Value Judgements

According to the 8^th edition of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, value judgement is a judgement about how good or important something is based on personal opinions rather than facts. In other words, it is the opposite of factual judgement. Factual judgement would use, as the name implies, facts.  Value judgement, on the other hand, uses moral and utility values. Some examples of moral values are truthfulness, compassion, respect, patience, etc. Utility values are the values that you cannot live without, like food, money, stability, safety, etc.

Here are some examples of value judgements:

1. “Mathematics is the hardest subject in school.”

This is a value judgement because it is not based on facts, but more on a person’s opinion. Nobody has proven that mathematics really is the toughest subject in school. In fact, some students might think that mathematics is an easy subject.

2. “Death penalty should not be practiced.”

This statement is subjective, meaning it pertains to the characteristic of the individual. In this case, the person’s characteristic is forgiving and merciful, thus resulting in him to make this assessment. Here he uses not facts, but his moral values to make this judgement, making it a value judgement.

3. “Sky-diving is not scary.”

Like my previous example, this judgement is a value judgement because it is subjective. The person making this judgement could be courageous in characteristic. But those people who are less courageous would not say the same thing. This statement is also not based on fact, which means it cannot be a factual judgement.

4. “Every house should have an alarm system.”

In this example of a value judgement, instead of using just moral values like maybe thoughtfulness or care, it also uses the utility values like safety. This statement is also an opinion. It is subjective. Some people might disagree with this statement and think that a house does not need an alarm system.

5. “The Script is the best band ever.”

This example is similar to my fourth example. This statement is a value judgement because it is an opinion. Fans of The Script would definitely agree to this statement but those who are not fans of the band will not. This judgement is also made using the individual’s moral values like dedication or enthusiasm towards the band. Nobody has ever proven that The Script is the best band ever, so this statement is definitely not factual, but it is a value judgement.