Purchase Solution

Analyze concept of intrinsic and instrumental good

Not what you're looking for?

Ask Custom Question

Can you help me with an example of (analyze concept of intrinsic and instrumental good); having a hard time with the concept (I-THOU) (I-IT).

Purchase this Solution

Solution Summary

The expert analyzes the concepts of intrinsic and instrumental goods.

Solution Preview

Your question:
Can you help me with an example of (analyze concept of intrinsic and instrumental good); having a hard time with the concept (I-THOU) (I-IT).

My answer:
The distinction between instrinsic and instrumental goods is in fact a combination of two separate disinctions, which are often collapsed. These are the distinctions between (1) instrumental and final goods, and that between (2) extrinsic are intrinsic goods. The reason why these distinctions are often collapsed is because many philosophers maintain that all instrumental goods are extrinsic, and all final goods are intrinsic. But I will explain them seperately, and then try to show how one might (or might not) put them together.
Let's begin with the distinction between instrumental and final goods.
Instrumental goods are things valued as means; final goods are thing valued as ends. A 'means' is 'a way to get' something else. An end is a goal, such as for example, your goal of getting a college education.
Something is ''instrumentally'' valuable if it serves as a means to ones ends. For example, working out at gym may be unpleasant but is a means to the end of promoting good health. And again, studying philosophy is a means towards to the end of a college degree. Similarly, the value of doing a boring office job depends on the money one earns by doing so. However, money is not in fact a final good: money is valuable because it is a means to ...

Purchase this Solution


Free BrainMass Quizzes
The World Health Organization

This quiz assesses the students knowledge about the World Health Organization. Although listed under “Philosophy” it is relevant to health care, political science, pre-med, and social scientist students as well.

Descartes Meditations on First Philosophy

Short quiz relating to Descartes