CAS PH 150 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Derek Parfit, Hedonism, Negative Number

• School: Boston University
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: CAS PH 150
• Professor: Cameron Anderson

Document Summary

Derek parfit specializes in personal identity, rationality, and ethics. When an egoist says we should be selfish, what do they think we should do. Parfit outlines 3 basic kinds of self interest. Hedonistic theories - the best life is the most pleasurable one. There are two important elements of human life:pleasure and pain. The best life is the one that achieves the best balance of maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain. Parfit disagree because this dichotomy does not capture what a hedonist is after. There is no one feeling that is pleasure, not all pleasure is the same. Pleasures are wanted experiences and less pleasurable things are less wanted: there is a spectrum. The best life maximizes those experiences on the preferred end of the spectrum and minimizes those on the other end. The experiences are intrinsically valuable, not desires. Ex . you can go to a party or stay home and read. There is a large element of subjectivism.