Intrinsic value?

Question:Many things have instrumental value, that is, they have value as means to an end.
However, there must be some things which are merely instrumental, but have some value in themselves, this is what we call 'Intrinsic Value'.

In your view, what has intrinsic value?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Many things have instrumental value, that is, they have value as means to an end.
However, there must be some things which are merely instrumental, but have some value in themselves, this is what we call 'Intrinsic Value'.

In your view, what has intrinsic value?

I don't believe everything can be reduced to economic or instrumental value. Some things are valuable and good in and of itself.

Happiness might be an example of an intrinsic value, because being happy is good just because it's good to be happy, not because being happy leads to anything else.

Also the environment and the natural world has intrinsic value. We choose to conserve and protect natural reserves and endangered species not because we have to but, because we acknowledge natures beauty, significance and intrinsic value. A value which we wish to preserve for future generations.

I'm sure there are many more examples of intrinsic value, but they're the only ones that came to mind.

nothing has intrinsic value as such. utility whether genuine or fake offered by any commodity gives it a value. the value depends on relative scarcity. the sunlight has immense value but being in pleanty has no value in exchange. value depends on the importance attached to anything. howsoever nice anything is if we consider it useless, it will have no value. similarly, the drunkards value liquer very highly whereas for the tetollers, liquer has zero value.

Aristotle, in his broad and moderate way, though he believed virtue alone to possess intrinsic value, yet allowed to external goods and circumstances a place in the scheme of life. The Stoics asserted that virtue alone is good, vice alone evil, and that all else is absolutely indifferent. Poverty, sickness, pain, and death, are not evils. Riches, health, pleasure, and life, are not goods. A person may commit suicide, for in destroying his life he destroys nothing of value. Above all, pleasure is not a good. One ought not to seek pleasure. Virtue is the only happiness. And people must be virtuous, not for the sake of pleasure, but for the sake of duty. And since virtue alone is good, vice alone evil, there followed the further paradox that all virtues are equally good, and all vices equally evil. There are no degrees.

peace and love

Art