The Founder of Formal Axiology

"I thought to myself, if evil can be organized so efficiently, why cannot good? I decided I would try to find out why and devote my life to doing something about it."

ROBERT S. HARTMAN

That something was Formal Axiology and it has a simple premise:

I > E > S

Intrinsic (People) > Extrinsic (Things) > Systemic (Ideas)

Axiology breaks down our value structures into two main domains — how we see the world around us (the external world, often related to work) and how we see ourselves (the internal world).

Within those domains, there are three different types of value: Intrinsic (I), Extrinsic (E), and Systemic (S). By understanding people’s value systems, we can begin to understand how they think and make decisions.

Someone who values the external intrinsic will likely value people and be able to engage and connect easily.
If they value the external extrinsic they will be task driven and be focused on getting things done.
If they value the systemic they will be more focused on rules, structure and the bigger picture.

“People are more important than things or ideas, including ideas about people or things.”

— Robert S. Hartman

Who was Dr Robert S. Hartman?

Robert S. Hartman (1910 – 1973) was an American-German philosopher, professor, and businessperson who developed Formal Axiology, the theory of human values.

Hartman escaped Germany during World War II, and having seen evil organized on a mass scale, he dedicated his life to exploring and answering the question, “What is good?”

He developed a value-based decision-making and ethics framework (the Hartman Value Profile or HVP) in the 1960s to measure people’s value systems.

His value-based decision-making and ethics framework has been changing the world ever since. He was a lecturer at MIT and Yale, spoke at conferences alongside Dr. Victor Frankl and Dr. Abraham Maslow, and pioneered the profit-sharing movement in business. He was nominated for a Nobel Prize the year he died.

Today, his work has impacted over 300,000 individuals with a single intent to change the world for the better.

The Hartman Value Profile

The Hartman Value Profile (HVP) is the assessment at the heart of Hartman’s ever-expanding legacy. The assessment measures an individual’s value system and provides insights into their thinking and decision-making in a variety of different measures.

Unlike typical psychometric assessments, the HVP takes around 15 minutes to complete and consists of a series of abstract statements that the participant is asked to rank. Simple in appearance, but the depth of information uncovered is remarkable.

As our value system changes and evolves over time, so can the HVP results, making it an ideal tool for coaching and both professional and personal development.

The HVP passes rigorous validity and reliability checks, is EEOC compliant (Equal Opportunity Employment Commission), and has been featured in many peer-reviewed research papers.

Dr. Hartman’s Lasting Impact

From the countless classes and seminars taught, letters written, books sold, and lives transformed by the Hartman Value Profile, his lasting influence spans countries and continents, and languages and decades.

300,000

People Transformed by Axiology

21

Books Published Based on Formal Axiology

60

Years of Proven Validity and Impact

DR. HARTMAN’S LEGACY

You may know his work, just not his name

Having been a professor, consultant, and organizational founder throughout the duration of his robust 47-year career. Hartman’s legacy can be found across universities in the United States and abroad and through many for-profit and non-profit organizations.