1. What does it mean to say that something has instrumental value? Explain your answer by offering two examples of your own of something that is instrumentally valuable.
Something has instrumental value means that we value certain things not for its own sake, but rather because it helps us to get something else that we do value.
Example 1: During my freshmen year of college at Penn State, I was friends with certain people for sole purpose of being invited to parties. That friendship had instrumental value because I valued that friendship not for its own sake, but rather something I did value, meeting new people and having fun.
Example 2: Another common example I could think of was money. Money has an instrumental value for buying a phone.
Something has instrumental value means that we value certain things not for its own sake, but rather because it helps us to get something else that we do value.
Example 1: During my freshmen year of college at Penn State, I was friends with certain people for sole purpose of being invited to parties. That friendship had instrumental value because I valued that friendship not for its own sake, but rather something I did value, meeting new people and having fun.
Example 2: Another common example I could think of was money. Money has an instrumental value for buying a phone.