Who is the founder of Hedonism?

Answer 1

Hedonism (Greek: hēdonē (ᾑδονή from Ancient Greek) "pleasure" +-ism) is a philosophical position that takes the pursuit of pleasure as the primary motivating element of life, based upon a view that "pleasure is good." The concept of pleasure is, however, understood and approached in a variety of ways, and hedonism is classified accordingly.

The three basic types of philosophical hedonism are psychological hedonism, which holds that the tendency to seek pleasure and avoid pain is an essential attribute of human nature; evaluative or ethical hedonism, which sets up certain ethical or moral ends as desirable because attaining them will result in happiness; and reflective, or normative hedonism, which seeks to define value in terms of pleasure. The ancient Greek philosophersDemocritus, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus (341 - 270 B.C.E.) and their followers developed ethical theories centered on the "good life" (the ideal life, the life most worth living, eudaimonia, happiness) and the role of pleasure of achieving it. During the Middle Ages, hedonism was rejected as incompatible with Christian ideals, but Renaissance philosophers revived it on the grounds that God intended man to be happy. Nineteenth-century British philosophers John Stuart Mill and Jeremy Bentham established the ethical theory of Utilitarianism with a hedonistic orientation, holding that all action should be directed toward achieving the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people.

Answer 2

The founder of modern philosophical hedonism is considered to be the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus. He believed that pleasure is the highest good and the key to a happy life, emphasizing simplicity and tranquility.