Psychological Hedonism and the Pursuit of Pleasure

Psychologist Paul Bloom explores the theory of psychological hedonism, which argues that humans are primarily driven by the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain. According to this theory, all human actions are ultimately motivated by the desire for personal pleasure. However, Bloom challenges this idea, pointing out that people engage in activities and pursuits that involve struggle, challenge, and even suffering, which do not always produce immediate pleasure but fulfill other meaningful goals. He argues that the narrow focus on pleasure-seeking as the only motivation disregards the complex nature of human motivation and the pursuit of enduring goods beyond simple pleasure.