Values and Valuing: Speculations on the Ethical Life of Persons

Nerlich argues that normal human animals are naturally endowed with certain attributes for being persons, speakers of an articulate language living in a culture. Language and cultural life require self-appraisal, and hence an evolution, through self-conflict, of desires into values. Thus valuing is seen as a natural process for persons, one which underlies the morals of duty and obligation. Valuing will be good only if it results in values which are authentic to the individual`s nature and to the surrounding culture, and which are objective.