HUMAN VALUES

DISCUSSANT: JUDY ANN AGUINALDO

 THE MEANING OF VALUES
VALUE IS ANYTHING WHICH SATISFIES A HUMAN NEED.
VALUE IS IDENTICAL TO THAT WHICH IS GOOD DEFINED
BY ARISTOTLE AS “FITTING A FUNCTION”
ANYTHING WHICH ENRICHES OUR EXPERIENCES OF
LIFE IS A VALUE, SUCH AS A PERSON, A RELATIONSHIP, A
FEELING, AN OBJECT, A PLACE, AN EVENT, AN
OPPORTUNITY, A PROFESSION, A WORK, A TRAVEL, OR A
STATE OF BEING.
 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF VALUES

ACCORDING TO ARISTOTLE, OUR ULTIMATE HAPPINESS

CONSISTS IN THE SUM OF EARTHLY GOODS ESSENTIAL
TO US. VALUES, RELATE TO OUR ULTIMATE PURPOSE, TO
THAT WHICH WOULD MAKE US COMPLETELY HAPPY. IN
THIS RESPECT, OUR ACTIONS ARE SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE
THEY ARE THE MEANS BY WHICH WE ATTAIN HAPPINESS.
 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF VALUES
TO SUM UP:
(1) VALUES ENRICH OUR EXPERIENCE OF LIFE AND BRING
HAPPINESS;
(2) ACTIONS ARE VALUES BECAUSE THEY ARE THE MEANS WE
EM-PLOY TO ATTAIN HAPPINESS. AND
(3) MORALLY GOOD ACTIONS BRING HAPPINESS WHILE
IMMORAL ACTIONS BRING UNHAPPINESS.
 KINDS OF VALUES
1. BIOLOGICAL VALUES ARE NECESSARY TO THE
PHYSICAL SURVIVAL AND GROWTH OF MAN SUCH AS
FOOD, SHELTER, WORK, PLEASURE, SEX, SPORTS,
CAREER, HEALTH, AND MEDICINES.
2. PSYCHOLOGICAL VALUES ARE NECESSARY TO THE
PSYCHOLOGICAL MATURATION OF MAN SUCH AS
COMPANIONSHIP, FRIENDSHIP, MARRIAGE, FAMILY LIFE,
AND SOCIAL INTERACTION.
3. INTELLECTUAL VALUES ARE NECESSARY TO THE MENTAL
FULFILLMENT OF MAN, SUCH AS TRUTH, SCIENCE, ART, AND
RELIGION.
4. MORAL VALUES ARE NECESSARY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF
CHARACTER,WE ALSO SPEAK OF CULTURAL VALUES-THOSE
THAT ARE SHARED IN ACOMMUNITY SUCH AS IDEALS, LAWS,
CUSTOMS, BELIEFS, RITUALS, AND CER-CMONIES. SOME VALUES
ARE DESCRIBED AS RELIGIOUS, ECONOMIC, OR AESTHETIC.
 HIERARCHY
1)THE BIOLOGICAL OF VALUES
VALUES, WHICH CORRESPOND TO OUR
SURVIVAL AND PROCREATION, ARE THE LOWEST. THE MOST
FUNDAMENTAL VALUE IN THIS CATEGORY 15 SEIF-
PRESERVATION., OR HEALTH. THE OTHER VALUES, SUCH AS
FOOD EXERCISE, WORK, PLEASURE, AND SEX, ARE THE
MEANS OF SUSTAINING AND
PROMOTING THE PHYSICAL LIFE

2) THE SOCIAL VALUES CORRESPONDING TO OUR

PSYCHOLOGICAL GROWTH ARE THE LOWER MIDDLE
VALUES. THE FUNDAMENTAL VALUE IN THIS CATEGORY IS
LOVE WHICH IS THE FOUNDATION OF FRIENDSHIP,
MARRIAGE, FAMILY, OR COMMUNITY.
3) THE INTELLECTUAL VALUES CORRESPONDING TO OUR
MENTAL GROWTH ARE THE HIGHER MIDDLE VALUES. IN
THIS CATEGORY, THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL VALUE IS
TRUTH THE VALUES OF SCIENCE, ARTS, TECHNOLOGY AND
EXPERIENCE ARE MEANS OF ACQUIRING KNOWLEDGE.
4) THE MORAL VALUES CORRESPONDING TO SPIRITUAL
DEVELOPMENT RANK THE HIGHEST IN THE HIERARCHY.
THESE VALUES CONSTITUTE MORAL INTEGRITY.
 SOCIAL DIMENSION OF VALUES
• LOWER VALUES ARE SEEN AS COMPETITIVE AND
EGOTISTIC, BECAUSE THEY TEND TOWARDS THE
ACCUMULATION OF MATERIAL POSSESSION WHICH MAN
FIND DIFFICULT TO SHARE WITH OTHERS.
• ON THE OTHER HAND, THE PSYCHOLOGICAL VALUE OF
LOVE LENDS ITSELF TO SHARING WITH OTHERS.
EX. FRIENDSHIP, FOR INSTANCE IS POSSIBLE ONLY WITH
MUTUAL RESPECT AND CARE.
• THE NATURE OF INTELLECTUAL VALUE IS ALSO
ALTRUISTIC. PEOPLE FIND IT EASY TO TALK, TO
COMMUNICATE, AND TO SHARE NEWS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
KNOWLEDGE LENDS ITSELF TO SHARING.
• THE MORAL VALUES ARE EVEN MORE MEANINGFUL
BECAUSE IT ALLOWS MAN TO LIVE WITH OTHERS IN PEACE
AND HARMONY. THE VIRTUES OF CHARITY AND JUSTICE ARE
THE FOUNDATION OF SOCIETY.
• JUST AS A CHILD GROWS UP WITH THE PARENTS, A HUMAN
BEING GROWS AND BECOMES AN AUTHENTIC PERSON ONLY
IN THE COMMUNITY WITH OTHERS.
 MORAL VALUES
MORAL VALUES ARE THOSE PERTAINING TO THE
FUNCTIONS OF THE INTELLECT AND THE WILL– OUR
CHOICES, DECISIONS, ACTIONS, AND HABITS, MORAL
VALUES, RELATE TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH.
*ONLY THOSE RELATED TO THE SPIRITUAL GROWTH
ARE MORAL VALUES, BUT IN THE CONTEXT OF
INTEGRAL PERFECTION, ALL VALUES ACQUIRE
MORAL SIGNIFICANCE.
CHARACTERISTICS OF MORAL
VALUES
1. THEY HAVE INTRINSIC WORTH.
2. THEY ARE UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED BY
ALL PEOPLE.
3. THEY ARE OBLIGATORY.
 CHOOSING VALUES
• PERMANENT OR LASTING VALUES MUST BE PREFERRED
OVER TEMPORARY OR PERISHABLE ONES.
FOR EXAMPLE, EDUCATION IS OBJECTIVELY BETTER THAN
LEISURE; MORAL HABIT BETTER THAN PHYSICAL
STRENGTH.
• VALUES FAVORED BY THE MAJORITY MUST BE
PREFERRED OVER THOSE APPEALING ONLY TO A FEW.
FOR EXAMPLE, MARRIAGE IS BETTER THAN REMAINING
SINGLE; WEALTH BETTER THAN STAYING POOR.
• ESSENTIAL VALUES MUST BE PREFERRED OVER THE ACCIDENTAL
VALES
EX. GOOD REPUTATION IS BETTER THAN BEING PRETTY:
ATTENDING TO PARENTAL DUTIES IS BETTER THAN INVOLVEMENT
IN SOCIAL GATHERINGS OR PARTIES.

• MORAL VALUES MUST BE PREFERRED OVER THE PHYSICAL

VALUES.
EX. THE PRACTICE OF RELIGION IS BETTER THAN SPORTS; FEEDING
THE ORPHANS IS BETTER THAN SPENDING MONEY FOR LUXURIES.
 MORAL HABITS
MORAL CHARACTER IS THE SUM OF MAN'S GOOD HABITS.
HABIT COMES FROM THE LATIN WORD "HABERE", MEANING
TO HAVE OR TO POSSESS. HABITS ARE EITHER ENTITATIVE
OR OPERATIVE.
ENTITATIVE HABITS PREDISPOSED MAN TO ACQUIRE
CERTAIN NATURE OR QUALITY.
EX. BEING HEALTHY, BEAUTIFUL, INTELLIGENT, OR BEING
RICH.
OPERATIVE HABITS PREDISPOSED A MAN TO ACT
READILY TOWARDS A PURPOSE.
EX. SINGING, DANCING, HELPING OTHERS.

OPERATIVE HABIT OF DOING WELL IS CALLED

VIRTUE; THAT OF DOING EVIL IS VICE.
VIRTUES PERTAINING TO
MENTAL/INTELLECTUAL OPERATION ARE
CALLED INTELLECTUAL VIRTUES.
THOSE PERTAINING TO THE WILL ARE
MORAL VIRTUES
 MORAL VIRTUES
• PRUDENCE ENABLES A PERSON TO KNOW THE
BEST MEANS TO EMPLOY IN ATTAINING A
PURPOSE. A PRUDENT PERSON WEIGHS THE PROS
AND CONS OF A SITUATION AND ACTS WITH
REASONABLE CAUTION.
• JUSTICE INCLINES A PERSON TO GIVE TO
EVERYONE WHAT IS DUE A JUST PERSON PAYS HIS
LEGAL DEBTS, HONORS HIS ELDERS, OBSERVES
THE LAWS OF SOCIETY, AND WORSHIPS GOD.
• FORTITUDE GIVES A PERSON THE STRENGTH OF THE
WILL TO FACE DANGERS AND THE PROBLEMS IN LIFE.
A PERSON OF FORTITUDE IS NOT EASILY
DISCOURAGED AND IS READY TO STAND BY WHAT IS
RIGHT.
• TEMPERANCE MODERATES A PERSON'S INSTINCTS
AND EMOTIONS,A TEMPERATE PERSON IS NOT GIVEN
TO INORDINATE ANGER, JEALOUSY, DESIRE, OR LOVE.
 INTELLECTUAL VIRTUES
1. UNDERSTANDING IS THE HABIT OR INTUITION OF
THE FIRST PRINCIPLES, SUCH AS “THE WHOLE IS
GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ANY OF ITS PARTS”, OR
THAT “DOING WELL IS BETTER THAN DOING BAD”,
THIS IS ALSO CALLED COMMON SENSE.
2. SCIENCE IS THE HABIT OF PROXIMATE CAUSES,
WHY THINGS ARE SUCH BECAUSE OF THEIR
NATURE OR NATURAL PROPERTIES. THUS, WE HAVE
THE DIFFERENT SCIENCES ON DIFFERENT FIELD OF
STUDIES.
3. ART IS THE HABIT OF MAKING BEAUTIFUL THINGS, SUCH
AS IN LITERA-TURE, IN ARCHITECTURE, AND IN THE FINE
ARTS.

4. WISDOM IS THE HABIT OF THE ULTIMATE CAUSES, SUCH AS

THE INTERDEPENDENCE OF CREATED THINGS IN THE ECO-
SYSTEM; OR HOW THE NEGATIVE EMOTIONS OF MAN-- LIKE
HATRED, ANGER, OR SADNESS ARE NOT SIGNS OF WEAKNESS
BUT ARE NATURAL INSTINCTS FOR SELF-PRESERVATION AND
GROWTH.
 VICE AND CHARACTER
A VICE IS THE OPPOSITE OF VIRTUE. IT IS
THE HABIT OF DOING EVIL ACQUIRED THROUGH
THE REPETITION OF AN EVIL ACT. ONE
IMMORAL ACT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A HABIT
OR VICE FOR THAT MATTER. BUT IT IS NO LESS
UNFORTUNATE. THE FACT IS EVERY SINGLE EVIL
ACT SPEAKS OF AN EVIL CHARACTER.
 VICE IS EVIL EITHER
BECAUSE OF EXCESS OR OF
DEFECT.
1. VICES OPPOSED TO PRUDENCE BY EXCESS ARE --
CAUTIOUSNESS FRAUD, FLATTERY, TRICKERY: BY
DEFECT-- IMPRUDENCE, IMPULSIVENESS CARELESSNESS,
OR STUBBORNNESS

2. VICES OPPOSED TO JUSTICE BY EXCESS ARE

PROFLIGACY, IDOLATRY, FANATICISM, AND
SUPERSTITION; BY DEFECT ARE DISRESPECT TO ELDERS,
IRRELIGION, AND NONPAYMENT OF DEBTS.
3. VICES OPPOSED TO FORTITUDE BY EXCESS ARE
--RASHNESS, BOLDNESS, RECKLESSNESS; BY DEFECT–
COWARDICE, TIMIDITY, SENSITIVITY, AND DEPRESSION.

4. VICES OPPOSED TO TEMPERUNCE BY EXCESS ARE

RIGOROUSNESS, LACK OF SELF-CONFIDENCE,
MOROSENESS: BY DEFECT-- PRIDE, IUST, HATRED,
GLUTTONY AND VANITY.
THANK YOU!
GODBLESS..