; many of the
decisions we make seem to be based on motives other than seeking pleasure and avoiding
pain. Given these reasons, the burden of proof is considered to be squarely on the shoulders
of anyone wishing to argue for a strong account of Motivational Hedonism.

D. Normative Hedonism

Value Hedonism, occasionally with assistance from Motivational Hedonism, has been used
to argue for specific theories of right action (theories that explain which actions are morally
permissible or impermissible and why). The theory that happiness should be pursued (that
pleasure should be pursued and pain should be avoided) is referred to as Normative
Hedonism and sometimes Ethical Hedonism.  There are two major types of Normative
Hedonism, Hedonistic Egoism and Hedonistic Utilitarianism. Both types commonly use
happiness (defined as pleasure minus pain) as the sole criterion for determining the moral
rightness or wrongness of an action. Important variations within each of these two main
types specify either the actual resulting happiness (after the act) or the predicted resulting
happiness (before the act) as the moral criterion. Although both major types of Normative
Hedonism have been accused of being repugnant, Hedonistic Egoism is considered the
most offensive.

E. Hedonistic Egoism

Hedonistic Egoism is a hedonistic version of egoism, the theory that we should, morally
speaking, do whatever is most in our own interests. Hedonistic Egoism is the theory that we
ought, morally speaking, to do whatever makes us happiest – that is whatever provides us
with the most net pleasure after pain is subtracted. The most repugnant feature of this theory
is that one never has to ascribe any value whatsoever to the consequences for anyone other
than oneself. For example, a Hedonistic Egoist who did not feel saddened by theft would be
morally required to steal, even from needy orphans (if he thought he could get away with it).
Would-be defenders of Hedonistic Egoism often point out that performing acts of theft,
murder, treachery and the like would not make them happier overall because of the guilt, the
fear of being caught, and the chance of being caught and punished. The would-be defenders
tend to surrender, however, when it is pointed out that a Hedonistic Egoist is morally obliged
by their own theory to pursue an unusual kind of practical education; a brief and possibly
painful training period that reduces their moral emotions of sympathy and guilt. Such an
education might be achieved by desensitising over-exposure to, and performance of, torture
on innocents. If Hedonistic Egoists underwent such an education, their reduced capacity for
sympathy and guilt would allow them to take advantage of any opportunities to perform
pleasurable, but normally-guilt-inducing, actions, such as stealing from the poor.

F. Hedonistic Utilitarianism
Hedonistic Utilitarianism is the theory that the right action is the one that produces (or is most
likely to produce) the greatest net happiness for all concerned. Hedonistic Utilitarianism is
often considered fairer than Hedonistic Egoism because the happiness of everyone involved
(everyone who is affected or likely to be affected) is taken into account and given equal
weight. Hedonistic Utilitarians, then, tend to advocate not stealing from needy orphans
because to do so would usually leave the orphan far less happy and the (probably better-off)
thief only slightly happier (assuming he felt no guilt). Despite treating all individuals equally,
Hedonistic Utilitarianism is still seen as objectionable by some because it assigns no intrinsic
moral value to justice, friendship, truth, or any of the many other goods that are thought by
some to be irreducibly valuable. For example, a Hedonistic Utilitarian would be morally
obliged to publicly execute an innocent friend of theirs if doing so was the only way to
promote the greatest happiness overall. Although unlikely, such a situation might arise if a
child was murdered in a small town and the lack of suspects was causing large-scale inter-
ethnic violence. Some philosophers argue that executing an innocent friend is immoral
precisely because it ignores the intrinsic values of justice, friendship, and possibly truth.

2. Do you consider yourself as hedonistic? Why or Why not?

I have my ups and downs, but in general, I am quite disciplined and efficient because I prefer
to invest in long-term goals rather than short-term reward consumption. While others watch
TV, party, drink, or do whatever else they want, I find the most enjoyment in studying and
executing ideas. Cleaning, talking to family, and returning home on vacation are some of the
other things I don't like to do but have to do because I have to.

3. Do you consider Hedonism as a good ethical theory? Explain your answer.

Yes, because Hedonism is a philosophy that regards pleasure and happiness as the most
beneficial outcome of an action. More pleasure and less pain is ethical. More pain and less
pleasure is not