General Theory of Value

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June 29, 2026

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Axiology, also known as the Theory of Value, is the philosophical study of goodness and value in its broadest sense. It expands the meaning of "value" beyond its traditional economic context, unifying the study of economic, moral, aesthetic, and logical questions.1

Ralph Barton Perry, in his book General Theory of Value, theorized that a value is "any object of any interest". He proposed that value exists when a being desires something, and that an object has value if it is desired by any being, not just a single individual. Perry believed that the greatest value is achieved through the harmonious integration of all beings' interests.123

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axiology
Ralph Barton Perry’s book General Theory of Value (1926) has been called the magnum opus of the new approach. A value, he theorized, is “any object of any interest.” Later, he explored eight “realms” of value: morality, religion, art, science, economics, politics, law, and custom.
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Ralph Barton Perry’s book General Theory of Value (1926) has been called the magnum opus of the new approach. A value, he theorized, is “any object of any interest.” Later, he explored eight “realms” of value: morality, religion, art, science, economics, politics, law, and custom.
Read More

ethics
Moore and the naturalistic fallacy
…for example, argued (in his General Theory of Value [1926]) that there is no such thing as value until a being desires something, and nothing can have intrinsic value considered apart from all desiring beings. A novel, for example, has no value at all unless there is a being who…
Read More
…for example, argued (in his General Theory of Value [1926]) that there is no such thing as value until a being desires something, and nothing can have intrinsic value considered apart from all desiring beings. A novel, for example, has no value at all unless there is a being who…
Read More