Intrinsic vs. extrinsic value

Abstract

Intrinsic value, the inherent worth of something “in itself,” plays a crucial role in various ethical judgments. Philosophers consider it essential for determining the moral rightness or wrongness of actions, as consequentialism argues that the intrinsic value of an action’s consequences dictates its moral status. Intrinsic value also underpins judgments about moral responsibility, justice, and virtue, suggesting that it is inherently good to act justly and virtuously, and inherently bad to act unjustly or viciously. While the concept of intrinsic value has been implicitly present in moral philosophy since ancient Greece, its explicit examination only gained significant traction in the last century.