The Meaning of Values

Filipino notions of value according to three distinct areas.

• Objects (Price, cost, charge, amount and worth)

• Ideas (Dignity, importance, weight and consequence)

• Actions (extent, merit, significance, and usefulness)

What is a better way of defining value?

The term value is derived from the Latin word valere which literally means “to
measure.”

Taken broadly this implies three things

• The one who measures

• The thing measured

• The standard of measurement

The third element, however, is what often causes much confusion and
disagreement. It’s because different people could have different
standards.

When applied to physical things

Ex. If one needs accuracy for instance (weighing scales, meters and on so on).

When applied to non-physical things

For there is admittedly, a problem when it comes to abstract things like (character,
freedom, justice, faith) these being non-sensible realities.

Subjective and Objective Interpretations

Two Kinds of Values
• Objective

- It is based from universal law or the external standard.

Ex. A mother is pregnant with her fifth child. Her husband has syphilis while
she has tuberculosis. They have four children; the first one is blind, the second
one died one month after delivery, the third is deaf and mute and the fourth one
has tuberculosis.
 What must the mother do? If she would have her way she would be willing to
have abortion. But she is free to choose to what to do with her fifth child?
Certainly not. Because if she do that he will violate the God’s law “Thou shall
not kill”

• Subjective

- Based from perceptions of an individual

- Talks about Opinions and point of view of an individual

Ex.

• A student is tempted to cheat during examination because his

classmates are doing it.

• A government employee might cover up an anomaly committed within

his department because his superiors have instructed them to do so.

• Teenagers have been led to believe that there is nothing wrong with
premarital sex because of what they often see in the movies.

Moral Law- is the law which directs human behavior in human acts insofar as man
recognizes it with hs own reason, it is called Natural law.

Divine Law- it deals with the God’s law Ex. Commandments

Universal Law-

Norm- set standard of the society

Value as Good

Three Philosophical views on good

• Thomistic Point of view

• “Things are good insofar as they are”.

-St. Thomas Aquinas-

This means that every being, inasmuch as it exists, is good. Thus, even the so
called “enemies” of society are considered good simply because they exist.
Do the criminals and sinners are Good?

“Hate the sin and nit the sinner” For despite his potency is to commit mistakes, man
remains as being endowed with the potency to become good and therefore, has value.

• Aristotelian View

• “That at which all things aim”

-Aristotle-

In metaphysics, the purpose or end of being is called the Final cause.

Ex. The final Cause of a ballpen is for writing.

Book is for reading

Dress is for covering one’s body.

And in so far it has its end, it is good.

We must take note, however the term “end” here means the real purpose and not just
any kind of end.

For instance a ballpen is used for digging up a hole instead of writing. Book may be
used as pillow instead of reading material. Nevertheless, a thing should serve the
purpose for which is made.

Eternal Law- Every being follows a certain end which is unique to particular being
alone.

• Good in relation to moral law

The third notion of good is anchored on the definition of moral Law

Moral law- is specific for man alone inasmuch as this law enables him, through the
light of his reason to know right from wrong.
Animals are exempted in this law because they act on mere instinct unlike Man
however, think first before doing anything. Thus the moral law applies only to free and
rational creatures. Nonetheless, man needs more than just his reason to know right
from wrong. He needs an external standard other than his own judgement.

Basic Norm Specifications Universal Values

Doing good and Avoiding 10 Commandments Peace, respect, unity,

Evil justice, love of God and
Code of Ethics for neighbor, charity, honesty
professionals and freedom.

Traffic Rules
Constitutional Laws

Chapter III

God the Source of Values

Existence

• Came from the Latin word “existre” which means to stand out.

• Literal definition that a thing has no existence if does not come from
something, or there is nothing other than itself which helps sustaining it.

Ex. Table needs the carpenter in order to exist.

The plants need the water and sunlight

The students’ needs Teacher

Sick People needs Doctors

There is interdependence among creatures inasmuch as each created of

something.

The literal interpretation of being, however, has some limitation. We cannot always say
that a thing or being has a source to engage in an endless series of causes.

Ex. Son comes from the father the fathers come from another father, the fathers
comes from another and so on. Thus it is not always true that every being has a
source. Certainly, there is a being whose existence is part of his essence in the world
of St. Thomas Aquinas, who i s the Uncaused things.

Existence therefore may be understood in two ways

• That what is given (or that which has a source)

 • This are the created beings like (man, animals, plants, minerals, etc.)

• That which is part of the essence of a thing (or that which is uncaused)

• It applies to one being alone and that was God.

• This distinction should be made prior to any discussion on God’s Existence.

Can man know that God Exist?

• The nature of the world and everything in it indicates that they all had a
beginning.

We naturally conclude that must have been given a beginning by one who had no
beginning. We call on this ONE God.

• When we see foot prints in the sand we conclude that someone has passed
that way. The universe is filled with the foot prints of the supreme
creator.

According to St. Paul

“For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes are clearly seen His
everlasting power also and divinity-being understood through the things that are made”.

Proofs or Evidences of God’s Existence

• Existence of the World

To say that this universal order is the result of accident, or that the
planets direct their own courses, is a foolish as to say that an automobile
goes sensibly around the city streets running itself.

“The heavens declare the glory of God and firmament proclaims his handiwork”

(Psalms :8:2)

• The Order and Harmony of the Universe

The heavenly bodies go along their appointed courses age after age.
 The seasons succeed one another by year. There is a splendor, beauty
arrangement, and order everywhere. The whole universe is governed and preserved
by immutable law.

• The Testimony of our Conscience

• Proves the existence of God, because our conscience not only

distinguishes right from wrong , but demands absolute (unconditional)
submission to the moral law

This absolute claim of the moral law, manifested by our conscience, implies our
dependence on a supreme Lawgiver, who will reward the good that we do and
punish the evil.

Nature of Man’s Knowledge

The following observations from `gnoseology- that branch of philosophy dealing with
man knowledge are therefore helpful.

• Human knowledge has transcendental value- it can know things outside of

the mind. This is opposed to idealism, which teaches that reality is the
only in the mind.

The Latin term “cum fundamento in re” aptly described man’s knowledge.
Whatever one knows always has a basis in reality.

• Human Knowledge has an object value- can know things exactly as they
are.

• This is opposed to phenomenism, which teaches that the mind knows only
appearances. Edmund Husserl’s suggestion go “back to things
themselves” can only be carried out if one recognizes the inherent power of
the mind grasp objectively (not subjectively) the nature of things.

• Human knowledge has a theoretically absolute value – It does not depend

on any other thing except reality itself.

-This is opposed to relativism which teaches that one’s knowledge depend on

time, education, exigencies. In fact, the famous definition of truth is “the
conformity of the mind with reality”
 • Human knowledge possesses transcendental notions such as being, cause,
and goodness.

-These things are prioristic – they do not need to be verified through senses.
This is opposed to empiricism, which teaches that only sensible things are true.

The mentioned facts are presupposita-i.e. unquestionable. There is no need to

prove their validity inasmuch as they are self-evident. For instance experience
teaches us that “whatever is moved is moved by another” and that “”every being
comes from potency (becoming) to act depends on a being that is already in an
act.

Atheism – Doctrines which denies God’s Existence.

Atheist – person who does not believe in God’s Existence
Agnosticism - Inability to know about God’s Existence.

Roots of atheism

• Sometimes man and his accomplishments are valued so highly that the
importance of God slowly fades from man’s consciousness

• Some have conceived such a false notion of God, that when they study
seriously, they immediately reject it and do not bother asking if it was a false
notion.

• For various reason some never raise in their minds the question of God
existence and his meaning for a man

• And there are those who are so overwhelmed by the existence of evil in the
world that they are blinded to the existence of the good and hence of a
good God.

What should be the Believers attitude toward the atheist?

• Moreover, the believer must seriously examine his own life to see if he has been
responsible, in some degree, for atheism of his neighbor.

• The believer must avoid a hasty judgement of anyone’s guilt. Such judgement
should be left from God.
 What is the attitude of atheism towards religion?

• By its very nature, of course atheism would be opposed to religion which

teaches the subjection of man to an absolute Lord.

• Specifically inimical to religion is the form of atheism which believes that man
can reach perfection in this life through economic and social change.

What remedy does the church apply to atheism?

• Proper presentation of her teaching about God and religion and the integral life
to church members.

• Able to apply the presence of God in the world the remedy must make that
present known and felt.

The Perfections of God

Attributes of God’s Perfection

• Subsistent Existence

By this attribute we mean that God is a being whose essence in

existence, one who possess all perfections without limit (infinite) and without
composition (simple), in such a way that he does not and cannot change
(immutable) with regard to space (immense) and time (eternal).

• Uniqueness

This attribute of God means that He is One i.e. there is no other

God.

• Highest Intelligence.

-In rational Psychology, intelligence is concerned directly and

proportional to immateriality. This means that the more immaterial
the being is, the more intelligent it is. Now, God is a pure spirit-i.e.
without parts which, therefore, means that He is the most
immaterial being. And since He is the most immaterial, He is also
most intelligent; His intelligence is the highest intelligence.
• Highest Good.

• Now since God is intelligent, He must have a will. If his intelligence is

supreme. Now to what is the will attracted? It is attracted to the good,
thus we can say that God is the highest good, considering that it
would improper for the highest intelligence to prefer a lesser good.

God always was and always be, and always remain the same.
• This is however, is only our imperfect way of expressing God’s eternity. It is more properly to say
that God always Is, because there is no “before” and “after with Him.
• There is no time with God: with Him there is neither past nor future; everything is
present.
“One day with the Lord is a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day”
(2 Peter 3:8)
• God will always remain the same. As He was in the beginning, He is now, and He shall always
be.
• God cannot change. This is because He has always possessed the fullness of being which
is Himself. Therefore he cannot grow, as we do, in the possession and awareness of
being He is the
“Father of the lights of the sky, who has never known change, who is never shadowed
over”
(Jas 1:17)

• God can do all things. He is able to bring about all things by the mere expression of His will.

“God said, ‘Let there be light’,

and there was light”
(Genesis 1:3)
 • His power is not limited to any single place.
• God can do anything that is not contrary to His truth or Holiness. If he could anything against
His truth or holiness, He would be contradicting Himself.
• It was in the manifestation of God’s power saving them that the people of Israel first
came to know God:
“He brought us out of Egypt with his strong hand and outstretched arm with terrifying power, with
signs and wonders; and bringing us into this country, he gave us this land flowing with milk and
honey”
(Deut 26:8-9)

We can best understand the Holiness of God by beginning with the negative aspect of holiness.
• That is holy which is not profane, not contaminated by anything imperfect.
• To the extent that one is separated from imperfect to the extent is he holy.
• God is perfectly separated from the imperfect and profane, because he is perfect in
himself.

• Therefore he is perfectly holy. Positively, then God holiness is the infinite exaltation in
majesty.
• It is one way to describe God, as we learn from the book of Isaiah, where the seraphim
are said to have cried out to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts!”(Is 6:3).
We use the same words of praise at the end of the Preface of the Mass.

• God wanted his people to be holy, too, to the extent that that is possible to man.
• They expressed their holiness, or separation from the profane, by abstaining from those
foods that their culture considered unclean in any way.

• Justice can be defined as conformity to a norm. The ultimate, or absolute norm for anything is
the holy and perfect will of God.

• Since God always acts in perfect conformity to his will, he is perfectly just. His justice therefore,
means that he cannot contrary to His will.

• God expressed his will to save Israel in a special way. God’s fidelity to His promise to
save is an expression of justice.

• Mercy is concern for others. Since God has shown His concern for man by the manifestation of
His saving power, He is merciful.
• In a way God’s mercy is contrasted with holiness.
They complement each one another perfectly. Because God is holy and transcendent, His mercy takes
on greater meaning; it is the mercy of a majestic Lord who is able to save.

What God’s attitude towards evil?

• God can never love evil directly as direct object of His will. It would be contrary
to His nature as the Highest God.

• God can will a relative evil indirectly so far as the indirect accidental evil could
be as means to the attainment of a good which is higher than that which is
deprived by it.

Ex. God can will the physical evil of sickness indirectly insofar as it can help
attain a good higher than health.

• God can never will either directly or indirectly moral evil (Sin) because it could
never be used as a means to attain a higher good. Moral evil deprives the moral
law. And since the moral law comes from God, it is God, in the final analysis,
which is good deprived by sin.

• God permits moral evil for the reason of enhancing man’s realization of his
freedom that man may realize that he can lose or win merits for his actions.