UNIVERSAL

VALUES
 UNIVERSAL VALUES
❑ The word "value" means something that a person or a group believes
has merits being sought, promoted, or privileged. This can be a thing
(money, food, art), a state of mind (peace, protection, certainty), or a
behavior that results from those things or states of mind (protecting
innocent people, telling the truth, being creative).
❑ A value is a universal value if it has the same value or worth for all.
Universal values apply across the world.
❑ Universal values can be understood in two different ways:
➢ First, it could be that something has a universal value when
everybody finds it valuable.
➢ Second, something could have universal value when all have
reason to believe it has value.
 SCHWARTS CONCEPT OF
UNIVERSAL VALUES
❑ Shalom H. Schwartz, along with colleagues in the field of psychology,
carried out empirical research analyzing whether there are universal
values and what those values are. Schwartz described 'values' as
'conceptions of what is important that affect the way people choose
action and evaluate events.' (Sen, 1999).
❑ Schwartz's results from a series of studies that included surveys of
more than 25,000 people in 44 countries with a wide range of
different cultural types suggest that there are fifty-six specific
universal values and ten types of universal value.
 SCHWARTS CONCEPT OF
UNIVERSAL VALUES
Below are each of the value types, with the specific related values
alongside:
❑ Power: authority; leadership; dominance, social power, wealth
❑ Achievement: success; capability; ambition; influence; intelligence; self-respect
❑ Hedonism: pleasure; enjoying life
❑ Stimulation: daring activities; varied life; exciting life
❑ Self-direction: creativity; freedom; independence; curiosity; choosing your own goals
❑ Universalism: broadmindedness; wisdom; social justice; equality; a world at peace; a world of
beauty; unity with nature; protecting the environment; inner harmony
❑ Benevolence: helpfulness; honesty; forgiveness; loyalty; responsibility; friendship
❑ Tradition: accepting one's portion in life; humility; devoutness; respect for tradition;
moderation
❑ Conformity: self-discipline; obedience
❑ Security: cleanliness; family security; national security; stability of social order; reciprocation
of favors; health; sense of belonging
 UN CHARTER OF
UNIVERSAL VALUES
In the lecture by Former Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Global Ethics,
entitled “Do We Still Have Universal Values?”, he stressed this quotation,
“The values of peace, freedom, social progress, equal rights and human
dignity, enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, are no less valid today than
when, over half a century ago, those documents were drafted by
representatives of many different nations and cultures.” Progress, equal
rights, human dignity are acutely needed in this age of globalization. In
the Millennium Declaration according to Annan, “all states reaffirmed
certain fundamental values as being essentials to international relations
in the twenty-first century”: freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance,
respect for nature and shared responsibility.”
 UNIVERSAL VALUES

HAPPINESS
❑ Refers to good fortune; pleasure; contentment; joy. For Aristotle,
“happiness or flourishing or living well is a complete and sufficient
good. This implies that it is desired for itself, that it is not desired for
the sake of anything else, that it satisfies all desire.
 UNIVERSAL VALUES

PEACE
❑ Freedom from disturbance; tranquility. It is a state or period in which
there is no war or a war has ended. A state of mutual harmony
between people or groups. People are able to resolve their conflicts
without violence and can work together to improve the quality of
their lives.
 UNIVERSAL VALUES

FREEDOM
❑ State of being free or at liberty, freedom from control, interference,
obligation, restriction, hampering conditions. The ability to act or
change without constraint.
 UNIVERSAL VALUES

SAFETY
❑ State of being free from the occurrence or risk of injury, danger,
death, or loss.
 UNIVERSAL VALUES

INTELLIGENCE
❑ Capacity for learning, reasoning, understanding, and similar forms of
mental activity.
 UNIVERSAL VALUES

RESPECT
❑ Formal expression or gesture of greeting, esteem, or friendship. Due
regard for the feelings, wishes, rights, or traditions of others.
 UNIVERSAL VALUES

EQUALITY
❑ State or quality of being equal; correspondence in quantity, degree,
value, rank, or ability.
 UNIVERSAL VALUES

JUSTICE
❑ Quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral
rightness. Giving someone what is due.
 UNIVERSAL VALUES

LOVE OF NATURE
❑ Appreciation of the material world, especially surroundings.
 UNIVERSAL VALUES

HEALTH
❑ General condition of the body or mind with reference to soundness
and vigor. Freedom from disease or ailment.
 THE HUMAN DIGNITY
Dignity is the state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect. It
refers to bearing, conduct, or speech indicative of self-respect or
appreciation of the formality of an occasion or situation. It is the
importance and value that a person has, that makes other people respect
them or makes them respect themselves. Dignity is earned and cannot be
taken away from anyone. It must be preserved so that the respect of others
is maintained. The 1987 Philippine Constitution Article 2 Section 11 provides,
“The state recognizes the dignity of every human person and guaranteed
full respect for human right.” This implies that any person in whatever
capacity, economic and social status, deserve to be respected by anyone.