I chose something I agree with from the article. I do believe that there are values that humans do freely choose, but I also believe that there are values that are inherited by genetics as well as they way each individual was raised. The article states, “there is a good deal of evidence that human beings are not primarily driven by genetically determined instincts but are rather free to make their own choices” (Lewis, 7). They bring up things like self-preservation and sexual drives as being genetic, which I absolutely agree with because they scientific physiology backs this op. But are these things necessarily values? I almost believe that in most societies, the way we live is to suppress our natural human instincts, and suppressing the “undesirable” part of human nature is where human values comes in. People suppress their sexual drives which creates the value of abstinence, people suppress their aggression and anger which creates the value of peace, people suppress their fear of change which creates the values of courage and improvement. Given this, I believe that values lie more on an individual’s upbringing. I was taught that you should wait to have sex until you love someone, and that I should suppress my anger and keep the peace. These have become some of my own values and things I believe in, but they do go against human nature. Another example that values come from upbringing is that I can compare my values to the values of generations before me. I believe in equality and gay rights, gay marriage, and that racism is wrong. However, white Americans a few generations back would have most likely have thought it was normal to say that non-white and gay citizens are not equal and just taken it as a normal thing that they did not have the same rights. Now, there are exceptions because there were people who felt this was wrong, but some people would not have thought twice. This is very sad, but it’s the way society works. And over time, our societal values have changed and so have most individual’s values.
July 25, 2014 at 5:34 pm
Hi Briana,
It is interesting to that you say that human value has evolved from the desire to suppress our human instincts. I think this is a valid point that is supported by Lewis’s paper. Lewis states that “chosen values supplement instinct as the driving force within human beings, and without values human behavior would be directionless, chaotic, and ultimately self-destructive” (Lewis page 8).
While the majority of society chooses to suppress it’s natural instincts, it is the way in which we suppress them that defines our values. Two very different values could come out of suppressing the same human instinct. While one person may suppress fear by choosing cowardice another may choose courage. Similarly, your parents may have taught you one thing while my parents may have taken the same situation to teach me a completely different lesson, resulting in each of us taking away completely different but no less significant values from each other.
And some people may not suppress their instincts at all. And possibly those people who choose not to suppress their instinct, such as murderers, are the ones who never seem to develop values at all. I can see how Lewis’s statement “Without clearly focused values, it is probably impossible to lead a purposeful and satisfying life” (Lewis page 18) would easily apply to people like this.
I enjoyed your post! Thanks for provoking some thought for me!
-McKenna
July 25, 2014 at 10:00 pm
Nice response! I agree with you which believe that there are values that humans do freely choose and are inherited by genetics as well as they way each individual was raised. Also, the article discusses whether or not our values are freely chosen or stem from our inheritance or the way we were raised. However, I strongly believe that the personal values were affected by thinking or belief because thinking and belief affect our inheritance and whether or not choose freely. According to the article, “it should be synonymous with personal evaluations and related beliefs.” (P.7) In the sentence, “it” replaces personal value. Although it seems like we as human beings do not freely choose our own path of values, I believe that although our beliefs are influenced by our inheritance and by the culture around us, we choose freely what to believe and value. How do you think about it?
July 27, 2014 at 12:37 pm
Brianna,
I don’t think the article intended to claim instincts as values, but rather that they [can] inform values. Or in the case of this particular article, Lewis makes a point to suggest instincts are not the driving force behind value-construction, citing medieval and modern cultures that engage in ritual suicide. I’m not sure that I agree.
It’s interesting that you mention you believe human beings suppress their natural inclinations. Do you think there might be survival value to this kind of suppression?
We evolved as an extremely social species — only able to assert our dominance over the natural world around us through collective effort. Do you think as a species we may have adapted some sort of “collective over the individual” instinct — recognizing what is best for the greater masses is best for the survival of the individual?
I am curious to hear your thoughts on the subject…