Values We Value
Human beings are born with different gene and level of intelligence; therefore, they value things might be different from various aspect. The difference occurred in personal valuation might be due to people’s inborn genes or acquired information as they grown up. According to the definition the author mentioned in the article, the term values should be similar as personal evaluations and related beliefs about the “good”, the “just”, and the “beautiful, personal evaluations and beliefs that propel us to action, to a particular kind of behavior and life” (5). I agree with the point that author mentioned there are only a very few ways that we know anything. This perception of “anything” is not genetically driven; instead, people are free to make their own choices based on their personal valuation.
I think it is complicated to define what exactly the term “values” mean because if we do give a specific definition to it, it would have many different explanations. As author pointed out in the article, there are four most basic ways we come to know something: sense experience, deductive logic, emotion and intuition (7). As a human being, we see things differently and sense things differently; the behavior causes us to express our feelings in opposite ways of other people do. So in this case, personal valuation and beliefs help you to decide your particular behavior and then to act in this particular way. I believe that people have different perceptions of things, whenever or wherever they start to sense a situation, it will lead them to think under interior mental modes. We come to believe and know something through these four interior mental modes.
We are free to think, and we are free to act. We make conclusion based on what we have seen, how we would feel about the situation and how we sense the situation; then, based on our own experiences, we think of the consequences that would occur before acting. In my conclusion, under this circumstance, I believe the differences in values of human come from their later ability of acquiring information. They develop this ability as they are going over the process, see, sense, feel and intuit, over and over again. Finally, they value something to be true.
Click here for reference.
Lewis, H. (1990). A Question of Values: Six Ways We Make the Personal Choices That Shape Our Lives. Axios Press
October 11th, 2013 at 3:44 PM
I completely agree with your post here. The term value is “loosely” defined in the article and I believe that is for certain reason. It’s a very broad aspect us humans adopt over time and I think the last paragraph in your post sums it up very well. Values are free for interpretation and as I also pointed out in my post, the four basic modes determining “values” is a great reference for those who may be a little lost in trying to define the term in a personal sense. I think the greatest part about this article was how there was never a literal definition for ‘human values’ and the vague comparisons made by the author urged the readers to form their own definition. All in all, I enjoyed reading your post because of the similarities we have in opinion on the subject as well as your usage of the word “free” because ultimately, values is sought to be a very free word amongst all.
October 12th, 2013 at 10:38 AM
Thank you for the comment. I am so glad that we have these thoughts about defining “values” in common. Like I said in my post, “values” are free and our level of understanding this term changes along with the time. As a human being, I may have the different interpretation of one subject when I was little compare to when I grown up. The change happened because I have become more experienced and the thoughts became more mature. The four basic modes do help us to define and determine what values are, but these modes might not be convincing to others who think they can value their values based on their experiences other than following those criteria. Therefore, I like your way of saying “the four basic modes determining ‘values’ is a great reference for those who may be a little lost in trying to define the term in a personal sense.” I believe that values have huge impact on our daily life and that the different interpretation of values helps us to determine the right or wrong, the good or evil, lies or truth; finally, we are influenced by what we have valued and then make decisions and move on.
October 11th, 2013 at 11:55 PM
Hello, my classmate
I am so glad to saw your think and share my view with you. You have a good understanding and good writhing skill. The picture is funny and most of words attractive me so much.
When I read you this blog, I feel you have so similar opinion with me. You said you agree with the article refer that the four basic ways for people to how to know something. Actually people have different value according to those ways. And different value will leads to the different behavior and act for human being. Meanwhile, you said that people value something to be true because of they develop the ability of sense, feel and decide. I totally agree with your this words. For example, my parents always make better choices than me because they have a long process to practice their value of make the decision.
But I have a different view about you told that people are free to act and think. People usually are controlled by the outside of environment I thought. Even if people are free to choose and make a decision, the idea and think are come from the pressure in the world. As you said that, people make conclusion based on what we have seen. For example, government can control what the country is and the school can control what is the knowledge we learned. Thus, I thought people not totally free to think and act.
Finally, thank you for you share your opinion with us.
Sincerely,
Xiaofeng Qin