Philosophy Now Forum

Our readers give their thoughts on values, each winning a valuable, if random, book.

https://philosophynow.org/issues/145/What_Is_The_Most_Fundamental_Value

Oh I know this one!

the conatus

Truth, without which everything else is indistinguishable from arbitrary.

Pi

Survival--- struggle, sex, violence, hunger, and self-interest.

I think the most fundamental value is the reference, the standard by which other things may be measured or compared. And that reference standard is reality, in all its glory, wonder and novelty.

As to exactly what reality is, and what it includes, that's a more difficult issue to address...

Honesty.. so similar to @Advocate’s ‘Truth’, but not quite..

MagsJ wrote: ↑Thu Sep 08, 2022 5:26 am Honesty.. so similar to @Advocate’s ‘Truth’, but not quite..

If you are replying to me, then thank you. If not, then who, or which post? ... And please could you expand on the similarity to Advocate's "truth", and the difference(s) too?

Pattern-chaser wrote: ↑Thu Sep 08, 2022 1:22 pm

MagsJ wrote: ↑Thu Sep 08, 2022 5:26 am Honesty.. so similar to @Advocate’s ‘Truth’, but not quite..

If you are replying to me, then thank you. If not, then who, or which post? ... And please could you expand on the similarity to Advocate's "truth", and the difference(s) too?

Or are you responding to the topic title, "What Is The Most Fundamental Value?", in which case, please ignore me.

Regardless, I find your reply intriguing, and would like to know more, if you would care to expand?

Pattern-chaser wrote: ↑Thu Sep 08, 2022 1:24 pm

Pattern-chaser wrote: ↑Thu Sep 08, 2022 1:22 pm

MagsJ wrote: ↑Thu Sep 08, 2022 5:26 am Honesty.. so similar to @Advocate’s ‘Truth’, but not quite..

If you are replying to me, then thank you. If not, then who, or which post? ... And please could you expand on the similarity to Advocate's "truth", and the difference(s) too?

Or are you responding to the topic title, "What Is The Most Fundamental Value?", in which case, please ignore me.

Regardless, I find your reply intriguing, and would like to know more, if you would care to expand?

I was indeed replying to the OP, but I am happy to expound on my reposte.

My thinking was.. that honesty is on the way to the path of truth, so a precursor to it.

Not all can be true, but at least it can be honest.

MagsJ wrote: ↑Sun Sep 11, 2022 4:35 am My thinking was.. that honesty is on the way to the path of truth, so a precursor to it.

Not all can be true, but at least it can be honest.

How very autistic of you! [N.B. from me, an autistic person, that is a compliment! ] We value honesty highly, sometimes to a level of detail that might seem obsessive to some. So yes, I strongly agree with your sentiments!

It's important to emphasise, as you have, that one can be mistaken, and thereby tell an untruth with honesty and sincerity. The difference between honesty and truth matters, as you say. More to the point of this topic and this discussion, the truth is often difficult or impossible to discover or verify, but honesty is perpetually available. And in that sense I agree that honesty is a definite candidate for "the most fundamental value".

Pattern-chaser wrote: ↑Sun Sep 11, 2022 2:16 pm How very autistic of you! [N.B. from me, an autistic person, that is a compliment! ] We value honesty highly, sometimes to a level of detail that might seem obsessive to some. So yes, I strongly agree with your sentiments!

It’s better to reconcile all things from a place of honesty, otherwise nothing can truly be rectified.. ergo the current state of the world.

..also, I can sense when what is being said is either dishonest and/or testing, so not an honest argument or inquiry but a veiled/deceitful attempt at one. I don’t need testing.. I went to school for that.

It's important to emphasise, as you have, that one can be mistaken, and thereby tell an untruth with honesty and sincerity. The difference between honesty and truth matters, as you say. More to the point of this topic and this discussion, the truth is often difficult or impossible to discover or verify, but honesty is perpetually available. And in that sense I agree that honesty is a definite candidate for "the most fundamental value".

Dishonesty breeds contempt.. so yea.

Honesty is a value that should spread around the world like wildfire.. can you imagine how such a world would be.

When it comes to values, people often think of things like honesty, respect, and hard work. While these are all important values to live by, they are not the most fundamental value. The most fundamental value is love. Love is at the core of who we are as human beings. It is what motivates us to act with kindness and compassion. It is what drives us to help those in need and build strong relationships. Agathon shares that role of love brings peace to humans. “ So, in the case of Love, the right thing is to praise his nature first, and then his gifts”. Without love, we would be nothing more than animals. We would be unable to experience the joys of life or understand the importance of family and friends. We would be alone in the world, unable to find meaning or purpose. Fortunately, we are not alone. We have love in our hearts, and that is what makes us truly human.

The fundamental value, if one is considering morality and compassion it is the ability to identify your SELF with that of the SELF in others, no identification with the SELF in other creatures spells no compassion for other creatures and no compassion spells no morality directed at an absolute other. This is by no means limited to the human species.

Excelente!

A question form that's old as the hills, but it's always a thrill to see it content-specific like this. The answer however is not ready-at-hand and therein lies the rub, assuming we actually care in any way at all about answer. Bonam fortunam!