OF VALUE.
lute in each; for otherwise, how could we
affirm that an equality existed between these
two values? If the term value denotes merely
a relation between a and B, would it not be
absurd to talk of the equality of their values,
just as it would be absurd in speaking of the
distance between the sun and the earth, to talk
of an equality of their. distances from each
other ?
In reply to this objection, if we examine the
real import of our expression, when we affirm
the value of A to be equal to the value of B,
we shall find it to mean neither more nor less
than this, that a will exchange for B. This
simple proposition contains the whole amount
of meaning couched under the phrase, and
it obviously expresses or includes no intrinsic
or absolute quality in either commodity, but
merely states a relation in which they stand to
gach other.
The phrase, the value of 4 is equal to the
value of B, is in this view of the subject not
altogether accurate; that is to say, if we
speak only of two objects, without reference to