What is 'objective' value?

[robvalue]

Of course, I get obsessed with this philosophical stuff. I can't help myself.

I think there may be a problem with the word "objective". Yeah, it really is a difficult one.

I suspect that some people may use it to mean "external". As in, life has value external to its context within this reality. It somehow matters more than just existing here. If God does value us, and he is outside our reality, then that would be external value (to God).

As a similar example, say we are having a friendly game of football. The score only matters within the context of the game. But if we're having a league match, the result matters outside the scope of the game, it has an "external" effect.

I've noticed many theists are quite taken with the idea of things mattering externally. I think this may be because it gives a final word that can't be overruled, and people want a "right" answer. Religion is, after all, very good at providing easy answers to difficult questions. This certainly isn't objective, because it is still being valued by a particular thinking agent. That doesn't mean it is valued by anyone else. There seems to be a theme that if life doesn't matter externally, it doesn't matter at all. This is of course a false dichotomy.

I personally do value life, I value it above everything else, but not because I have to agree with some external opinion.