Under such circumstances, what we act to gain or to keep truly is a value. Now for the tricky part. Not only that, but doing this stuff is what makes Life Life . And here's where my brand of functionalism has important implications for the philosophy of biology . Readers with a good background in English will recognize the term 'reflexive' as applying to pronouns like 'myself', or verbs like 'am'.
Reflexivity is something directed toward oneself.
Life, as the first instance of reflexive functionality in the universe, has done something remarkable. If you want to get technical, they work to maintain a homeodynamic process of maintaining functional integrity. Living organisms are simply ways that Life has hit upon, accidentally, to continue being Life. If you think about it, living for an extended period offers a huge reproductive advantage. After all, you can't reproduce if you're not alive, and the longer you're alive and capable of reproduction, the more progeny you're likely to beget.