Aristippus was a student of Socrates, but drew conclusions very different from Plato's. A native of Cyrene in North Africa, he held that the pleasure of the present moment is the greatest good. He lived comfortably at the courts of tyrants, always trying to enjoy life without being ruled by it.
Core ideas
Pleasure is the highest good, and pain is the evil to be avoided
Present, bodily pleasure is worth more than promises about the future
We should enjoy pleasures without becoming their slaves
The tradition: Cyrenaic
Cyrenaic comes from Cyrene, Aristippus' hometown, and names the school that saw immediate pleasure as the goal of life. Aristippus is considered its founder.
