Re: The enigma and tensions of human 'values'

Katherine Goff (Katherine_Goff who-is-at ceo.cudenver.edu)
Sat, 02 Jan 1999 08:56:11 -0700

i wrote:
>my values are my own and i accept their limitations, their history, and
>>their suitability for myself (or lack of such) but my understanding of
>the
>>value of compassion is my own and might include actions that others find
>>hurtful.
>
and Edouard wrote:
>
>The logician in me cannot help apply the Value(X) predicate to
>Katherine's attempt to mitigate her values and guess what, the attempt to
>mitigate values is itself a value.

the use of the word mitigate surprises me. i was not intending to soften
my concepts or mollify anyone.

i will continue to insist that what i value comes from who i am (including
all the socio/historical/cultural and idiosyncratic factors that am
unaware of) and i have no universal recourse to justify my choices
regarding my values.

any meta-narrative regarding values is suspect in my opinion because
difference is mitigated.
that you value logic is a reflection of who you are and i do not want to
be required to value it as you do. i believe there is more to living and
knowing than logic can explain, but i accept that as my personal belief,
not one i would want to impose on anyone.

i do not deny the existence of the concept of value(s), or its potential
for usefulness, but i do continue to resist it's being defined by any one
person or group of people for all others.

kathie

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
start all over.
start all over.
we need to make new symbols,
make new signs,
make a new language,
with these we'll redefine the world
and start all over.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^tracy chapman:new beginning
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Katherine_Goff who-is-at ceo.cudenver.edu
http://ceo.cudenver.edu/~katherine_goff/index.html