Difference between Two Types of Value: Intrinsic and Instrumental

Virtue ethics is an important aspect in shaping the character as well as the morality of an individual. Virtue ethics focuses on issues that emphasize the role of a character as well as the aspects of moral philosophy. It looks into an individual’s character rather than focusing on the duty of a person with the aim of coming up with real consequences. Learning things related to ethics and virtue ethics is important mainly because it provides an efficient platform for individuals to be able to distinguish between characters that have a positive impact rather than focusing on behaviors. Through this, an opportunity is achieved to be able to distinguish what is good and what is not okay (Jayawickreme et al. 2014). Understanding about ethics and virtue is also important because it helps in the provision of the opportunity to understand and to distinguish between different types of values mainly intrinsic values as well as experimental values. Based on the understanding of aspects of virtue ethics, knowledge is always drawn on how people reason out. Some people reason about the means of achieving the end and others think about the end. The way people reason out is important in generating the difference that exists between intrinsic as well as instrumental values. Intrinsic value reasons out about the end while on the other hand, value argues about how the end will be achieved. Intrinsic value mainly concentrates on the overall values of an item, the value that an individual or a commodity holds. On the other hand, instrumental value focuses on the values that an aspect holds in helping to achieve other aspects (Van Hooft, 2014). By this argument, holding on to instrumental value helps characters to judge something based on the outcome that it brings rather than the value it has. An aspect might be of value, but it does not have positive components that it brings out. Instrumental values and intrinsic values can be used in judging character based on aspects of morality. A character can be judged based on the methods of behavior that is exhibited by an individual. The methods of behaviors do not define the nature of an individual, rather, they describe the reasons behind the character presented by an individual. In this context, there are some important characteristics acquired by a person based on the values that he or she has (Jayawickreme et al. 2014). These characters might include being logical, imaginative, loving, polite, responsible among others. These are linked to being instrumental regarding values a person who is intrinsic regarding the values that he or she holds deploys characters such as social recognition, beauty, harmony among others. Finally, considering aspects of values, morality, and ethics, we note that at times individuals can get into a situation of moral breaks. Moral breaks can at times be argued as moral breakdowns. In most cases, it affects a character that holds onto values. At times, he or she might be left in a dilemma and make judgments that might morally have an impact on an individual. Moral breaks at times might also happen in a situation whereby a person is making a rushed decision. When looking at the characters of a person, we always note that we always think of ourselves first with the way we behave rather than other people.  Naturally, people are always self-centered. We behave based on the way people judge us.

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