Werte

Werte is the German word for values and the plural of Wert. It is used across disciplines to denote things regarded as important or desirable, including ethical standards, social norms, or numerical quantities in mathematics and data.

In ethics and philosophy, Werte describes normative principles such as freedom, equality, and solidarity. Value pluralism and debates over universality versus cultural specificity are central to value theory, and organizations and governments codify Werte in declarations or codes of conduct.

In the social sciences and economics, Werte can refer to both intrinsic values (moral worth) and instrumental value (economic price or usefulness). Monetary value, exchange value, and utility are central concepts, and research examines how social values influence behavior and policy.

In mathematics and computing, Wert (singular) and Werte (plural) denote numeric quantities assigned to variables, measurements, or data fields. The concept of value is ubiquitous in statistics, programming, and information systems.