I think value is ALWAYS a function of economy, but because much value is embedded in our DNA via instinct, its basis isn't always known to us. (I mean economy in terms of resources and energy, not money)
Obviously, there's evolutionary value in surviving, in helping offspring survive, in mating, in eating. In a more abstract sense, there's value in love, in loyalty, and in the ownership of rare resources. The funny thing about humans is how we attach instincts that developed in one context and apply it to new contexts, leading to behaviors that seem uneconomical. One example would be pet ownership, especially as a substitute for mating: here, the instinct for bonding is satisfied, but it has broken with its evolutionary link to species survival.
Obviously, there's evolutionary value in surviving, in helping offspring survive, in mating, in eating. In a more abstract sense, there's value in love, in loyalty, and in the ownership of rare resources. The funny thing about humans is how we attach instincts that developed in one context and apply it to new contexts, leading to behaviors that seem uneconomical. One example would be pet ownership, especially as a substitute for mating: here, the instinct for bonding is satisfied, but it has broken with its evolutionary link to species survival.
