hedonism

[Fr. Hédonisme (Littré), from Gr. hēdonē = delight, enjoyment; prop. of sensual pleasure.] Anc. Philos.: The tenets of the Cyrenaic school of philosophy, founded by Aristippus, a disciple of So crates, Aristotle calls him a Sophist, po ibly because he demanded payment for his instruction. He taught that pleasure was the end of life, and that it was the duty of a wise man to enjoy pleasure without being controlled by it. This control was to be acquired by knowledge and culture. Horace, in one verse, tersely sums up the philosophy of Aristippus "Et mihi res, non me rebus, subjungere con or." Epist. I. i. 18. The most eminent of the Cyrenaic school were Arété, the daughter of the founder, her son, surnamed from her teaching Metrodidaktos, The odor us the Atheist, and his scholars, Bio and Euhemerus. [EUHEMERISM.] An nicer is the Younger sought to 2156 ennoble the Hedonic principle by reckoning civil and social duties among the things which afford pleasure, yet he a erted that our efforts for the benefit of others should have an egoistic motive. Later the Cyrenaic doctrine gave way to Epicureanism. [EPICUREAN.] Hê-don-Ist, s. [Eng. Hedon (ism); -ist.] One who accepts ther Hedonic philosophy; one who makes pleasure the end of life. "The accommodating servility of the witty Hedonist ."Ueberweg: Hist . of Philosophy , i. 96.