Value judgement facts for kids

A value judgement is an opinion about whether something is good or bad, right or wrong, or useful or not useful. It's like saying "Chocolate ice cream is the best!" or "It's wrong to lie." These opinions come from what a person believes or prefers, not from facts that everyone can agree on.

Value judgements are different from facts. A fact is something that is true and can be proven, like "The sky is blue" or "Water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius." Value judgements are not true or false in the same way. They are based on feelings, beliefs, or what someone thinks should happen. Because of this, they are not objective, meaning they aren't based on things outside of a person's own thoughts.

What is a Value Judgement?

A value judgement is a decision or a thought about how much something is worth to you. It's about deciding if something is good, bad, important, or unimportant. For example, if you say, "That movie was terrible," you are making a value judgement. You are saying that the movie has low value to you.

How are they different from facts?

Facts are things that can be proven true or false. They are the same for everyone.

• Fact: The Earth goes around the Sun. (This can be proven by science.)
• Value Judgement: Going to the beach is better than going to the mountains. (This is an opinion; some people prefer mountains.)

Value judgements are about what we think should be, or what we feel about something. They are not about what is.

Examples in everyday life

You make value judgements all the time without even realizing it!

• Choosing clothes: "That shirt looks great on you!" (You are judging the value of the shirt's appearance.)
• Picking food: "Pizza is the best dinner ever." (You are valuing pizza highly.)
• Deciding what's fair: "It's not fair that I have to do all the chores." (You are judging the fairness of a situation.)

Even when people talk about politics, they often make value judgements. For example, a politician might say, "It's important to help people who are struggling." This is a value judgement about what society should do. Another politician might say, "It's better for people to help themselves." This is also a value judgement. Both are opinions about what is good or right for society.

Why are Value Judgements Important?

Value judgements help us make decisions and understand the world around us. They shape our personal choices, our friendships, and even the laws in our communities.

• They help us decide what we like and dislike.
• They guide our actions and how we treat others.
• They influence what we think is right or wrong in different situations.

It's important to remember that because value judgements are based on personal beliefs, different people can have different ones. What one person thinks is good, another might think is bad. Understanding this helps us respect other people's opinions, even if we don't agree with them.