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Axiology is the science of value. The word 'axiology', derived from two Greek roots 'axios' (worth or value) and 'logos' (logic or theory), means the theory of value. The development of the science makes possible the objective measurement of value as accurately as a thermometer measures heat. The quest for a science of value originated with early Greek philosophers and culminated in the work of Dr. Robert S. Hartman. Facing the inhumanity accompanying Hitler's rise to power in pre-war Germany, Hartman envisioned a science which could organize "good" as effectively as the Nazis organized "evil." Dr. Hartman dedicated his life to the realization of this vision, and after years of research, created a new mathematical system which successfully orders the values of our everyday experiences. Axiology has many benefits. It generates new knowledge about the everyday world and creates a frame of reference which provides a new way of looking at ourselves and our environment. What's even more important is the knowledge axiology provides is objective and independent of any one observer.
The technological achievements of modern natural science are known to all. We live daily with the products of the scientific age: automobiles, airplanes, electricity, television, and plastics are just a few examples. The consequences of modern technology, however, are not all positive. For example, atomic energy is accompanied by the threat of annihilation. The Industrial Revolution, which made possible our standard of living, also delivered acid rain and other byproducts which threaten to destroy our forests and, in turn, the very air we breathe. The possibility of such natural holocausts is created by the lack of clarity and order in our inner world, the moral world. While physical nature has yielded to inquiring minds, the moral world of our times seems to be a virtual wasteland. We appear to be no further advanced in our ability to make moral decisions than our ancient ancestors. The result of moral disorder lies in the chaos of our inner cities, the crime which threatens the security of our societies, the deception of our governments at all levels, the wars between our nations, and the disintegration of family life, especially in western cultures. Robert S. Hartman, the father of modern value science, axiology, observed that we "have made our world a paradox: artificial satellites whirl around us, yet deep within us we are frozen with the fear of a cosmic explosion." Having directly experienced the horrific results of moral decay in Nazi Germany, Dr. Hartman dedicated his life to the discovery of a science which brings order to moral decisions. Mastering a number of languages and dialects, Dr. Hartman collected instances of the meaning of "good." He examined these instances to find out what was similar and different. He studied the theories and systems of value from Plato to our present day. He analyzed the natural sciences to understand what made possible scientific discovery in the natural world. Click Here to see how Axiology can Help Your Organization. Realizing that the primary difference between natural order and moral disorder lay in the mathematics which orders the natural world, Dr. Hartman set out to discover a value mathematics. In a stroke of genius comparable to the discoveries of Galileo, Newton, and Einstein, he discovered the principles which order and structure not only our moral decisions but all value judgments. From these principles, Dr. Hartman constructed a value mathematics which can and does bring order to our value world. The central structure of axiology is Dr. Hartman's value mathematics. This concept makes possible the measurement of value as accurately as a thermometer measures heat, and in so doing becomes the standard, or measuring rod, for the whole world of values. Dr. Hartman's discovery has a multitude of applications in fields as far ranging as psychology, sociology, psychiatry, law, theology, political science, finance, and decision theory. Even though Dr. Hartman died in 1973, his work, both on a theoretical and practical level, has been pursued in the United States, Sweden, Germany, and Mexico. He laid the foundation for axiology, value science, and, in so doing, began a revolution in thinking which is just beginning to emerge. Click Here to see how Axiology can Help Your Organization. Our decisions and actions involve two elements: a factual aspect which can be seen and objectively measured and an intangible aspect which can be felt and known but may not be immediately expressible in reasons, facts and causes. For example, my request, "Please get my 'good' shoes" means for me 'white tennis shoes which are well worn." The descriptive properties "white, tennis shoes and well worn" are easily identifiable. The descriptive phrase "good" represents a particular set of properties that I identify with shoes that I consider "good." If the person to whom I make my request does not know what this combination of properties is, he or she may not only have difficulty finding my "good shoes," but, more importantly, may disagree with me about what constitutes "good shoes." Normally we refer to these intangibles - our attitudes, likes, dislikes, and beliefs - as values. Moreover, we usually consider them to be subjective, to be the private property of those who know the special meaning of the value words. The problem we experience is that each person's values seem to belong privately to him or her. The science of axiology provides a solution to this problem by forming a frame of reference which can be applied to any and all value situations. Dr. Hartman discovered that the key to value experience lay not just in the physical properties (white, Tennis shoes, well-worn) which are the basic elements of our experience but in the particular pattern of these elements. For example, my valuation "good shoes" requires the fulfillment of the patterns "white, tennis shoes and well worn." He discovered a mathematics which reproduces my concept "good shoes" by measuring the particular pattern of items which fulfill my "concept." The mathematical and logical structure of value concepts is the cornerstone of axiology. This structure allows us to measure 'how' a person thinks and perceives rather than 'what' he or she is thinking. In other words, value science tells us what we pay attention to, what is important to us, and what our prejudices. Natural science explains human behavior. Axiology explains and measures the thinking which forms the foundation for, and leads to, behavior. 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Unfortunately, most of our value situations are more complex and involved than the request "Please get my good shoes." Our most important decisions hinge on those intangible elements we call values. Consider the process of choosing a marriage partner. Our decisions about those qualities which identify the person we wish to marry do not always have a logical reference point. "What does he see in her?" or "What does she see in him?" are remarks which are often heard about couples. Why certain individuals are attracted to each other and will enter into relationships at great risk has always been a mystery. The usual response to the development of such relationships is "Love is blind." The possibility of bad decisions is rooted in our strength and vulnerability as decision makers. The strength lies in our ability to focus on a situation or problem, to interpret what is happening, to come to a conclusion and to translate the decision into action. This decision process reflects a host of abilities: the ability to see a pattern; to see how the parts fit together to make a whole; the ability to have insight into fruitful ways of getting things done; to see the potential of the situation, which may or may not be apparent on the surface; to understand "why" even when the understanding is only a hunch; and, the ability to marshall our ideas, talents, will, and sense of purpose into action. Our vulnerability arises from one of our greatest assets - our uniqueness as individuals. We see the world from our own perspective, based on what we believe is important. We pay attention to some things and leave others out. We see in different ways, using different tools. We often see the same things differently. Our decisions are uniquely our own and are based on our interpretations of what we perceive. These interpretations can differ. They can collide with those of others and they can be inaccurate. Click Here to see how Axiology can Help Your Organization. Conflict occurs when our different perspectives clash; when, because of our uniqueness and individuality, we cannot reach a shared or common decision; when our problems and priorities are different; when, because of our motivations, we emphasize different aspects of the same thing. Often, the result of these conflicts is that, either out of fear or out of the sheer will to impose our own point of view, we collide with others, impeding our progress or theirs and delaying the solution for whatever problem exists. Conflict resolution requires a problem solving technique which incorporates all perspectives into the problem solving process. This new perspective creates a "win-win" situation capturing the essential aspect of different viewpoints without destroying the uniqueness of each viewpoint. Moreover, a basis for disagreement is established so that each party can understand the difference in viewpoints and, more importantly, can understand the value of the difference. Axiology is an objective format for measuring intangible attitudes and values. Moreover, axiology measures the level of development and the types of perceptual biases in one's thinking. In other words, value science measures the capacity to value and, in so doing, provides a framework for understanding confrontational values. The distinguishing feature about axiology is that it incorporates a third dimension into the communications and problem solving process. Every individual has certain basic physical traits, abilities and limitations which medical science can measure. We see the outward expression of these skills in behavior, in the way a person uses these inborn and developed skills to relate to his/her environment. Click Here to see how Axiology can Help Your Organization. Dr. Hartman's creation of value mathematics has revolutionized the process of understanding values and valuation. Axiology provides a universal frame of reference for understanding a person's perceptions demonstrating why an individual sees or perceives a situation as he or she does, showing what access a person has to natural talents and explaining why a person's behavior is as it is. Through axiological analysis, the unique patterns which belong to each individual can be observed and studied in an objective format, can be compared to those patterns which belong to other individuals and can be integrated into actual problem situations. The objective evaluation of each person's value patterns serves as a means of helping an individual understand his or her potential for development and the blocks which can inhibit personal growth. As a result, the integrity, which comes from a person's unique character, can be protected which, at the same, time, the conflicts which can and do occur because of this unique individuality can be understood, and can possibly be prevented or defused. Click Here to see how Axiology can Help Your Organization. Axiology measures a person's capacity to value. Since valuation is a natural, logical activity of the human mind, value profiles measure how the thinking process functions. The capacity for valuation can be compared to a person's talent for music or sports. Each person has certain innate or inborn skills and aptitudes. Some individuals have better developed natural value talent and can therefore make better value decisions. These individuals have sharper perceptions, make decisions which are almost always right on target, create original ideas and innovative ways to solve problems and have dynamic, positive attitudes. Value talent, like musical or sports talent, can also be learned and improved. The first step in the learning process is identifying the level of development of one's value talent. Value profiles are the instruments which accomplish the measurement of value talent. Value profiles can be created to measure any concept or value activity. For example, Dr. Hartman created a profile which measures the general ability to see world values and self values (The Hartman Value Profile). Click Here to see how Axiology can Help Your Organization. One application of axiology is the Hartman Value Profile, an axiological questionnaire which measures a person's capacity to value. Strictly speaking, the Hartman Value Profile is not an intelligence test, a psychological test or an aptitude test. On the other hand, the degree that one has developed his value capacities does demonstrate how effectively he can utilize his native intelligence, how much access he has to his natural and learned skills and how well he can control his emotions. A key advantage of the Hartman Profile lies in the fact that a value analysis depicts those unique value patterns which identify an individual's own norm. The profile is a slice out of time, a cross section of a person's life history; showing where he is at a particular time, indicating how much of his potential he can access and measuring the degree and kind of stress he is currently experiencing. The profile pictures an individual in motion, an individual changing as situations change around him; an individual whose personality can express sometimes contradictory qualities. For example, a person may be relationally pliable, open to others when approached on a personal basis; practically rigid, closed to new options and interpretations when he is carrying out decisions; and conceptually open, available to new ideas, when he does not feel the pressure to perform. Click Here to see how Axiology can Help Your Organization. Dr. Hartman discovered three different types or classes of concepts. Since concepts are the measure of value, these three types of concepts define three dimensions of value. The distinguishing feature of each type of concept is the number of properties which it takes to fulfill its definition. The following table illustrates the dimensions of value. HVP = Hartman Value Profile Description
These three dimensions of value form the apex of our valuing process. Within these dimensions are subsidiary values which correspond to the distinct value capacities in each of us. To the degree that we develop our value capacities we live in harmony with the world and with ourselves. However, to the degree that we do not develop these capacities, we live in confusion and under tension because either our vision of the world or our vision of ourselves or both is out of focus. The Hartman Value Profile, as well as all other value profiles within this system, is composed out of the relationships of the three value dimensions. Each item in the profile is a mathematical formula in value mathematics. There are 18 items because the system of axiology dictates that there be 18 items. The following explanation illustrates why there are 18 items on any value profile within our systems. Each value dimension can be valued by all three value dimensions including itself. There are two general ways this valuation can occur: (1) a value dimension can be valued positively (a composition) or (2) a value dimension can be valued negatively (a transposition). The following table illustrates the positive and negative combinations.
If we allow a letter to represent each value dimension then I=Intrinsic Value, E=Extrinsic Value and S=Systemic Value. The next table illustrates value compositions and value transpositions for the intrinsic dimension.
Noticeably, there are three compositions and three transpositions or six total valuations for the intrinsic value dimension. The Hartman Value Profile has six intrinsic valuations. Since there are three value dimensions and six valuations for each dimension, there are 18 value items or formulas on any value profile. Each value dimension is defined by a type of concept which itself has a mathematical value. Each item, therefore, not only has its own logical formula but has a measurable mathematical value. Moreover, each item has a predetermined logical position in the hierarchy of 18 value items which taken together form the value norm. The value norm is not established statistically by evaluating a sample population; instead, it is predetermined by the logic of value mathematics.
The three dimension of value are tools which provide greater understanding of ourselves and the world around us. This combination of our valuation of self and valuation of world provides two unique perspectives. Adding the three dimensions of value, a powerful conceptual tool results which has a multitude of diagnostic and therapeutic functions. We call this tool - two worlds in three dimensions.
These dimensions translate into value capacities which can be measured using the Hartman Value Profile.
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