 A large group of reports about Democritus’ views concern ethical maxims: some scholars have tried to regard these as systematic or dependent on atomist physics, while others doubt the closeness of the connection. Because several maxims stress the value of ‘cheerfulness,’ Democritus is sometimes portrayed as ‘the laughing philosopher.’ The frequent association between hedonism and atomism may stem from the denial of any source of good other than immediate experience; the tendency to reduce experience to the rubbing together of atoms may have contributed to the impression that atomists are preoccupied with physical pleasure.