Satisfying stimulation of the senses. Because pleasure is sensual in nature, pleasure can be categorized by the sense through which the pleasurable stimulus is perceived:
- Visual Pleasure
- Auditory Pleasure
- Tactile Pleasure
- Gustatory Pleasure
- Olfactory Pleasure
- Kinesthetic Pleasure
- Sexual Pleasure
- Gnostic Pleasure
Pleasure is both the name given to the experience and the thing causing the experience (e.g. it is a pleasure to eat delicious food). Some experiences (such as listening to music) elicit pleasure through only one sense, while others elicit pleasure through several senses at once. For example, a hike through an alpine forest on a warm summer day might elicit visual pleasure from spectacular views, tactile pleasure from the warmth of the sun on one’s face, olfactory pleasure from the scent of pine and cedar, and kinesthetic pleasure from the feel of flexing one’s muscles.
Examples of Specific Pleasure-Inducing Activities
Sensual/Sensory
– Looking at a beautiful member of the attractive sex
– Kissing a beautiful member of the attractive sex
– Getting a massage from a beautiful member of the attractive sex
– Giving a massage to a beautiful member of the attractive sex
– Listening to beautiful music
– Eating delicious food. Such as blueberries, grilled salmon, artichokes.
– Drinking delicious wine. Red blends such as Chianti, Bordeaux, and Cotes du Rhone.
– Soaking in a hot tub.
– Relaxing in a sauna.
Kinesthetic
– Dancing salsa, bachata, tango and other Latin partner dances
– Riding a motorcycle
– Alpine skiing
– Martial arts forms
– Fencing
– Doing parkour/free-running
Cognitive
– Solving a puzzle
– Solving a complex problem
– Learning something new
Social
– Stimulating conversation with an intelligent, knowledgeable, rational person.
From Wikipedia circa 18-Aug-2012
URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleasure
Pleasure describes the broad class of mental states that humans and other animals experience as positive, enjoyable, or worth seeking. It includes more specific mental states such as happiness, entertainment, enjoyment, ecstasy, and euphoria. In psychology, the pleasure principle describes pleasure as a positive feedback mechanism, motivating the organism to recreate in the future the situation which it has just found pleasurable. According to this theory, organisms are similarly motivated to avoid situations that have caused pain in the past.
The experience of pleasure is subjective and different individuals will experience different kinds and amounts of pleasure in the same situation. Many pleasurable experiences are associated with satisfying basic biological drives, such as eating, exercise or sex. Other pleasurable experiences are associated with social experiences and social drives, such as the experiences of accomplishment, recognition, and service. The appreciation of cultural artifacts and activities such as art, music, and literature is often pleasurable.
Link to Wikipedia article on Pleasure
Book Excerpts
Epicurus emphasized, though, that “pleasure” does not necessarily mean sensual pleasure–like eating chocolate, for instance. Values such as friendship and the appreciation of art also count. Moreover, the enjoyment of life required the old Greek ideals of self-control, temperance, and serenity. Desire must be curbed, and serenity will help us to endure pain.
– Jostein Gaarder, in Sophie’s World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy
Sources of Pleasure
Eating
Sex
Perceiving beauty
Simple Pleasures
Japanese green tea
Giving a massage
Getting a massage
Sitting in a sauna
Small cozy restaurants with great food and ambiance.
Freshly-pressed coffee
Fresh fruit
Buying fresh produce at a farmers market on Sunday for the week’s meals.
Good red wine and a warm fire on a cold night.
Gazing at the stars on a summer night.
Soaking in hot springs
Outdoor dinner parties
Gathering around a fire.
Ferryboat ride
Blueberry pancakes