Pleasure and hedonism in Sidgwick

Book chapter

Crisp, Roger. (2011). Pleasure and hedonism in Sidgwick. In In T. Hurka (Ed.). Underivative duty: British moral philosophers from Sidgwick to Ewing pp. 1 - 26 Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199577446.003.0003
AuthorsCrisp, Roger
EditorsT. Hurka
Abstract

This chapter begins by distinguishing different kinds of hedonism, and focuses in particular on welfare hedonism. Sidgwick's arguments for hedonism — based on appeals to intuition, and an analysis of common judgements — are explained, and some objections internal to Sidgwick's own epistemology are raised. An interpretation of Sidgwick's own account of pleasure is offered, and it is argued that Sidgwick is, despite several apparent claims to the contrary, an ‘internalist’ about pleasure, who believes that pleasantness constitutes an independently identifiable feeling common to all pleasurable experiences. Sidgwick's responses, or possible responses, to several common objections to hedonism are outlined. The objections discussed include the charges that hedonism must attribute value to evil pleasures, that hedonism is the ‘philosophy of swine’, that hedonists are committed to plugging in to an ‘experience machine’, and that hedonism is impracticable. A coda discusses pleasure and hedonism after Sidgwick.

Keywordspleasure; Sidgwick; welfare; pleasantness
Page range1 - 26
Year2011
Book titleUnderivative duty: British moral philosophers from Sidgwick to Ewing
PublisherOxford University Press
Place of publicationCanada
ISBN9780199577446
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199577446.003.0003
Scopus EID2-s2.0-84880866173
Research GroupInstitute for Religion and Critical Inquiry
Publisher's version
File Access Level
Controlled
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