Who were the Cyrenaics?

The Cyrenaics were followers of the hedonistic philosopher Aristippus of Cyrene who taught that the pursuit of pleasure was the highest good and meaning of life.

Why were they called Cyrenaics?

They were called Cyrenaics because the city of Cyrene was the home of Aristippus, the founder of the belief system.

How were the Cyrenaics different from the Epicureans?

The Cyrenaics focused on the pursuit of pleasure as the the ultimate goal in life; the Epicureans focused on happiness and contentment with what one has.

What happened to the Cyrenaics?

The Cyrenaics splintered into different schools of thought and eventually lost adherents to the more popular and comprehensive system of Epicureanism.

Cyrenaics

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Definition

The Cyrenaics were a philosophical school of thought founded c. 4th century BCE by Aristippus of Cyrene (l. c. 435-356 BCE) who taught that sensual pleasure was the highest good and only worthwhile pursuit in life. Known as the first hedonistic school, Cyrenaicsim was eventually replaced by the more comprehensive philosophy of Epicureanism.

More about: Cyrenaics

Timeline

c. 399 BCE - c. 250 BCE
Duration of the Cyrenaic school founded by Aristippus of Cyrene.