Hedonism vs. Utilitarianism

Hedonismnoun

The belief that pleasure or happiness is the highest good in life. Some hedonists, such as the Epicureans, have insisted that pleasure of the entire mind, not just pleasure of the senses, is the highest good.

Hedonismnoun

(countable) A general devotion to the pursuit of pleasure.

Hedonismnoun

The doctrine of the Hedonic sect; the pursuit of pleasure as a matter of ethical principle.

Hedonismnoun

The ethical theory which finds the explanation and authority of duty in its tendency to give pleasure.

Hedonismnoun

the pursuit of pleasure as a matter of ethical principle

Hedonismnoun

an ethical system that evaluates the pursuit of pleasure as the highest good

Hedonismnoun

the pursuit of pleasure; sensual self-indulgence.

Hedonismnoun

the ethical theory that pleasure (in the sense of the satisfaction of desires) is the highest good and proper aim of human life.

Hedonism

Hedonism refers to a family of theories, all of which have in common that pleasure plays a central role in them. Psychological or motivational hedonism claims that our behavior is determined by desires to increase pleasure and to decrease pain.

Utilitarianismnoun

(philosophy) A system of ethics based on the premise that something's value may be measured by its usefulness.

Utilitarianismnoun

(philosophy) The theory that action should be directed toward achieving the "greatest happiness for the greatest number of people" (hedonistic universalism), or one of various related theories.

Utilitarianismnoun

The doctrine that the greatest happiness of the greatest number should be the end and aim of all social and political institutions.

Utilitarianismnoun

The doctrine that virtue is founded in utility, or that virtue is defined and enforced by its tendency to promote the highest happiness of the universe.

Utilitarianismnoun

The doctrine that utility is the sole standard of morality, so that the rectitude of an action is determined by its usefulness.

Utilitarianismnoun

doctrine that the useful is the good; especially as elaborated by Jeremy Bentham and James Mill; the aim was said to be the greatest happiness for the greatest number

Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism is a family of normative ethical theories that prescribe actions that maximize happiness and well-being for all affected individuals. Although different varieties of utilitarianism admit different characterizations, the basic idea behind all of them is to in some sense maximize utility, which is often defined in terms of well-being or related concepts.