verditeori

Verditeori, or value theory, is a branch of philosophy that investigates the nature, sources, and criteria of value. It asks what makes things valuable, why they are valuable, and how value is known or justified. The field spans normative ethics, metaethics, and axiology, addressing questions about both moral and non-morminal value and how evaluative judgments relate to action and belief.

A central distinction in verditeori is between intrinsic value and instrumental value. Intrinsic value is value attributed to something for its own sake, while instrumental value is value attributed to something because it helps achieve something else. Value categories commonly discussed include moral value (rightness, duties, obligations), aesthetic value (beauty, artistic merit), epistemic value (truth, justification), and prudential or welfare-related value (well-being, flourishing).

Key debates in verditeori include whether moral values are mind-independent and objective (moral realism) or dependent on minds and culture (moral anti-realism). Within realism, naturalists tie value to natural properties, whereas non-naturalists argue for non-natural moral properties. Non-cognitivists contend that moral judgments express attitudes rather than factual claims. Value pluralism argues that multiple irreducible values coexist, while value monism holds that a single value or principle can capture overall worth.

Methodologically, value theorists employ conceptual analysis, thought experiments, and cross-cultural examination, with attention to justification and practical implications. Verditeori informs broader fields such as normative ethics, political philosophy, law, and economics by clarifying what matters in evaluation and decision-making.