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Visualising our personal values on a scale of importance may be a useful way of
responding to concerns about defining values as preferences. Theorists have proposed
that our values can be arranged into hierarchies (Rescher, 1982; Rokeach, 1979). No
doubt it is true that given a list of values, people could arrange them in order of which
they prized most highly. But does it tell us anything else? Rokeach argued that our
values hierarchies enable us to choose between alternate goals and actions, and to
resolve conflict (Rokeach, 1979 p.49). Is this realistic and does it alter the view that
values are essentially expressions of preference?
Consider Jane’s predicament. Jane is driving along the local highway when she
witnesses an accident. Jane is trained in first aid and has an emergency care kit in her
car. Jane has a strong sense of community, helping others whenever she can and trained
in first aid to assist in emergency situations. Unfortunately, Jane is late for an
appointment with her gynaecologist, and husband, to discuss the possibility of IVF
treatment for the longed for baby which they have been unable to conceive after five
years. Jane slows her car down, but her mind is racing between helping the victims of
the accident and her appointment which she is eagerly anticipating.
How then does a hierarchical list of values help Jane solve her dilemma? Removed
from this scenario, Jane would rank helping others highly in her values hierarchy. But
given the situation, Jane values the potential baby she and Frank have longed for more
highly. Jane reasons that there are many other cars on the road which may stop, and
prefers to proceed to her appointment. Given a different scenario, for example, that she
was picking her suit up from the drycleaners, she would certainly stop and help the car
crash victims. Portraying values as hierarchical systems which we draw from to aid our
decision making over-simplifies human reasoning. When the extremely complex, multi-
layered reasoning process begins and we are evaluating what course of action to take,
which ethical principle to follow, how to weigh the available evidence, we are making
choices and essentially expressing our preferences.
Theorists have proposed that values stem from human feelings and emotions, desire,
society and culture, and life experience. There is also evidence to suggest that
professional cultures and decision contexts are influential and some theorists
acknowledge a complex variety of sources. Jane’s predicament and potential evaluative
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