Human Values And Their Foundations: Towards An Ethic Of Living Right (EOUSLY)

Abstract

The paper explores human axiological values with a view to determining their foundations. It locates the foundation of human values from various sources which include religion and the fear and worship of God, formal institutions (such as schools, the family, organizations), social conventions, customs, traditions, norms and standard practices of the society, human rationality, social class, and from constitutionalism. The paper observes that there has been a spin and an intrusion of human values, both in the unfolding of global events and in human perception, judgment, choices and preferences such that there is a dominance and prevalence of negative tendencies and aberrant values. This is the challenge of the paper. If philosophy must be the effective guide in promoting human values and therefore the social order needed for sustainable development in the contemporary world, then African philosophers must rise up to the challenge of addressing the value crisis and values vacuum in modern Africa. Consequently, our approach is critical and prescriptive, as the paper in the final analysis prescribes “values- rejuvenation and value-revitalization through a process of cultural self-regeneration”. We propose that the process of cultural self-regeneration requires that we go back to African religion for moral guidance, with a commitment to “living right”. All said, the paper espouses an ethic of right living founded on a humanistic religion of righteousness.

Key words: Human values, values-rejuvenation, value revitalization, cultural self regeneration, righteousness.