Editing Value theory (section)

== Definition ==
[[File:Socrates Louvre.jpg|thumb|upright=.8|alt=Photo of a marble bust of a bearded man|Even though early contributions to value theory were made in antiquity by philosophers such as [[Socrates]], this area of thought was only conceived as a distinct discipline in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.<ref>{{multiref|{{harvnb|Grünberg|2000|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=cFsiNrHfN1AC&pg=PA11 11–12]}}|{{harvnb|Hart|1971|p=29}}|{{harvnb|Heathwood|2015|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=uvzVBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA136 136–137]}}}}</ref>]]Value theory, also known as ''axiology'' and ''theory of values'', is the systematic study of [[Value (ethics and social sciences)|values]]. As a branch of [[philosophy]], it examines which things are good and what it means for something to be good. It distinguishes different types of values and explores how they can be measured and compared. This field also studies whether values are a fundamental aspect of reality and how they influence phenomena such as [[emotion]], [[desire]], decision, and [[Action (philosophy)|action]].<ref name="auto2">{{multiref | {{harvnb|Smith|Thomas|1998|loc=Lead section}} | {{harvnb|Hirose|Olson|2015|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=uvzVBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA1 1–2]}} | {{harvnb|Schroeder|2021|loc=Lead section}} }}</ref> Value theory is relevant to many human endeavors because values are guiding principles that underlie the political, economic, scientific, and personal spheres.<ref>{{multiref | {{harvnb|Bahm|1993|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=jqSRrmtQ_WoC&pg=PA1 1, 4–6]}} | {{harvnb|Li|2014|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=W2a4BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA67 67–68]}} }}</ref> It analyzes and evaluates phenomena such as [[well-being]], [[utility]], [[beauty]], human life, [[knowledge]], [[wisdom]], [[freedom]], [[love]], and [[justice]].<ref>{{multiref | {{harvnb|Hiles|2008|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=byh1AwAAQBAJ&pg=PT84 52–53]}} | {{harvnb|Li|2014|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=W2a4BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA67 67–68]}} | {{harvnb|Bahm|1993|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=jqSRrmtQ_WoC&pg=PA4 4–5]}} }}</ref>

The precise definition of value theory is debated and some theorists rely on alternative characterizations. In a broad sense, ''value theory'' is a catch-all label that encompasses all philosophical disciplines studying evaluative and normative topics. According to this view, value theory is one of the main branches of philosophy and includes [[ethics]], [[aesthetics]], [[social philosophy]], [[political philosophy]], and [[philosophy of religion]].<ref>{{multiref | {{harvnb|Schroeder|2021|loc=Lead section}} | {{harvnb|Orsi|2015|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=cc3cBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA6 6–7]}} | {{harvnb|Bahm|1993|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=jqSRrmtQ_WoC&pg=PA4 4]}} | {{harvnb|Cowan|2020|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=-2jDDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA4 4]}} }}</ref> A similar broad characterization sees value theory as a multidisciplinary area of inquiry that integrates research from fields like [[sociology]], [[anthropology]], [[psychology]], and [[economics]] alongside philosophy.<ref>{{multiref | {{harvnb|Steinert|2023|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=ADG4EAAAQBAJ&pg=PA1 1]}} | {{harvnb|Hirose|Olson|2015|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=uvzVBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA1 1–2]}} | {{harvnb|Bahm|1993|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=jqSRrmtQ_WoC&pg=PA4 4–5]}} }}</ref> In a narrow sense, value theory is a subdiscipline of ethics that is particularly relevant to the school of [[consequentialism]] since it determines how to assess the value of consequences.<ref name="auto7">{{multiref | {{harvnb|Schroeder|2021|loc=Lead section}} | {{harvnb|Orsi|2015|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=cc3cBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA6 6–7]}} | {{harvnb|Hurka|2006|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=K44RDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA357 357]}} }}</ref>

The word ''axiology'' has its origin in the [[ancient Greek]] terms {{lang|grc|ἄξιος}} ({{Transliteration|grc|axios}}, meaning {{gloss|worthy}} or {{gloss|of value}}) and {{lang|grc|λόγος}} ({{Transliteration|grc|logos}}, meaning {{gloss|study}} or {{gloss|theory of}}).<ref>{{multiref | {{harvnb|Taliaferro|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=CfWoAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA25 24]}} | {{harvnb|Arneson|2009|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=2veMwywplPUC&pg=PA69 69–70]}} }}</ref> Even though the roots of value theory reach back to the [[ancient period]], this area of thought was only conceived as a distinct discipline in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the term ''axiology'' was coined.<ref>{{multiref | {{harvnb|Grünberg|2000|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=cFsiNrHfN1AC&pg=PA11 11–12]}} | {{harvnb|Hart|1971|p=29}} }}</ref> The terms ''value theory'' and ''axiology'' are usually used as synonyms but some philosophers distinguish between them. According to one characterization, axiology is a subfield of value theory that limits itself to theories about which things are valuable and how valuable they are.<ref>{{multiref | {{harvnb|Schroeder|2021|loc=Lead section}} | {{harvnb|Orsi|2015|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=cc3cBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA6 6–7]}} }}</ref>{{efn|Another view sees axiology as the wider field and restricts value theory to questions concerning the nature of value.<ref>{{harvnb|Grenz|Guretzki|Nordling|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=Iv-LCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA18 18]}}</ref>}} The term ''timology'' is an older and less common synonym.<ref>{{harvnb|Grünberg|2000|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=cFsiNrHfN1AC&pg=PA11 11–12]}}</ref>