The essence of value

[Whateverist]

Some people think, in terms of natural selection, that which most grows a kindred people’s ability to bear more thriving offspring (fruitfulness) has the most value. This way of thinking is not entirely correct because it confuses two meanings of the word “value”: usefulness and worth. People deem fruitfulness as worthy only if it aligns with their chosen goals. Someone need not find humanity’s fruitfulness the only source of worth in their life. For example, people do all kinds of things, like making art and playing music, that have no effect, one way or the other, on the overall survival of the human race. Are these things of no value? Of course not. People reckon worth based on how much they think something will make them happy.

This just goes to show how many different meanings there are of "value".

There is the sense of what the market will bear. There is the reproductive/survival meaning. There is the sense of the personal fulfillment. Then there are the codified values which many theists subscribe to. None of them is in error, they just have different domains.

[*Deidre*]

Where you spend your most time and/or money, is what you "value" most. Religious or atheist, that's a pretty universal truth.