To start off, I think this read was very interesting. I’d never put the thought into the reasoning as to how and why we each have our own values.
A quote within the read that really stuck out to me was, “Personal values matter a great deal. Without them, we cannot live at all, for they are just as essential as air, food, and water, and protection from elements.” (Lewis, 1990) At first I didn’t believe that values held such a strong importance in one’s lives, but thinking more about the idea I would agree. Values that one holds are the way in such one lives their life, how they make specific decisions day to day. I personally feel that my values are what keep me going from time to time.
Another part in the reading that I really liked was “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, 1990) I think this idea holds very true. If you look at, each member in a family all hold their individual values. Some of those values may be shared within each member in the family because all have held the same experience, but in most cases not everyone will hold those same values. This personally holds true for me; religion has always played a large role in my upbringing. I was born and raised as a Catholic, but for the most part I was more as a cradle Catholic. It wasn’t until I came to the UO that I have made my religion my own, and now has helped me to mold some of my values. My brother on the other hand is an Atheist, and has his reasoning to not believe in a God. We both look at things a little differently but at the end of it hold some of the same values. As the article goes on to explain, the way values are tailored is by a combination of the four interior mental modes and the two synthetic mental modes. There are endless combinations of each mental mode can signify a difference in values to individuals, but that’s what makes the idea of values beautiful. Everyone is entitled to make their own choices and determine how their values will help define who they are.
I liked your use of the modes to explain differences in you and your brother’s actions and the similarities between your values. You express your belief in free will in that humans are not limited to genetically instinctual behaviors. You also hint at the relationship between nature and nurture by explaining that you and your brother were raised in the same environment, but still hold different beliefs. It sounds like you and your brother primarily disagree on synthetic modes of “knowing”. Based on your religious beliefs, you sound more in line with the “authority” mode described by Lewis (1999) as “Hav[ing] faith in the authority of…”, in your case God. However your brother, being atheist, may be more in line with a “science” mode of knowing.
Looking to the four primary modes, do you believe that there is a more “true” mode of knowing? For example, does using logic, senses, emotion or intuition as a way of knowing bring people to different value structures? Coming from a religious perspective do you believe there is a specific mode of understanding values that is better than the others?
I didn’t even realize that I was hinting at the idea of nature and nurture, I can now see how it does. Looking back at the four primary modes, I don’t believe there is a more “true” mode of knowing. Each of the modes represent a different way of interpreting the way we see life and as as humans it is the way we choose to interpret our beliefs and values. The combination of all four modes is what makes each individuals values and beliefs unique in their own way. Each mode can be interpreted in such a way by a person’s individual life, that’s why I think that everyone’s values are all slightly different from one another in some way. There are cases that we share the same values with other individuals but if you look a little deeper even those same values may be a little different.
Being that I am religious, I don’t believe there is a specific mode of understanding values that is better than the others. Everyone has the freedom to decide how they choose said values. If it’s by one mode or by the mixture of two, three, or all four it’s the said values that an individual holds proud and strong that makes the biggest impact on someone else, not the way in which the person chose their values.
I like what you said about values differing based on which combination of mode they are generated from. I think there is some truth to this in that a logic-minded person will have a different approach to values than an emotional person. However, Lewis (1990) is cautious of this generalization, “The choice of emotion as a primary mode of forming value judgments and thus a dominant personal value judgment in itself- means we are predisposed to certain specific values…But…you will not be able to forecast his or her specific values and actions with precision”.
In certain situations understanding the modes through which people approach the world can help in predicating the way in which they respond to things. For example, if a sense-minded person were confronted about a cheating scandal, he or she would most likely want to investigate and interact with evidence of cheating before taking action. Making these observations, without generalizing, can be helpful in creating positive interactions with people who have stark value differences.
Hi Jessica, after I read your report. I think I agree with what you said that personal value is very important in our life. Whenever we make a decision, our human value will have a great effect on our decision. But I think our value is different with water and air. Water and air is what we need in our daily life and it is external things and it will never change with us. However, our personal value is our internal thing. It will change with our growing up. There are a lot of factors which will affect our value, such as our experience and religion. family members will keep similar value because they live in the same condition. But there are not two total same personal values because every have their own experience. People will meet different people and listen their stories, know different knowledge, go to different place. All of those things will affect a person’s value. Then, religion also will have a big affect to our own value. You said you are a Catholic. I am a Christian, so we looks have similar religion. I think the religion make a great effect on my personal value.
Hi, Jessica
Your post really impressed me. After I read the article, I have not thought so deep about my life value. Reading your post made me start to think your main idea: “Personal values matter a great deal. Without them, we cannot live at all, for they are just as essential as air, food, and water, and protection from elements” (Lewis, 1990). Unlike you, I agree this statement from the beginning when I read it. For example, since family is the most important thing to me, I would always put my personal interest behind and do whatever is the most important to my family. Other words from the author would be “human beings cannot separate the way they arrive at values from the values themselves” (Lewis 1990, 13). Our personal value is hard to separate from our life because what you do and how you do things would reflect your personal value. For instance, if there is a big accident happening right in front of you, some people might pray first, some people might go to help first, some people might call 911. In such sudden situation, the first reaction gives us the direct look of how people understand their own value. The first type is Christians; the second type is someone with medicinal background and who really want to save people’s lives; the final type is the one who did not have medicinal background and understand he or she cannot help much on the ground and people in the accident need more professional care. There are also perspectives for recognize other people’s value. The easiest example can find in college is how people decide their own major. Back to the beginning, the personal value really matter to our life.
As for me my family is also important, so we have that in common. I too try to make the best decisions that will help my family, but at points there are times in which I choose for myself. An example was me leaving home and moving to Oregon to attend the UO. While I’m getting a higher education to make my parents proud since they were unable to do so themselves, I wanted to become my own person and gain some independence. I left California so that I could do that but I still hold the values of my family still near and dear to me even though I am not with them.
I do like the use of “human beings cannot separate the way they arrive at values from the values themselves.” (Lewis 1990) I think it is hard to determine the specific moment or exact event that impacted someone to hold a certain value and carry it with them to how they handle different situations in life. Such as the example you mentioned of an accident occurring right in front of you. I agree with the idea that you cannot know how someone expresses their values until they are forced to at upon it in situations.