An Argument for Hedonism

Abstract

Hedonism claims that pleasure is the only intrinsic value and pain the only intrinsic disvalue. To defend hedonism, it is necessary to establish that pleasure is intrinsically valuable and pain is intrinsically disvaluable (premise P1), and that nothing other than pleasure is intrinsically valuable and nothing other than pain is intrinsically disvaluable (premise P2). The author argues for premise P1 by examining several common objections to the intrinsic value of pleasure and the intrinsic disvalue of pain. The author argues for premise P2 by examining the arguments of pluralists, who hold that there are intrinsic values besides pleasure and intrinsic disvalues besides pain. These arguments rest on the claim that values other than pleasure are intrinsically valuable. The author argues, however, that these suggested values are explainable as hedonic instrumental values. – AI-generated abstract