The human person
and values
-s-
In life, the person is always...
•-presented with different
OPTIONS from which he
makes CHOICES in
accordance with his
VALUES
His CHOICES....
•...reveals what he considers
as the BEST OPTION
among the givens
depending upon his
orientation
The OPTIONS...
• Between GOODand BAD
• Between two or more
GOODs
it is far easier ….
• If the choice is between a
GOOD and a BAD thing…
• For example between staying
healthy and becoming sick….
But it becomes really difficult
• When the options are both
good:
• For example: reviewing your
lessons and watching the NBA
Finals….
To help us decide during these
situations
•We need to clarify
our values
What are values?
•They are what we
consider as good,
desirable and worth
keeping or pursuing.
Examples of values…
• health
• Education
• Work
• Friends
• Family members
• Etc….
However, not all values are the
same in weight
• Some values are more valuable
than the others…
• There is an objective
arrangement or hierarchy of
values
Hierarchy of
values...
POLITICS
Prof. Hornedo: 3 types of
goods
ECONOMICS
MONASTICS
Monastics:
•Mono- one; the individual
•goods that when
satisfied, promote the
welfare of the individual...
Economics
•Oikos- home, family
•Goods that when
satisfied, promote the
welfare of the family
Politics
•Polis, - city; society
•Goods that when
satisfied, promote the
welfare of society
Question:
•Between the self, family
and society, which do you
think should be given
priority?
Max Scheler: hierarchy of values
HOLY @ UNHOLY (God)
SPIRITUAL(Moral)
VITAL (LIFE/SUCCESS)
SENSORY (PLEASURE)
SENSORY:
• Values that cater to the senses
• Pleasurable or unpleasurable?
• Sweet or bitter?
Vital
•Values that pertain to
: Life or death?
•Health or sickness?
•Success or failure?
Spiritual:
•Values that pertain to:
Moral or immoral?
•Ethical or unethical?
•Justice or injustice?
Holy and unholy:
•Values that pertain to:
•Belief or unbelief?
•God or other?
For Max Scheler…
•A lower value can be
sacrificed for a higher
value…..
Conflict of values
•I want to take up
engineering but my
parents want me to
become a nurse...
• I AM PLANNING TO ESTABLISH
A PIGGERY BUT MY LAND IS
VERY NEAR THE CHURCH AND
THE SCHOOL
•My parents want me to
send my brother first to
school, but my girlfriend
and I have plans to get
married this year...
• I want to go abroad so I can fulfill
my dream to go to another
country and earn more for my
family, but in the process, I will
leave the poor community I am
currently serving...
•I want to watch my favorite
soap opera but tomorrow
will be my examinations in
Physics and Algebra....
• I love eating cake, ice cream
and other sweet food ; then
my doctor told me that I am
diabetic...
•My cousin is running for
mayor in our place, but I
know him to be very
corrupt and a murderer...
•I want to finish my
studies, so my neighbour
offers to shoulder my
expenses provided I
become his mistress...

The human person and values