intrinsicists

Intrinsicists are a group of philosophers who hold a particular view on the nature of value or normativity. Their central tenet is that certain things are valuable or morally good in themselves, for their own sake, rather than being valuable or good because they lead to some other desirable outcome or because they conform to some external standard. This means that for an intrinsicist, the goodness of something is inherent to its nature.

For example, an intrinsicist might argue that happiness is intrinsically good. This means that happiness is good simply because it is happiness, not because it leads to productivity, social harmony, or any other consequence. Similarly, a moral intrinsicist might believe that certain actions are morally right or wrong in themselves, irrespective of their results. This contrasts with consequentialist views, which determine the value or morality of an action based on its outcomes, or deontological views that focus on duties and rules.

The concept of intrinsic value is crucial in many ethical theories, particularly those that emphasize the importance of certain states of being or fundamental rights. Intrinsicists often distinguish between intrinsic value and instrumental value, where instrumental value is the value something has as a means to an end. For instance, money has instrumental value because it can be used to purchase things that bring happiness, but an intrinsicist would likely argue that money itself is not intrinsically valuable. The debate between intrinsicists and their philosophical opponents centers on whether value is always dependent on something else or if there are indeed standalone sources of value.