Do you know the value of a human life, here in the United States? Believe it or not, an actual dollar value is put on each of our heads: about $5 million (as of 2017). For example, when hurricane shelters are being built along the Gulf Coast, calculations are done that include the cost of building the shelter, plus the cost of maintaining the shelter between hurricanes. This is compared to the number of people who will be saved by the shelter, multiplied by $5 million. If the total value of the people saved is greater than the cost of construction and maintenance, then the shelter is built.