CHAPTER 4: UNIVERSAL VALUES
Self-respect with humility, self-discipline and
A value is a universal value – if it has the same
value worth for all, or almost all, people spheres of
human value encompass morality, aesthetic preference,
human traits human endeavor, and social order.
Values have major influence on a person’s
behavior and attitude and serve as broad guidelines on
all situations.
The claim for universal values can be understood in
two different ways:
1st, it could be that something has a universal value
when everybody finds it valuable.
According to Isaiah Berlin, universal values, are
values that a great many human beings in the vast majority of
places and situations, at almost all times, do in fact hold in
common, whether consciously and explicitly or as expresses
in their behavior.
2nd, something could have universal values when all
people have reason to believe it has value.
Amartya Sen interprets the term in this way pointing
out that when Mahatma Gandhi argued non-violence is a
universal value, he was arguing that all people have reason to
value non-violence, not that all people currently value non-
violence.
FOUR MAJOR CATEGORIES AND MORE SPECIFIC
VALUES
1. Commitment to something greater than itself
 To recognize the existence of and be
committed to the Supreme Being the
higher principle, transcendent purpose
or meaning to one’s existence.
 To seek truth, (truths)
 To seek justice
From Christianity
You will know the truth and the truth shall set you
free. – John 8:32
From Judaism
To love the Lord you God and walk in all His ways
and to keep His commandments, and to hold fast to
Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and soul. –
Joshua 22:5
From Islam
Adore you Lord who created you, as He did those
before you. – Koran 2:21
From Taoism
Hold to the truth. – Tao Te Ching 8
2.
acceptance to responsibility
 To respect and care for oneself
 To not exalt oneself or overindulge, to
show humility and avoid gluttony, greed
or other forms of selfishness or self-
centeredness.
 To act in accordance with one’s
conscience and to accept responsibility
to one’s behavior.
From Christianity
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled and whoever
humbles himself will be exalted. – Matthew 23:12
From Islam
If you give alms openly, it is well, but if you do it secretly
and give o the poor that is better. – Koran 2:271
From Hinduism
The immature ran after pleasures. – Katha Upanished
11:2
From Taoism
Live for your enter, not your senses. Tao Te Ching 12
3. Respect and caring for others. (golden rule)
 To recognize the connectedness
between all people
 To serve humankind and to be helpful
to an individual.
 To be caring respectful, compassionate,
tolerant and forgiving of others.
 To not hurt others (do not murder,
abuse, steal from, cheat or lie to
others.)
From Christianity
Always treat others as you would have them to
treat you. – Matthew 7:12
From Judaism
Love your fellow as yourself. – Leviticus 19:18
From Islam
Do not take life which God has forbidden except
in a just cause. – Koran 17:33
From Hinduism
Do not kill. – Bhagavard Gita 16:12
4. Caring for other living things and the
environment
From Christianity
What man shall there be among you have one
sheep and if it falls unto pit on the Sabbath day will not
lay hold it and let it out. – Matthew 12:11
 that there are 56 specific universal values and 10 types
From Judaism of universal value.
The Lord took the man and placed him into the
Garden of Eden to till it and tend it. – Genesis 2:15 10 UNIVERSAL VALUES
From Islam 1. Power
His knowledge extends over the heavens and 2. Achievement
the earth and the preservation of them both tires Him 3. Hedonism
not. – Koran 2:255 4. Stimulation
From Taoism 5. Self-direction
Love the world as yourself and you will be able 6. Universalism
to care for it properly. – Tao TE Ching 13 7. Benevolence
8. Tradition
From Buddhism
9. Conformity
One who is harmless to all living things is noble.
10. Security
– Dhammapada 19:15
From Humanism Below are each of the value types, with the specific
The planet earth must be considered a single related values alongside:
ecosystem. The cultivation and conservation of nature VALUE SPECIFIC VALUES
as a moral value we should perceive as ourselves as TYPES
integral to the source of our being in nature. – Humanist Power - authority - social power
Manifesto II p6 - leadership - wealth
- dominance
S.H Schwartz Achievement - success - Influence
Along with a number of psychology colleagues, - capability - Intelligence
has carried out empirical research investigating whether - ambition - self-respect
there are universal values and what those values are. Hedonism - pleasure
- enjoying life
Stimulation - daring activities
Schwartz defined “values” – as conceptions of the
- varied life
desirable that influence the way people select action - exciting life
and evaluate events. He hypothesized that universal self-direction - creativity - curiosity
values would relate to three different types of human - freedom - choosing your
needs: - independence own goals
 Biological needs Universalism - broadmindedness
 Social coordination needs - wisdom - unity with
 Needs related to the welfare and survival of nature
groups. - social justice - protecting the
- equality environment
- a world at peace - inner harmony
CONTENTMENT - a world of beauty
- It is a state of being happy and satisfied. It’s - helpfulness - loyalty
Benevolence
being satisfied with what you have, whatever - honesty - responsibility
that is. - forgiveness - friendship
Tradition - accepting one’s portion in life
6 practices that can increase your contentment - humility
 Express gratitude. Intentionally identifying - devoutness
things to be grateful for helps us recognize just - respect for tradition
how blessed we are. - moderation
 Keep a thankfulness journal conformity - self-discipline
- obedience
 Be generous/ practice gratitude
Security - cleanliness
 Stay away from what makes you discontent - family security
 Take care of yourself - national security
Schwartz results from a series of studies that included - stability of social order
surveys of more than 25, 000 people in 44 countries reciprocation of favors’ health
with a wide range of different cultural types suggest - sense of belonging