Overview In Value Judgment: The Silent Driver of Personality and Behavior, Malcolm North explores a foundational question in both psychology and axiology: what truly drives personality, emotion, and behavior? While much contemporary research treats emotions, motivations, and traits as primary causes, North argues that these are downstream effects of value judgment —the way individuals assign meaning and worth to themselves, others, and the world.

In We Are Always Confronted by Pi and Pie, C. Stephen Byrum, PhD, explores the depth and transformative potential of axiology, moving far beyond simplistic notions of intrinsic versus extrinsic value. Drawing on the pioneering work of Robert S. Hartman, Byrum shows how Hartman’s “Hierarchy of Values” provides a tripartite lens, systemic, extrinsic, and intrinsic, through which we can understand the world, others, and ourselves with richer clarity.

Following Thomas Hawk's February Hartman Happy Hour, a rich discussion unfolded. One of the standout contributions came from Edward Korbal, who offered a beautiful axiological lens on the concept of well-being. He framed it through Hartman’s hierarchy: Systemic = well-thinking, Extrinsic = well-doing, and Intrinsic = well-being.

From time to time, some of us may go through moments in which important and difficult decisions must be made. These are moments in which the road you are following in life seems to end, like a dead end, or presents obstacles that seem to grow with each new day.

Edward Korbal, co-president of the RSHI Board, shares a series of prompting questions on birthplace inspired by a recent board meeting discussion and Chapter 1 of Freedom to Live. These provocative questions could serve as journal prompting or rich discussion. 

Edward Korbal, co-president of the RSHI Board, shares his thoughts on the four questions posed by Dr. Hartman in Chapter 1 of Freedom to Live. These provocative questions are a launch point for generating intrinsic, extrinsic, and systemic value in the world. 

Clifford G. Hurst, PhD shares a commentary regarding board member and axiologist, Sophie Coulthard's, lecture for the 2022 46th Annual Robert S. Hartman Institute Conference. He shares insight into the value of using Rho Scores and shares wisdom from the Dalai Lama regarding focus on the external world.

Formal axiology focuses initially upon the most formal features of human values, then upon applications of these formalities to the concrete details of what we value (values) and how we value (valuations). Robert S. Hartman searched for and began to find the most logically abstract (he would say “synthetic”) features of all human values and valuations.

Clifford G. Hurst, PhD reveals connections between Robert S. Hartman and economist, E.F. Schumacher, through Hartman's not-yet-published manuscript, Partnership of Capital and Labor. In this blog post, Cliff shares Hartman's three stages in the evolution of capitalism and how they relate to the “S” to “E” to “I” valuations of work.

In the opening remarks at the 43rd Annual RSHI Conference, Cliff shared that we can indeed change the world by refining, expanding and making known all of Hartman's rich thoughts regarding the importance of human values.

Clifford G. Hurst, PhD reflects on the current global situation with COVID-19 declared a pandemic and brings Robert S. Hartman's words to life from unpublished manuscript "A Revolution Against War."