The Power to Connect, the Power to Relativize. What Do Values Relate To?

Some argue that values relate only within the discourse of values and not to the external world. These values are seen as existing in a sea of indistinguishable multiplicity. Values emerge from an evolutionary history that involved comparison and differentiation. Immanuel Kant posited the notion of dignity as inner value, inseparable from moral ability. However, the absoluteness of values raises questions, leading to moral absolutism. Values exist in relation to each other, forming a network of relationships. Moral absolutism clashes with values thought, and the debate extends to the relationship between values and individuals. Are values dependent on humans, or are humans dependent on values? This chapter explores the dynamic and complex interplay between values and their connections, highlighting the relativity that underpins their existence.