-ˈäləjē noun
( -es )
Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary axio- (from Greek axios worth, worthy) + -logy
: the theory or study of values, primarily of intrinsic values (as those in ethics, aesthetics, and religion) but also of instrumental values (as those in economics) particularly with reference to the manner in which they can be known or experienced, their nature and kinds, and their ontological status