hedonism

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
hedonism
    n 1: the pursuit of pleasure as a matter of ethical principle
    2: an ethical system that evaluates the pursuit of pleasure as
       the highest good
    
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Hedonism \Hed"on*ism\, n.
   1. The doctrine of the Hedonic sect; the pursuit of pleasure
      as a matter of ethical principle. [WordNet sense 1]
      [1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]

   2. The ethical theory which finds the explanation and
      authority of duty in its tendency to give pleasure.
      [1913 Webster]
    
from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
44 Moby Thesaurus words for "hedonism":
      Christian ethics, Cyrenaic hedonism, Cyrenaicism, Stoicism,
      altruistic ethics, appetite, appetitiveness, aretaics, casuistry,
      categorical imperative, comparative ethics, deontology,
      egoistic ethics, empiricism, epicureanism, epicurism,
      ethical formalism, ethical hedonism, ethical philosophy, ethology,
      ethonomics, eudaemonics, eudaemonism, evolutionism, golden rule,
      hedonic calculus, hedonics, intuitionism, luxuriousness, luxury,
      moral philosophy, perfectionism, pleasure principle,
      pleasure-loving, pleasure-seeking, psychological hedonism,
      sensualism, sensuality, sensualness, situation ethics, sybaritism,
      unchastity, utilitarianism, voluptuousness

    

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