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Single Idea 4845

[filed under theme 22. Metaethics / B. Value / 1. Nature of Value / d. Subjective value ]

Full Idea

In no case do we strive for, wish for, long for, or desire anything, because we deem it to be good, but on the other hand we deem a thing to be good, because we strive for it, wish for it, long for it, or desire it.

Gist of Idea

We don't want things because they are good; we judge things to be good because we want them

Source

Baruch de Spinoza (The Ethics [1675], III Pr 09)

Book Ref

Spinoza,Benedict de: 'Ethics, Improvement of Understanding, Letters', ed/tr. Elwes,R [Dover 1955], p.137

A Reaction

Shocking, coming from a leading rationalist philosopher. It sounds more like Hume. Surely rationalism should put our capacity for judgement centre-stage? But Spinoza was a determinist. Is Kantian freedom of judgement required? Deterministic judgement?

The 17 ideas with the same theme [values arising from a human perspective]:

20847 The appraiser's value is what is set by someone experienced in the facts [Stoic school, by Diog. Laertius]
6677 Imagination creates beauty, justice and happiness, which is the supreme good [Pascal]
4845 We don't want things because they are good; we judge things to be good because we want them [Spinoza]
9749 Our rational choices confer value, arising from the sense that we ourselves are important [Kant, by Korsgaard]
7671 Values are created by human choices, and are not some intrinsic quality, out there [Kant, by Berlin]
22023 Fichte's idea of spontaneity implied that nothing counts unless we give it status [Fichte, by Pinkard]
4181 Every good is essentially relative, for it has its essential nature only in its relation to a desiring will [Schopenhauer]
24101 We always assign values, but we may not value those values [Nietzsche]
20370 All evaluation is from some perspective, and aims at survival [Nietzsche]
20354 The ruling drives of our culture all want to be the highest court of our values [Nietzsche]
22228 Sartre's freedom is not for whimsical action, but taking responsibility for our own values [Sartre, by Daigle]
3852 If values depend on us, freedom is the foundation of all values [Sartre]
9232 It is by caring about things that we infuse the world with importance [Frankfurt]
9234 If you don't care about at least one thing, you can't find reasons to care about anything [Frankfurt]
23944 Emotions are our life force, and the source of most of our values [Solomon]
8109 Aesthetic judgements necessarily require first-hand experience, unlike moral judgements [Gardner]
24176 A person's activities have value when they receive full attention [Cochrane]