An axiological model of the relationship between consciousness and value

There is a long tradition in both philosophy and psychology that views consciousness as the sine qua non of value. The author draws upon axiological theory to explore how consciousness is related to value and argues that because of this relationship, psychology is, to a large extent, an inquiry into values. The author articulates 14 modes of our conscious life and shows how these modes provide the basis for a cartography of values. In taking our conscious life as its subject matter psychology inevitably both studies values and enters into normative, axiological judgments. However, while psychology studies values, meanings, and their interactions, and makes normative judgments regarding the actualization of values in individuals, psychology can no more dictate the hierarchy or arrangement of values and meanings than chemistry can dictate how elements should be compounded.