Human Values - Introduction

Values refer to the beliefs or principles that individuals or societies hold to be important and worthwhile. They guide human behavior and decision-making and help to shape one's worldview.

The features of values are

1. Subjectivity: Values are subjective in nature, meaning they differ from person to person based on their experiences, beliefs, and culture.
2. Universality: Although values are subjective, there are some values that are shared by most societies, such as honesty, fairness, and respect.
3. Relativity: Values are relative, meaning that they can change over time and in different situations.
4. Hierarchical: Values are hierarchical, meaning that some values are more important than others. For example, a person may value honesty over loyalty.
5. Dynamic: Values are dynamic, meaning that they can change over time as a person's experiences and beliefs change.
6. Prescriptive: Values are prescriptive, meaning that they guide behavior and decision-making by telling individuals what they ought to do.
7. Emotional: Values are often accompanied by emotional responses, such as feeling proud when living up to one's values or guilty when violating them.

Values are an important aspect of human society, and social thinkers have given their perspectives on what they are and how they shape our lives. Here are a few examples of how some social thinkers have defined values:

1. Max Weber: Weber, a German sociologist, defined values as beliefs and attitudes that people hold about the world around them. He believed that values are the driving force behind people's actions and that they shape the way people see the world.
2. Emile Durkheim: Durkheim, a French sociologist, believed that values are the foundation of social order. He argued that values create a shared understanding among members of a society and help to regulate behavior.
3. Carl Rogers: Rogers, an American psychologist, believed that values are an important aspect of personal growth and development. He believed that people should strive to live their lives in accordance with their values in order to achieve a sense of fulfillment and purpose.
4. Abraham Maslow: Maslow, another American psychologist, developed a hierarchy of human needs, which he believed were universal. At the top of this hierarchy were self-actualization needs, which he believed were linked to values. Maslow argued that people who are able to live in accordance with their values are more likely to achieve self-actualization.
5. Mahatma Gandhi: Gandhi, an Indian activist and leader, believed in the importance of values such as truth, nonviolence, and service to others. He believed that living in accordance with these values was essential for personal and societal transformation.