hedonism etymology

Etymology

The word "hedonism" is derived from the Greek word "hedone," meaning "pleasure."

Meaning

Hedonism is a ethical philosophy that states that pleasure is the highest good and that the pursuit of pleasure is the chief goal of human life. Hedonists believe that all other goods, such as virtue, knowledge, and beauty, are only valuable insofar as they contribute to pleasure.

Origin

Hedonism as a philosophical doctrine can be traced back to the ancient Greek philosopher Aristippus of Cyrene (c. 435 – c. 356 BCE), a disciple of Socrates. Aristippus taught that the only true good is pleasure, and that all other goods are merely means to this end. He argued that pleasure is the only thing that is intrinsically good, and that all other goods are only good because they lead to pleasure.

Hedonism was also a major theme in the philosophy of Epicurus (c. 341 – c. 270 BCE). Epicurus taught that the goal of life is to achieve happiness, which he defined as the absence of pain and the presence of pleasure. He argued that the best way to achieve happiness is to live a life of simple pleasures, and to avoid pain and discomfort.

hedonism relate terms

  • hedonist

    Etymology and Origin of Hedonism Hedonism comes from the Greek word ἡδονή hēd

  • sweet

    Etymology The word sweet comes from the Old English word swēte which itself evolve

  • epicurean

    Etymology The term Epicurean is derived from the Greek Epikouros the name of the anci

  • Cyrene

    Etymology Greek Κυρήνη Kyrēnē Meaning Land of the Cyrenians Origin

  • morality

    Etymology The word morality comes from the Latin word moralitas which means charac

  • comprise

    Etymology Old French comprendre Latin comprendere Proto Indo European kom prenh₁

  • exorcism

    Etymology The word exorcism comes from the Greek word exorkizomai which means to a

  • newel

    Etymology Of uncertain origin It was originally spelled newell and the el has bee

  • fortune

    Etymology From Middle English fortune noun and verb from Old French fortune from La

  • hamburger

    Etymology The word hamburger originates from the German city of Hamburg Meaning A

  • primitive

    Etymology Latin primitivus Primus first ivus having the character of Mea

  • staff

    Etymology The word staff comes from the Old English word stæf which meant a stick