The Difference between Values and Virtues

[evrgrn3]

It has been a while since I have posted, i hope all are well!

My research and personal development have led me to focusing my energies on the idea of Universal Virtues. My question for the forum is, do you think there is a difference between Values and Virtue?

Also do you think it is possible that the right combination of virtues can create a universal ethic.

thank you
Leo

The25Virtue Survey

[magi13]

@,@ We have the same first name.

Anyway, can you please define the meaning of those terms first sir. So we can have common ground to start the topic.

[evrgrn3]

you state:

"Anyway, can you please define the meaning of those terms first sir. So we can have common ground to start the topic. "

I think that is the whole idea of my question -- I want to know how people define these terms/concepts in their own voices -- I am hoping to discuss the sameness/differentness of the ideas.

thanks
Leo


The25Virtue Survey

[Creed]

I have always understood values to be personal guideline's set by the individual and virtues to be beneficial aspects of a persons capabilities or personality...

[durentu]

As I come to understand it, values and virtues are different, but sometimes have the same name.

values, basically, are what you love in life. The subjective things that are important to you, and in cases important only to you. There is a difference between moral good and the non-moral good (like material things). Both are still values and are part of what I came across as value theory. Put simply, these are the ends.

virtues are the means to obtain those values. There are a lot of ways to get things in life, and some are better than others, almost all depend on contexts, like cultures and circumstances (and normative ethics as well). There is a book called 'character strengths and virtues' by seligman and others, who surveyed the world cultures and found a common set of 24 virtues, split into 6 categories. I remember the categories as the four cardinal virtues + 2. justice, temperance, fortitude, wisdom, humanity, transcendence.

I read that there are empirical studies done about which values and which virtues are better than others. I don't think values can be ordered from best to worst, although I think virtues can be empirically researched.

Values are different from person to person solely because we are born nature via nurture; we are not blank slates. Due to this fact, we will all individually value different things.