HUMANVALUES

Aristotle• The ultimate good of man consists of

an aggregate of goods which would help him attain happiness in this life. Anything which contributes to man’s development, comfort, and well-being.

VALUES

Anything which satisfies a human need.

It is identical to that which is good defined by Aristotle as “fitting a function”.

SIGNIFICANCE OF VALUES

Values enrich our experience of life and bring happiness.

Actions are values because they are the means we employ to attain happiness.

Morally good actions bring happiness, while immoral actions bring unhappiness.

KINDS OF VALUESBiological• necessary

to the survival and growth of man such as food, shelter, work, etc.

Psychological• necessary to

the psychological maturation of man such as companionship, friendship, marriage, etc.

Intellectual• necessary to

the mental fulfillment of man such as truth, science, art and religion.

Moral• necessary for

the development of character.

We also speak of cultural values – those that are shared in a community such as ideals, laws, customs, beliefs, rituals and ceremonies. Some values are

described as religious, economic, or aesthetic.

HIERARCHY OF VALUESFrom the time of the Greek philosophers to the present, the moral values are held as more important than the others.

Hierarchy of values refers to the ranking of values from lowest to highest.

A triangle, with it’s summit and middle and base, illustrates how values are ranked.

Biological values occupy the base.

Moral values, the summit.

Psychological and intellectual values occupy respectively the mid-section.

Moral

Intellectual and psychological

values

Biological

• corresponds to spiritual development.• these values constitute moral integrity.

• social values corresponding to our psychological growth.• lower middle value.• fundamental value in this category is love which is the foundation of friendship, marriage, etc.

• correspond to our mental growth.• higher middle value.• most fundamental value is truth.

• correspond to our survival and procreation.• most fundamental value is self-preservation or health.

SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF VALUESThe authenticity of values consists in their being shared with others. The higher a value goes up the ranking the more it becomes altruistic.

The lower values are seen as competitive and egoistic because they tend towards the accumulation of material possession which man finds difficult to share with others.

Psychological value of love lends itself to sharing with others.

The nature of intellectual value is also altruistic.

Moral values are even more meaningful because it allows man to live with others in peaceful and harmony.

It is not good for man to be alone; I will give him a helper who will be like him.

• Genesis 2:18

MORAL VALUES

Moral values are those pertaining to the functions of the intellect and the will.

Moral values relate to our spiritual growth.

In the context of integral perfection, all values whether biological or social, acquire moral significance.

CHARACTERISTICS OF MORAL VALUES

They have intrinsic worth

CHOOSING VALUESPermanent or lasting values

must be preferred over temporary or perishable ones.

Values favored by the majority must be preferred over those

appealing only to a few.

Essential values must be preferred over the accidental

values.

Moral values must be preferred over the physical values.

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 HABITPredispose man to acquire certain nature or equality

OPERATIVE HABITPredispose man to act readily towards a purpose.

MORAL VIRTUESPrudence•It enables a

person to know the best means to employ in attaining a purpose.

Justice•Inclines a person

to give to everyone what is due.

Fortitude•Gives a person

the strength of the will to face dangers and the problems in life.

Temperance•Moderates a

person’s instincts and emotions.

INTELLECTUAL VIRTUES• Habit or intuition of the first principles.• Also called common senseUnderstanding

• Habit of proximate causeScience

• Habit of making beautiful things.Art

• Habit of the ultimate causesWisdom

VICES AND CHARACTERA vice is the opposite of virtue. Vice is the habit of doing evil acquired through the repetition of an evil act. One immortal act does not constitute a habit or a vice for that matter. But it is no less unfortunate. The fact is every single evil act speaks of an evil character.A vice is evil either because of excess or of defect:

•Vices opposed to prudence by excess

•Vices opposed to justice by excess

•Vices opposed to fortitude by excess

•Vices opposed to temperance by excess