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Showing posts from April 19, 2022

Senses: The Nature and Quality of Pleasure

by Michael Corthell There are, of course, many kinds of pleasure and pleasures in life. From the way we experience walking hand in hand along the beach with our children, to the completion of a work project or hobby, as well as the pure physical pleasure of conjugal relations. Pleasure can be viewed as just thoughts, feelings or actions that make us 'feel good'. For the purpose of this writing I am going to speak to hedonism and utilitarianism .  Both are similar belief/practice systems. Seeking pleasure as one's highest aim is the common theme in both, however. ''Pleasure and freedom from pain, are the only things desirable as ends.'' —John Stuart Mill The simple definition of hedonism is self-serving pleasure for the sake of itself. Hedonists equate pleasure with utility . They believe that pleasure is the master of all humankind, and acts as the ultimate life goal. There is very little more to say about it except to say that people are fr