- Definition
- Transcendental values according to Max Scheeler
- Values are not relative
- Two forms of ethics
- Transcendence of values and relationship with colors
- Examples of transcendental values
- Like values
- Vital values
- Spiritual values
- Religious values
- Explanatory pyramid
- Themes of interest
- References
It is called transcendental values to those own fundamental principles of humanity which, as its name suggests, have the ability to transcend time and pass generational barriers. Thanks to these values, the individual can promote an adequate environment for the spiritual, social and economic development of a society.
This means that the development and spiritual strengthening of the human being have a positive impact on the social progress of any country, which extends to the satisfaction of both individual and collective needs and interests.
Max Scheler, German philosopher. Source: Wikipedia Commons
Likewise, the maintenance of transcendental values introduces correct decision-making when carrying out any collective action or initiative; therefore, the violation or eradication of these values can lead to social chaos and misery. To avoid this it is necessary to protect these principles through education.
Definition
On the transcendental values, recognized philosophers have proposed two possible positions or axioms: in the first case, scholars propose that values are something subjective and relative, while the second position bets on the existence of objective values, which respond to a collective and not individual character.
In other words, for relativist philosophers, man is the one who attributes value to things, depending on their satisfactions or pains and on their subjectivity; on the contrary, for objectivist philosophers, man rather discovers those already existing values through reason and reflection.
For its part, the objectivist current is divided into two possible aspects. One of these - the phenomenological school - argues that value is presented as an ideal, while the other proposes that values are something real (realistic school).
Following the objectivist trend, the German philosopher Max Scheler argued that values are not relative, since they respond to a spiritual essence that gives man his "reason for being" or his "reason for existing." According to this author, values are mainly essences, so they are neither measurable nor tangible.
Transcendental values according to Max Scheeler
Values are not relative
In his work entitled Resentment in morality, Max Scheler determined that values are the pillars of all ethical behavior; therefore, they have the ability to grant a transcendent meaning to morality, which rescues it from any individualistic character.
Similarly, for this author the values are neither relative nor susceptible to being negotiated. This position is radically different from positivism.
Two forms of ethics
Scheler argued that there are two forms of ethics. One of these is the one built by man who, without the help of transcendence, is subject to constant errors and can be used by power to impose its will on societies.
On the other hand, transcendent ethics - or true ethics, according to the philosopher - contemplates the human being from his spirituality and has the ability to grant him true values.
The foregoing leads the author to establish that ethics cannot be the product of mere human convention. Consequently, transcendental ethics is the practice through which the ethics constructed by men is oriented and organized.
Transcendence of values and relationship with colors
The author Diego Medina Morales proposed a simple example to understand how Scheler defends the non-relativity of values: the nature of values corresponds to that of colors, since they exist independently of their respective depositories.
For example, red is a pure quality and can be understood without having to refer to its application or concretion in an object or artifact. This is the case with values: they exist regardless of their tangible application in a given subject.
Then, the colors - like the values - are transcendent, since they do not depend on an individual application to exist. The color red will remain red because its nature is transcendent and permanent, as well as having a pure quality.
There may be different shades of red, but this condition does not make it relative because perception will depend on human convention.
In this way, the functioning of transcendental values is explained: they can have different shades depending on each individual, each culture and each society; however, its main essence remains transcendent and unquestionable despite all its possible variants.
Examples of transcendental values
Max Scheeler dedicated several of his works to the study of transcendental values, for which he made a catalog of these principles and established a classification.
The author decided to make two fundamental divisions: first he proposed the polarity of each value and then argued that they obey a specific hierarchy.
Polarity refers to the fact that all values have their counterpart, so there are positive and negative values, popularly known as antivalues. As for the hierarchy, it refers to the fact that each value can be equal to, higher or lower than the rest of the values.
Taking this into account, the following examples can be established considering the classification indicated above:
Like values
A simple example of this classification can be the sweet-sour relationship.
Vital values
For example, be healthy. The opposite of this value is being sick.
Spiritual values
These values can be divided into three categories: aesthetic (ugly-beautiful), legal (unfair-fair) and intellectual (truth-lie).
Religious values
They head the hierarchy of values and can be exemplified through what is considered holy, whose contrast is the profane.
Explanatory pyramid
To explain the hierarchy of values, Scheler uses a pyramid at the top of which are religious values followed by spiritual values, then there are vital values and lastly there are useful or liked values.
Within the useful values we can find a subcategory in which the precepts of what is pleasant stand out, whose antivalue is unpleasant; what is adequate, contrary to what is inappropriate; and the convenient, antonym of inconvenient.
Themes of interest
Types of securities.
Human values.
Antivalues.
Universal values.
Sociocultural values.
Moral values.
Aesthetic values.
Material values.
Intellectual values.
Instrumental values.
Political values.
Cultural values.
Priority values.
Vital values.
Ethical values.
Priority values.
Religious values.
Civic values.
Social values.
Corporate values.
References
- Medel, A. (sf) Transcendental values. Recovered from Academia: academia.edu
- Morales, D. (2006) Transcendence and value in Max Scheler: The farce of the ethics of consumption and the error in values. Retrieved on March 12, 2019 from UCO legal science: uco.es
- Peredo, V. (2016) The transcendental values. Retrieved on March 12, 2019 from Voie Lumina: voielumina.weebly.com
- Sáenz, J. (sf) Max Scheeler. Retrieved on March 12, 2019 from UNAL digital: bdigital.unal.edu.co
- Seijo, C. (2009) The values from the main axiological theories: aprioristic and independent qualities of things and human acts. Retrieved on March 12, 2019 from Dialnet: dialnet.com
- (SA) (sf) Max Scheler: moralty and value. Retrieved on March 12, 2019 from New World Encyclopedia: newworldencclopedia.org