Evolution and valuing

Human evolution can shed light on ethics through an account of valuing. This basic human activity is to be explained as a judgement on our desires in the light of a self appraisal with respect to desires of higher order. These concern what we desire to be and how we desire to lead a life. It is argued that the conditions of valuing may be found at least in primitive form in the use of language, which surely has an evolutionary explanation. But values may be trivial or false; to be ethically correct they must be authentic and objective. Because belief and desire are plastic to cultural influence, we cannot expect an evolutionary account of this last appraisal.