Hedonism 2/4 : Is a swine happier than Socretes?

Philosophy

The Swine Objection

Hedonism appeared in Ancient Greece, aiming to find an answer to the question, “What leads people to happiness.” The Philosophers propagated the idea of seeking pleasures and avoiding pain as the key to a happy life.

However, the 19th-century English philosopher John Stuart Mill had a different point of view, the “Doctrine of the Swine Objection.”

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Mil critiqued the primary hedonistic view, equating happiness solely with pleasure.

Mill believed that not all pleasures are created equal, emphasizing the distinction between higher and lower pleasures.

The two types of pleasure

According to Mill’s philosophy, lower pleasures are basic, like eating your favorite junk food or scrolling through social media. They’re about satisfying your immediate senses and desires. They feel good right now and don’t require much effort.

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Upper pleasures, on the other hand, are the more sophisticated joys.

Upper pleasures may include diving into a complex book or having a deep conversation about the Mona Lisa’s influence on the history of art.

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They might not give you an instant “kick” like the lower pleasures, but they offer a more profound, lasting satisfaction.

Mill believed that people who’ve experienced both kinds of pleasures tend to value the upper ones more. He thought that the fulfillment you get from these mind-engaging activities is of a higher quality.

But what does a swine and Socrates have to do with all that?

Human vs. Swine

*It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied.

• John Stuart Mill*

We can visualize this quote as a real-life situation. Imagine a human being who lives with pigs.

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He enjoys his food, pleases all his body need whenever he wants, and has never experienced pain in his life. He has no other sources of pleasure, like education, friends, or social activities. He seems to be happy, but…

Q: Do you feel like this is a happy life? A : No

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American philosopher Fred Feldman used to example of a man living with pigs to explain the Swine Objection.

Feldman states that if we think a person who lives with swines cannot enjoy the same level of well-bing as others, hedonism is fake.

As long as you know that you can experience upper pleasures, you will never be happy no matter how many lower pleasures you fit in each day and how much pain you avoid.

Things to remember:

• John Stuart Mill was a 19th-century English philosopher and the author of “Doctrine of the Swine Objection.”
• Mill divided pleasures into higher (intellectual and moral) and lower (bodily).
• He also believed that people who’ve experienced both pleasures tend to value the upper ones more.
• Fred Feldman described the Swine Objection as the example of a human living with pigs to prove that hedonism is false.

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