#REDIRECT [[ Category:Objectivism]] ▼
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{{AfDM|page=Objectivist theory of value|date=2007 August 23|substed=yes}}
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{{Objectivism}}
:''Note: This is not to be confused with theories of economic value, which seek to explain why things have different market prices.''
The '''Objectivist theory of value''' is the [[value theory|theory of value]] held by [[Objectivism (Ayn Rand)|Objectivists]], as propounded by the founder of Objectivism, [[Ayn Rand]].<ref>{{cite paper |last=Rasmussen |first=Douglas |title=Ayn Rand on Obligation and Value |version= |publisher=[[Libertarian Alliance]] |date=28 December 1990 |url=http://www.libertarian.co.uk/lapubs/philn/philn025.pdf |format=PDF |id=ISBN 1-85637-120-4 |accessdate=2007-08-25 }}</ref> Objectivists explains the [[worth]] of goods and services as a relationship between [[intrinsic]], [[observable]] attributes in nature, [[human]] [[knowledge]] of such attributes, and how such attributes can satisfy the [[Subjectivity|subjective]] needs of humans.
==Theory of value==
{{Unreferenced|date=August 2007}}
{{Original research|date=August 2007}}
The Objectivist theory of value holds the following:
*'''Reality exists independently of perception:'''
:::''see [[Objectivism (Ayn Rand)|Objectivism]]''
::Reality exists independent of human perception. If humans did not exist, reality would still exist. Reality has some properties that cannot be changed; but humans can observe, learn and know what these properties are. These properties are said to be [[intrinsic]] to reality.
*'''Humans have unique needs :'''
::By virtue of being alive, humans have needs, which may be unique to each individual. Humans do not exist outside of reality, and have wants and needs to continue living. Some needs may be universal, like water; some needs may be individual, like [[hearing aid]]s. Needs are [[Subjectivity|subjective]] because they may change from individual to individual.
*'''Humans survive by reason :'''
::Unlike other animals, humans do not satisfy their needs by [[instinct]], but by accumulating knowledge about facts and properties of reality, and applying that knowledge to satisfy its needs.
*'''Value is an objective relationship:'''
::Consider the following example of a [[caveman]] in need of meat:
::*The caveman has a ''need'' for fresh meat.
::*The caveman ''observes'' that a rock falling on an animal kills it.
::*After many such observations, the fact that a rock has the property "kills animals", becomes part of the caveman's ''knowledge'' of reality.
::*Because of this knowledge, rocks become ''valuable'' to the caveman as a tool for getting fresh meat.
::The value of the rock as being able to kill animals, requires both the intrinsic and the subjective to be present:
::*The intrinsic property of the rock of being both hard and heavy have to be present. A piece of [[pumice]] will not work.
::*The subjective need for meat has to be present. A hard and heavy rock will be of no value to a vegetarian (although the rock may be of value as a [[grindstone]] to such a person).
::Therefore value is not a quality contained solely in the object, or solely in the mind of the human, but is a relationship between the intrinsic facts of reality, and the subjective needs of humans. The value is said to be ''objective'' because for one particular human, under one particular set of circumstances, the value of an object will always be the same ''to that human''.
==Aesthetics==
In Objectivism, [[aesthetics]] are seen as a "recreation of reality according to [the artist]'s values".<ref>Rand (2005c), p. 181</ref> The worth of art stems from the Randian interpretation of the questions 'what could be' and 'what ought to be'.<ref>Rand (2005c), p. 181</ref> The fundamental Objectivist belief in the [[Objectivity (philosophy)|objectivity]] of [[reality]] demands that art 'could be' possible, whilst Objectivist value theory dictates that the art be a representation of the best of all possibilities, with what is 'best' being derived from the values of the artist.<ref>Rand (2005c), p. 181</ref> The worth and beauty of the art is then assessed according to the values of the beholder.<ref>Rand (2005c), p. 227</ref> As such, Rand describes Objectivist aesthetics, as expression of value, as being consistent with the [[romantic realism|romantic realist]] school of art.<ref>Rand (2005a), pp. 104–5</ref>
==See also==
*[[Labor theory of value]]
*[[Intrinsic theory of value]]
*[[Subjective theory of value]]
*[[Capitalism]]
==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}
==References==
* {{cite book |first=Ayn |last=Rand |authorlink=Ayn Rand |title=[[The Romantic Manifesto]] |origdate=January 1971 |year=2005a |publisher=[[New American Library]] |___location=New York |isbn=0-451-14916-5 }}
* {{cite book |first=Ayn |last=Rand |authorlink=Ayn Rand |title=[[The Virtue of Selfishness]] |origdate=November 1964 |year=2005b |publisher=[[New American Library]] |___location=New York |isbn=0-451-16393-1 }}
* {{cite book |first=Ayn |last=Rand |authorlink=Ayn Rand |editor=Robert Mayhew |title=Ayn Rand Answers |year=2005c |publisher=[[New American Library]] |___location=New York |isbn=0-451-21665-2 }}
==External links==
*[http://www.aynrand.org The Ayn Rand Institute official website]
[[Category:Value theory]]
[[Category:Economic theories]]
▲[[Category:Objectivism]]
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