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Single Idea 9232

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

Full Idea

It is by caring about things that we infuse the world with importance.

Gist of Idea

It is by caring about things that we infuse the world with importance

Source

Harry G. Frankfurt (The Reasons of Love [2005], 1.10)

Book Ref

Frankfurt,Harry G.: 'The Reasons of Love' [Princeton 2006], p.23

A Reaction

This book is a lovely attempt at getting to the heart of where values come from. 'Football isn't a matter of life and death; it's more important than that' - Bill Shankly (manager of Liverpool). Frankfurt is right.

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]