The following exercise is drawn from Heather Reid, The Philosophical Athlete (Carolina Academic Press, 2002). This book is one of my favorites, connecting sport, philosophy, and everyday life. It's worth picking up!
Thinking Activity: Evaluating Values
1. Question: Which are your strongest and most important values?
2. Observe: Make a list of things and accomplishments you care about in life. The list can include objects, people, degrees, awards…whatever fits you.
3. Analyze: Go over your list and decide whether the item is intrinsically valuable (worthwhile in itself), instrumentally valuable (worthwhile as a means to something else), or both. Cross out all those things that are only instrumentally valuable and replace with the intrinsic value toward which they aim until your list only has intrinsic values or intrinsic/instrumental values.
4. Question again: Do these values actually guide your actions in life? Do concerns about money or acceptance sometimes get in the way of your ultimate intrinsic goals, such as happiness? How so? What, if anything, can you do to change this?
2 comments:
Great exercise! I will be checking out both your books. And really nice blog! I heard it mentioned on Phedippidations and I will be tuning in.
Thanks, Phil. Let me know what you think of the books when you get the chance.
Mike
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