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THEPHILOSOPHYOFVALUE,
THEVALUEOFPHILOSOPHY
MANUELB.DYJR.

Theintentionofthispaperistwofold:topresentaphilosophyofvalues.withthehelpofthenoted
phenomenologistofvalue,MaxScheler,andtoshowtheindispensableroleofphilosophyinvalue
education,especiallyinthecontextofnationalreconstruction.
Ithasbeensaidoftenthatattherootofoureconomicandpoliticalinstabilityasanationisamoralcrisis
ofsuchparamountdegreethatourculturehasbeentermeda"damagedculture."Recently,wehavebeen
rankedthirdamongthemostcorruptionriddencountriesofAsia.Graftandcorruptionhavebecomean
acceptedwayoflifeformostofourcountrymen,notonlyforgovernmentofficialsandtheirrelatives.
Undoubtedly,moralrecoverymustgohandinhandwitheconomicandpoliticalrecovery.Butsucha
moralrecoveryrequiresanunderstandingofvalues,notablyinthefieldofeducationotherwiseour
valueeducationthrustwillbehaphazardandlackingindirection.
Thispaperhopestocontributetosuchanunderstandingofvalues.Butmorethanthat,itproposesthat
suchanunderstandingofvaluesentailsanemphasisuponteachingphilosophyinourcurriculum,perhaps
morethan,butnotattheexpenseof,theotherdisciplines.
WHATAREVALUES?
Thefirstthingtobesaidaboutvaluesisthattheyareobjectsofourintentionalfeeling.Intentional
feelingisdifferentfromthesensoryfeelingsofthefivesenses(e.g.,pain,tickling),frombodilyvital
feelingstates(e.g.,tiredness,illness,health),andfrompsychicfeeling(e.g.sorrow,joy).Bytheirvery
natureintentionalfeelingsarefeelingsofsomethingtheyareorientedtowardsvalues.Spiritualfeelings
suchasblissanddespairareessentiallyintentionalbeingdirectedtowardsthevalueoftheholy,butother
feelingsactslikepreferring,loveandhatredarelikewiseorientedtowardsvalues.
Valuesaregiventousinintentionalfeeling.We"know"valuesbyfeelingthem,theydonotwaitforour
rationaljustificationinordertoappearinourlives.Ourintellectisblindtovaluesjustastheeyesare
blindtosounds.Thisdoesnotmeanthatwecannotreflectonvalues,butwhenwedo(aswearedoing
now)wearenolongerreflectingonvalueasvalue,butonvalueasaconcept.Anillustrationofthispoint
isthevalueofservice,ofbeingapersonforothers.TheAteneodeManilaconstantlydrillsthismessage
intocollegestudentsforfouryearsthroughtheircoursesandreadingmaterials.TheAteneansare
intelligentenoughtounderstandthis,buthowmanyofthemventuretospendayearortwoinaservice
orientedjobaftergraduation?Forthefewwhodo,thedecisionusuallycomesafteranimmersion
program,whichenablesthemtofeeltheexperienceofpoverty.
Asobjectsofourintentionalfeeling,valuesareessentiallyqualitiesandarenottobemistakenforgoods,
thoughgoodsarecarriersorbearersofvalues.Themisconceptionofvalueforgoodsmaybeduetoour
language.ThePilipinowordforvalueis"halaga"butanothercommonexpressionusedbyyoung
people,"bale",ofSpanishorigin,whichmayalsomean"worth"."Bale"refersalsotothatsmallpieceof
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paperFilipinobringstothesarisaristore,withthewords"goodfor"acanofmilkorabagofsugar.But
valuesshouldnotbemistakenforgoods.Asqualities,valuesqualifyourlifeanddonoteasilygiveinto
quantificationasqualities,valuesareobjectiveandimmutable,whereasgoodsascarriersofvaluesvary
anddependonthesubject,time,circumstance,andsituation.Ametaphormaybeofhelphere.Thecolor
greenisaqualityseenbytheeyesanddifferentfromthecolorblack.IfIpaintthegreenboardblack,itis
nowacarrierofthecolorblackwhereasbeforeitwasacarrierofthecolorgreen.Thequalitygreenor
blackdoesnotchangeonlytheboardhaschanged.
Itisimportanttostressheretheimmutability,theobjectivityofvaluesforvalues,especiallyhigher
values,calluponthepersonandwhenthepersonfailstorespondtoavalue,itisnotthevaluethatis
destroyedbutthepersonhimself.Justiceasavaluecallsonthepersontobejust,andifhedoesnot
respondtothiscallbybeingjust,itisnotthevalueofjusticethatisdestroyedbutthepersonhimself.We
arehereremindedofthewordsofSocrates:"Todoinjusticeisworsethantosufferinjustice."As
qualities,valuestranscendman.
Theambiguityofvalueslieshereintheirimmateriality.Ourlifeattainsaqualitybecausevalues
constantlypresentthemselvestous,andinterveneinourlifeasinstigatorsofaction,asaprospectfor
commitment,asareasonandstandardforbehaviorandexpression,normsandprinciplesofconduct,and
ascriteriaforaestheticappreciationandeconomicutility.Butvalueseludealltheirembodimentsor
carriers.Avaluegivesitselfinanobjecttobedesired,butoncethegoalisattaineditaffirmsitselfinthe
formofanotherdemand.Itisinthissensethatwecanspeakoftheuniversalityofvaluestheyexercise
aninfluenceonthetotalityandunityofourlife.Valuesformakindofhorizontoourlife.
Moreespecially,valuesgenerateanoughttobeandanoughttodo.Forinstance,becausejusticeisa
value,justiceoughttoexistandIoughttobejust.Values,inotherwords,groundourobligations,beliefs,
ideals,andattitudes,withoutbeingidenticalwiththem.
Howthendoweexperiencevalues?Thekeytothisquestionistobefoundinthenotionofthehuman
beingasaperson,forinarealsenseonlymanandwomancanexperiencevalues.Aperson,forMax
Scheler,istheseatofthespirit,whichspirittranscendsnature.Asspirit,thepersonisnotpartofnature,
butapartfromithe(she)candeterminehimself(herself),directhis(her)ownlife.Selfdeterminationis
anotherwordforfreedom.
Amanifestationofthisisthehumanbeing'scapacitytogoagainstthedriveofevolution,theinstinctfor
survivalthepersoncanwillinglytakehisownlife.Inhisfreedomthepersonistheunityofdiverseacts,
past,presentandfuture,andassuchisopennesstoreality.Inasimilarvein,MartinBubertalksofthe
personasabeingindialoguewiththeworld.Thebeingofthepersonisabeingofresponseability,and
freedomisthepreconditionfortheperson'sresponsetotheother,whetheranotherhuman,nature,thing,
event,orGod.ForBubertheoppositeofconstraintiscommunion:tobefree,andthustobeaperson,
meanstobeabletorespondtothecallofcommunion.Itisherethatvaluesareexperiencedinthe
dialogicrelationshipofthehumanbeingasaperson.Unliketheanimalwhichabiologicalneedcompels
withtheforceofanaturalphysicallawtosatisfynecessities,valuescallforafreeresponsefromthe
person.Thereisnoexperienceofvalueifvalueisnotrecognizedassuch,consentedtoandwilledbythe
humanbeing.Valuesappearinthehumanbeing'sengagementwiththeworld,inhis(her)opennessto
reality.Theexperienceofvalueisatoncetheexperienceofperson.Valuesthenarenotcreated,but
discoveredbythepersonininvolvementwiththeworld.
Thepersonistheunityofdiverseacts,butamongthesediverseacts,therearethreethatcharacterizethe
personuniquely:(1)theactofreflectionortheactofmakingoneselftheobjectofone'sthinking,(2)the
actofideationorabstraction,ofderivinganessencefromexistence,and(3)theactofloving.Ofthe
three,thelastisthemostimportanttraitofthehumanbeingasperson:apersonisabeingcapableof
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loving.Lovingandhatingarethefundamentalprimordialactsofthepersontowhichallourotheracts
arereducibletothem.Inthissense,apersoniswhathe(she)isbywhathe(she)lovesandhates.
Bothloveandhatredaremovementsoftheheartorientedtowardsvalues.Loveandhatredaresimilarin
thatasmovements,theyopenupahierarchyofvalues.Theoppositeofloveisnothatredbutapathy.
Lovedirectsustohighervalueswhereashatreddirectsustolowerones.Itisinterestingtonoteherethat
thePilipinoword"mahal"(love)alsomeans"esteem"or"ofhighvalue".
|Atthelowestrankaresensoryvalues(thevaluesofpleasantandunpleasant,technicalvalues,andluxury
values).Nextinrankarethevitalvaluesofnobleandvulgar,thevaluesofcivilization.Higherthanvital
andsensoryvalues,bothofwhicharerelatedtotheego,arethespiritualvaluesofjustice/injustice,
truth/falsehood,andtheaestheticvaluesofbeautyandugliness.Thehighestvaluesaretheholyand
unholy.Bothspiritualandholyvaluesrefertoourbeingapersonorspirit.
Thisorderedrankofvaluesisalsoobjectiveandimmutable.Whatissubjectiveandmutableisour
perceptionofthishierarchy,our"valueception,"andourconcreterealizationofvalues.Hatredisa
disorderoftheheartbecauseitwronglyreversestheorderortherankofvalues.Whataboutthemoral
valuesofgoodandevil?ForScheler,themoralvaluesofgood(positive)andevil(negative)arenottobe
foundinthishierarchyofvaluesbutintheirrealizationthey,sotosay,"rideonthebackofthedeed."A
deedisgoodifitprefersahigherorpositivevalueinplaceofalowerornegativeone.Ontheotherhand,
adeedisevilifitprefersalowerornegativevalueinplaceofahigherorpositiveone.Withoutthedeed
andthepersonwhoperformsit,nomoralgoodoreviloccurs.Inthissense,moralvaluesarepersonal
valuestheyoriginatefrompersons.Buttotheextentthatgoodistherealizationofhighervalues,the
spiritualandtheholywhichrefertoourbeingpersons,andtotheextentthatevilistherealizationof
lowervalues,thesensoryandthevitalwhichrefertoourlikenesstotheanimals,thengoodenhancesour
personhoodwhileevildegradesourhumanity.
Themoralactsofgoodandevilarebasedthenonthepersonandnotonanymoralauthority.Obligation,
aswesaidearlier,isbasedonvalue,nottheotherwayaround.Valuesgeneratean"ought"throughbeing
modeledinapersonwithoutapersontomodelthemtherewouldbenonormsorobligations.Inthecase
ofmoralvalues,nothingcanmakeapersongoodbuttheintuitionoftheexampleofagoodperson,
whoselove,inturn,invitesonetofollow.SchelercitestheexampleofChristlovingthesinnerMary
Magdaleneandtherebyeffectinghermoralconversion.Modelpersonsaretheprimaryvehicleofvalue
transformationinourmoralworld.
THEVALUEOFPHILOSOPHY
Thereareasmanydefinitionsofphilosophyastherearephilosophiesandphilosophers.Ourtaskhereis
nottodefineitandthuslimitthevalueofphilosophytoitsdefinition,buttoseekitsmeaninginwhatit
doesinthecontextoftheotherdisciplines,inthehumanandnaturalsciences,andintheordinary
endeavorsofthehumanbeing.Thisleadstoseeingthevalueofphilosophyascorrespondingtothe
pointswementionedregardingthenatureofvalues.
TheWesterntraditionhasalwaysassociatedphilosophywithwisdom,forgettingthe"love"thatprecedes
wisdominitsoriginalmeaning.OurculturehasnotbeensparedofthisWesterninfluencefor
pamimilosopomeansalsotobepedantic,tobetheorizingandtojuggleconceptsinadullandnarrow
manner.But"tophilosophize"wasoriginallytosearchpassionatelyforwisdom,toloveitbecauseone
wasnotinfullpossessionofit.Farfrombeingpurelyspeculative,philosophyisfirstofallfelt,apassion,
adesire,avalue.
Whatisthiswisdomthatthephilosopherloves?TheEasterntraditioncanofferusinterestinganswers,
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andweturntotheEastforwisdom.TheHinduwordforphilosophyis"darsana"whichmeans"tosee",
notjustwiththeeyesorthemind,butwithone'swholebeing.Whatistobeseenwithone'swholebeing
isnoneotherthanthetruthorthereal,namely,whatisunchanging,eternalanduniversal.TheChinese
traditiontermsphilosophyas"chehhsueh"().Hsuehmeanslearning,butcheh()isacompound
charactermadeupofahand(),ameasurement(),andamouth()thatistosay,philosophyislearning
tomeasureone'swordswithone'sdeeds.Tophilosophizeistoknowinaverydifferentwayfroma
learningaskillitisfirstofalltolearntobemoralwhereone'sspeech,feelings,knowledgeandaction
areintegratedinonewhole.Thewisemanisonewhoalwaysknowsthegoodtoberealizedinany
concretesituation.Theclever,ontheotherhand,isonewhoknowshowtoutilizepersonsorthingsfor
whateverend,goodorotherwise.
Wheredoesloveforwisdomemergewhendoesapersonbegintophilosophize?Itshouldbesaidatthis
pointthatjustasitisonlythepersonwhoexperiencesvalue,onlyhumanbeingsphilosophize.Different
philosophershavevariedaccountsofthebeginningofphilosophizing:Platotracesittowonder,
Descartestodoubt,Jasperstothelimitsituation.Whetheritisinwonder,ordoubt,orhelplessnessthat
onebeginstophilosophize,somethingoftheverynatureandrealityofthehumansituationdoesimpel
thepersontodoso.RobertJohanncallsitthetensionofhumanexperience.Thistensionspringsfromthe
verynatureofthepersonasopennesstoreality,asresponseabilitytotheother(nature,fellowman,
society,ortheAbsolute),asnotbeingidenticalwithoneselforasselfbecoming.Springingfromthe
tensionsofhumanlife,tophilosophizeistobearwitnesstothissituatednessofourhumanity.
Butwhatdoesaphilosopherdowiththistensionthatanonphilosopheroronewhohasceased
philosophizingdoesnot?Thephilosopherbringsittoconsciousness,awarenessandreflection,making
explicitwhatisimplicitinhumanexperience.Reflectioninthissenseisbendingbackononeself,
becomingawareofone'sownlife,whichincludestheworldoftheother."Theunexaminedlifeisnot
worthliving,"saysSocrates,butifitistobeauthenticphilosophizingthisexaminationofone'slifecan
neverbeasortofnavelcontemplating.
Thereis,however,anothersensetoreflectionbeyondthemereclarificatorybringingone'sexperienceto
consciousness.Thisisthecriticalsense:toreflectisalsotogaindistancefromoneselfandone's
situation.A"disengagement"isanecessarymomentinphilosophizingthisisnotanescapeoralienation
fromrealitybutismeanttoprovidea"secondlook,"holdingbackinstinctivereactions,andexamining
one'spresuppositionsandprejudices.
Atthispoint,the"retreat"ofthephilosopherisnotdifferentfromthescientist'sobjectivity.Likewise,the
scientistinhisconcerntosolvetheproblemathanddistanceshimselffromtheprobleminorderto
examineitsparts,testhishypothesis,andverifyhisconclusions.Tophilosophize,however,istobe
concernedwiththewholeortotality,andifthescientificprocessanddataarerelevanttothis,thenthese
toomustbetakenintoconsiderationandquestioning.Thus,theobjectivityofthephilosopherincludes
subjectivity,ortobeprecise,tobeobjectiveistobeintersubjective.InthesenseofGabrielMarcel,to
philosophizeissecondaryreflection,tobeconcernedwiththemysteryofbeing,notinthetheological
senseofbeingunknowablebutinthesenseofa"problem"whichencroachesuponone'sownbeingand
thatofothers.
Thetensioninhumanlifecallsforaresolutionorreconciliationofasortdifferentfromthesolutionof
thescientist,forherethephilosopher'sownselfisinvolvedhisverybeingisatstakeinhisreflection.In
themetaphorofMarcel,thephilosopherislikeapersontryingallsortsofpositionsinbedtogetsome
sleep.Philosophicalreflectionattemptstoseethe"sens"ofeverythingwhichforClaudelisthemeaning
ofaword,thedirectionofariver,theopeningofadoor,thesmellofaperfume,thetextureofacloth.To
philosophizeistobeconcernedwithmeaningorinPilipino,kahuluganwhoserootis"hulug"meaning
"fall"asonewouldsayinEnglish,"fallintoplace".Tophilosophizethenistointegrate,bothpastand
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futureintheactofpresentingthemeaningofone'slife,bothpersonalandsocial.Ultimately,ofcourse,
theraisond'etreofphilosophyistheperson'sinnerlongingtoachieveharmonyorunitywithone'sself,
withnature,withothers,withGoditistheverymeaningofsagehoodintheOrientaltradition.
ItisnotsurprisingthenthattheauthenticphilosophermustalsobealoverofjusticeofwhichSocrates,
Confucius,Mencius,GandhiandSartreareexamples.Afterall,justiceimpliesavisionofthetotalityof
thesituationandarespectforthedignityofthehumanperson.Thephilosophermustalsobea
peacemakeroraloverofpeace,forpeacereconcilestheconflictingforceswithinandwithoutone'sself.
Justasvalueistheobjectofourintentionalfeeling,philosophymakesussensitivetothequalityofour
lives.Thegreatestdangerthatfacesournationtoday,andanynationforthatmatter,isapathyorsortof
spiritualanesthesia.Philosophyawakensusfromourspiritualslumber,ourtakeforgrantedattitudein
thesamewayasdoesliteratureorthearts.
Butmorethanliteratureorthearts,philosophynotonlysensitizesusbutalsobringsustothelevelof
holistic,criticalandevaluativereflection.Thisisthesecondvalueofphilosophy,astepbeyond
sensitivitywhichmakesitsensibilityreflection.
Justasvaluesdifferfromandtranscendgoods,philosophicalreflectionenablesustoseebeyondthe
facadeofsuperficialitytheperennial,lastinganddeepestqualityofourlives.Becausephilosophy
attemptstoseethetotalityofanyhumanexperience,itcanprovideuswithavision.Thisisimportantin
thetaskofnationalreconstruction,forthedevelopmentofasocietycannotbehaphazardandaimless.
Shorttermgoalsandlongtermobjectiveshavetobeblendedharmoniously,whichrequiresavisionof
whatthecountryintendstobe.Thisvision,ofcourse,mustberootedinthehistoricalrealitiesofthe
present.Althoughphilosophymaylackthedisciplineofthesciencesandtechnology,itisnevertheless
trainedtoinquireintothebasics.Philosophicalreflectionseekstogobacktotherootsofanyhuman
endeavoritsetsthefoundation.
Bothvisionandfoundationdemandofphilosophicalreflectionacriticalsense.Properlyphilosophical
thinkingisreflectiveandcritical:reflectivebecauseitiscritical,andcriticalbecauseitisreflective.
Traditionally,thinkingwasconsideredreflectivewhenitsobjectwasinsidethemind.Butmuchthinking
aboutoneselfdaydreamingforinstancecanbeanythingbutreflection.Thinkingisreflectivewhenitis
donedisinterestedlywithoutpreconceptionsandwhenitopenstoabroaderhorizon,thatofvalues.Just
asvaluesformahorizoninourlives,sophilosophy,initssearchfortruth,opensarangeorhierarchyof
valuesagainstwhichwemustevaluatethequalityofourlives,thesensiblenessofanissueorofa
project.Thisistheoutstandingvalueoftruthitlightsupothervalues,includingthatofjustice.Inthe
lightoftruth,theworldisnotjustaworldoffactsandfigures,butoneimbuedwithpriorities,asenseof
importanceandpurposes.
Onecannotoverestimatethiscriticalroleofphilosophyespeciallyforapeopleundergoingatransition
fromalongperiodofdictatorshiptoaneweraofselfdetermination.Fornationalreconstructionand
totalhumandevelopmentthiscritiquemustnecessarilyincludeareevaluationoftraditionalPilipino
valuesandtraits.
Finally,justasvaluesgenerateanoughttobeandanoughttodoandcallforthmoralpersons,so
philosophyinvitesustobeintegrative.Thisintegrativefunctionofphilosophyismoreanidealtobe
achievedratherthanaguaranteedrole,forphilosophydoesnotimposebutspringsfromtheresponsible
freedomofthephilosopherasahumanbeing.Philosophyurgesustobemoralpersons,personsof
integritywhoareinselfpossessedbecausetheirspeech,feelings,thinkingandactionareone.Thisunity
derivesfromcommitmenttothevalueofpersons.Philosophyinvitesustobetruetoourselvesandour
humanity,bycommittingourselvestothevalueofotherhumans.Justasloveisthemovementtowards
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therealizationofhighervalues,sophilosophymovesustoberesponsivetothevalueofpersonstolove.
Theabovementionedvaluesofphilosophymakeitindispensableinvalueorientededucation.Needless
tosay,theseinsightsconcerningvalueandphilosophyhavegraveimplicationsforourcurriculum,
pedagogy,andespeciallythepersonoftheteacher.Butthisisthetopicofanotherdiscussion.
AteneodeManilaUniversity
Manila

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