---
title: "Intrinsic Value: Meaning in Ethics (UPSC GS4)"
description: "Intrinsic value refers to the worth of something in itself, crucial for UPSC GS-IV ethics and understanding Kantian philosophy."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/intrinsic-value"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- Intrinsic value is the worth a thing possesses in and of itself, as an end, independent of its usefulness in serving any further purpose.
- How does intrinsic value differ from instrumental value?
- Why is intrinsic value important for UPSC GS Paper IV?
- Is intrinsic value the same as Kant's idea of dignity?
- Can things in nature have intrinsic value?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

Intrinsic value is the worth a thing possesses in and of itself, as an end, independent of its usefulness in serving any further purpose.

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In its 2017 Puttaswamy judgment, the Supreme Court of India held that privacy is an intrinsic part of the dignity guaranteed by Article 21, valuable in itself rather than merely as a means to other liberties.

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