The Birth of Hedonism: The Cyrenaic Philosophers and Pleasure as a Way of Life

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According to Xenophon, Socrates tried to persuade his associate Aristippus to moderate his excessive indulgence in wine, women, and food, arguing that only hard work can bring happiness. Aristippus wasn't convinced. Instead, he and his followers espoused the most radical form of hedonism in ancient Western philosophy. Before the rise of the better

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"This fine book is the most comprehensive study of Cyrenaic hedonism in English. It will be the core resource on the Cyrenaics for anyone with a serious interest in ancient ethics. More than that, it ensures that the Cyrenaics (at last) have a place alongside the other great ancient philosophical schools, and it is a model for scholarship to affirm the continuing appeal and relevance of ancient philosophy."--Sean McConnell, Classical Journal

Author Bio

Kurt Lampe is a lecturer in the Department of Classics and Ancient History at the University of Bristol.