Abstract

This paper aims to provide an adequate philosophical groundwork to normativity. More specifîcally, the author argues in favor of its axiological nature: from a philosophical point of view, normativity only becomes intelligible if values are taken into account. Therefore values arise as a necessary condition of normativity. Although not sufficient, values are the decisive condition in distinguishing norms from other relations of the same type. The thought of axiologists like Max Scheler and Nicolai Hartmann is discussed even though their theories do not fully explain how norm and value interrelate.