Value judgment

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A value judgment is an opinion about what is right, good, or useful, based on a set of values rather than just facts. It asks what things ought to be, not only what is. For example, "The government should improve education" is a value judgment, while "If price goes up, people buy less" is a factual statement, not a value judgment. Value judgments can be made carefully and supported by evidence and shared values, or they can be biased, based on personal whim. They can also be quick, provisional assessments made when information is limited. Different value systems can lead to different judgments, which relates to cultural or moral relativism. A value-neutral thing is considered neither good nor bad until a context gives it meaning. Science aims for objectivity, but some argue that conclusions always reflect underlying values and contexts of the community.