The admiration of beauty is a fundamental characteristic in humans that has been evident since ancient times. By means of artistic expressions, humans attempt to capture and communicate the delight that beauty brings. Individuals value and treasure the pleasing aspects of life. Our ability to imagine enables us to reexperience and feel the joy that arises from being encompassed by beauty. Nature itself serves as a plentiful wellspring of beauty, which motivates both poets and painters.
People deeply value the creations of sculptors, architects, and musicians. When comparing beauty that is spiritual in nature to physical beauty, many view the former as a higher and more noble expression. Even individuals who typically have a pessimistic outlook can have their spirits lifted by the awe-inspiring aspects found in nature. Beauty acts as a bridge connecting humanity with eternity, offering everlasting joy through objects or experiences that embody it. The concept of life’s worth pertains to its economic value, whether it applies to life in general or specific living beings. Within the realms of social and political sciences, this notion encompasses the cost required to prevent death within particular circumstances.
The value of life, as a statistical term, refers to the cost of reducing the average number of deaths by one. This concept holds significance in several fields such as economics, health care, adoption, political economy, insurance, worker safety, environmental impact assessment, and globalization. Without the need for practitioners in these disciplines to precisely calculate this value in a quantitative manner, discussions regarding the worth of life would primarily occur within university philosophy departments and religious groups.
The belief that assigning a monetary value to human life is inhumane is shared by many, as each life is considered invaluable. However, in cases where resources or infrastructure are limited (such as scarcity of ambulances or shortage of skilled personnel), it becomes impractical to save every life and compromises must be made. This argument also fails to consider the statistical context in which this term is used. It is not usually employed to evaluate individuals’ worth or compare one person’s life with another’s. Instead, its primary application relates to situations involving saving lives rather than taking them or “creating” them.
