An ethical value is an indicator of the behavior that allows us to face our daily lives. Thus, when we have to decide on a specific action (for example, to help someone or not to do it) there is an assessment that drives us to act generously or selfishly.
The ideas of justice, hope or solidarity are ethical values that become ideals that influence our behaviour, be it at work, in personal relationships or in any aspect of life.
Two criteria to understand ethical values: relativism and the universality of values
Ethics is a discipline of philosophy and focuses on the reflection of the moral conduct of individuals. In a very schematic way, it can be stated that there are two possible approaches.
From the perspective of relativism, human values are changing and depend on a series of circumstances (the education received, the social context, the historical moment, etc). Thus, an upper-class citizen with favorable living conditions is likely to have very different values from those of a person who lives in a favela and is at risk of social exclusion. This approach is deterministic, since x vital circumstances imply x human values.
Some philosophers consider that values are not relative but are universal and objective. Their universality lies in the fact that they are common ideas in all cultures and circumstances. In other words, the idea of solidarity or justice may vary in some specific aspect, but all human beings have an idea of what solidarity or justice means.
The point of view of the sophists and Plato
In classical Greece, the sophists and Plato raised an interesting debate in relation to ethical values. The sophists defended a relativistic vision and maintained that moral considerations were a simple human convention (what was morally desirable for the Athenians could be despicable for the Spartans).
On the other hand, Plato defended that ethical values are found in the human soul as universal ideas and through knowledge it is possible to know them and put them into practice. For Plato, when the human being identifies the ethical values within him, he is in a position to lead a just and harmonious life.
Photos: Fotolia – Photoraidz / alestraza
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