Robert S. Hartman
Encyclopedia
Robert Schirokauer Hartman (January 27, 1910 - September 20, 1973) was a logician and philosopher. His primary field of study was scientific axiology
(the science of value
) and he is known as its original theorist. His axiology is the basis of the Hartman Value Inventory which is used in psychology
to measure the character of an individual.
, the London School of Economics
, and at the University of Berlin, from which he received an LL.B. degree.
He started working as instructor in administrative law
and the philosophy of law at the University of Berlin, and he also served as Assistant Judge of the District court, Berlin-Charlottenburg. In 1932 he left Germany for Britain and "started working for Walt Disney Productions as a copyright representative in Britain and later opened offices for Disney in Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden where he met and married his wife. The Hartmans moved to Mexico City where he represented Disney Productions in Central America and the Antilles."
In 1941 he migrated to the United States, became a citizen, and did his doctoral work in philosophy at Northwestern University
in 1946. He has taught at the University of Berlin, at Lake Forest Academy
near Chicago, at the College of Wooster, Ohio State University
, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, before assuming duties in Mexico. In 1955-1956 he was Visiting Professor at Yale University
. Robert S. Hartman spent his later days as simultaneously a Research Professor of Philosophy at the University of Tennessee
as well as at the National University of Mexico. In the late 1950s he was among the first members of the Society for General Systems Research
.
From 1950-1957 he was Chairman of the Commission on Peace, International Council of Community Churches. He served as Executive Director of the Council of Profit-Sharing Industries, and wrote its first manual. He was a founder of the Deutsche Institute fur Social-Wirtschaftliche Betriebsgestaltung (industrial organization). He was a founding sponsor of the American Association for Humanistic Psychology. He has been credited with being the founding spirit behind the prevailing business-retirement plan in the United States today, the 401K Plan.http://www.wooster.edu/magazine/fall2003/hartman.php He was the first President of the American Society for Value Inquiry, founded in 1971 by Dr. James Wilbur.
He served as consultant for the practical application of Value Theory with AT&T
, General Foods
, General Electric
, and IBM
.
Hartman was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize
in 1973.
Hartman died in Mexico City on September 20, 1973. He had one child, a son, Jan. Jan Hartman was an Emmy-winning screenwriter, author, and playwright. He died of heart failure in October, 2006. For the previous 10 years, Jan lived in Hertfordshire, England, with his wife, Stacey McNutt, a book editor.
An Institute has been set up in his honor to explore the implications of his work in formal axiology and value science
.
He has published papers on the phenomenology of group measurement, on universal constants in Physics (in his role as a philosopher of science), on the logic of description and valuation, on the contribution of St. Anselm, and on the Concept of Self in Søren Kierkegaard
.
(1903-1979)). Among Hartman's publications are the report on Value Theory for the Institut International de Philosophis 1949-1955, published by UNESCO; his magnum opus The Structure of Value (1967 Southern Illinois University Press); and at the time of his death in 1973 he was working on a manuscript entitled The Measurement of Value.
Another critical work is his Knowledge of Good (Robert S. HARTMAN, Arthur ELLIS and Rem B. EDWARDS, 2002 Rodopi Press) a thorough study of all the philosophical discussions of goodness and what gaps exist in a complete philosophy of value. Hartman shows how his Formal Value Theory fills these gaps.
Axiology
Axiology is the philosophical study of value. It is either the collective term for ethics and aesthetics—philosophical fields that depend crucially on notions of value—or the foundation for these fields, and thus similar to value theory and meta-ethics...
(the science of value
Science of Value
The science of value, or value science, is a creation of philosopher Robert S. Hartman, which attempts to formally elucidate value theory using both formal and symbolic logic.-Fundamentals:...
) and he is known as its original theorist. His axiology is the basis of the Hartman Value Inventory which is used in psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
to measure the character of an individual.
Biography
Hartman was born in Berlin, Germany on January 27, 1910. He studied at the German College of Political Science, and also at the University of ParisUniversity of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
, the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
, and at the University of Berlin, from which he received an LL.B. degree.
He started working as instructor in administrative law
Administrative law
Administrative law is the body of law that governs the activities of administrative agencies of government. Government agency action can include rulemaking, adjudication, or the enforcement of a specific regulatory agenda. Administrative law is considered a branch of public law...
and the philosophy of law at the University of Berlin, and he also served as Assistant Judge of the District court, Berlin-Charlottenburg. In 1932 he left Germany for Britain and "started working for Walt Disney Productions as a copyright representative in Britain and later opened offices for Disney in Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden where he met and married his wife. The Hartmans moved to Mexico City where he represented Disney Productions in Central America and the Antilles."
In 1941 he migrated to the United States, became a citizen, and did his doctoral work in philosophy at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in 1946. He has taught at the University of Berlin, at Lake Forest Academy
Lake Forest Academy
Lake Forest Academy is a college preparatory boarding and day school for grades 9 through 12 located on the North Shore in Lake Forest, Illinois, United States. As of the 2008-2009 school year, students at Lake Forest Academy come from 20 states and 28 countries. The current Head of School is Dr....
near Chicago, at the College of Wooster, Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
, before assuming duties in Mexico. In 1955-1956 he was Visiting Professor at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. Robert S. Hartman spent his later days as simultaneously a Research Professor of Philosophy at the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
as well as at the National University of Mexico. In the late 1950s he was among the first members of the Society for General Systems Research
Society for General Systems Research
The Society for General Systems Research is predecessor of the current International Society for the Systems Sciences , known to be one the first interdisciplinary and international co-operations in the field of systems theory and systems science...
.
From 1950-1957 he was Chairman of the Commission on Peace, International Council of Community Churches. He served as Executive Director of the Council of Profit-Sharing Industries, and wrote its first manual. He was a founder of the Deutsche Institute fur Social-Wirtschaftliche Betriebsgestaltung (industrial organization). He was a founding sponsor of the American Association for Humanistic Psychology. He has been credited with being the founding spirit behind the prevailing business-retirement plan in the United States today, the 401K Plan.http://www.wooster.edu/magazine/fall2003/hartman.php He was the first President of the American Society for Value Inquiry, founded in 1971 by Dr. James Wilbur.
He served as consultant for the practical application of Value Theory with AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
, General Foods
General Foods
General Foods Corporation was a company whose direct predecessor was established in the USA by Charles William Post as the Postum Cereal Company in 1895. The name General Foods was adopted in 1929, after several corporate acquisitions...
, General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
, and IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
.
Hartman was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
in 1973.
Hartman died in Mexico City on September 20, 1973. He had one child, a son, Jan. Jan Hartman was an Emmy-winning screenwriter, author, and playwright. He died of heart failure in October, 2006. For the previous 10 years, Jan lived in Hertfordshire, England, with his wife, Stacey McNutt, a book editor.
An Institute has been set up in his honor to explore the implications of his work in formal axiology and value science
Science of Value
The science of value, or value science, is a creation of philosopher Robert S. Hartman, which attempts to formally elucidate value theory using both formal and symbolic logic.-Fundamentals:...
.
Work
He was the subject of doctoral dissertations, including that of a former Chairman of the Philosophy Department at the University of Tennessee, Professor John Davis, as well as of Dr. Marvin Charles Katz, whose thesis was later published as a book entitled Trends Towards Synthesis.He has published papers on the phenomenology of group measurement, on universal constants in Physics (in his role as a philosopher of science), on the logic of description and valuation, on the contribution of St. Anselm, and on the Concept of Self in Søren Kierkegaard
Søren Kierkegaard
Søren Aabye Kierkegaard was a Danish Christian philosopher, theologian and religious author. He was a critic of idealist intellectuals and philosophers of his time, such as Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling and Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel...
.
Value theory
The reference book Who Knows What listed Dr. Hartman as one of the two living authorities on value theory (the other was Dr. Charles W. MorrisCharles W. Morris
Charles W. Morris was an American semiotician and philosopher.-Background:A son of Charles William and Laura Morris, Charles William Morris was born on May 23, 1901...
(1903-1979)). Among Hartman's publications are the report on Value Theory for the Institut International de Philosophis 1949-1955, published by UNESCO; his magnum opus The Structure of Value (1967 Southern Illinois University Press); and at the time of his death in 1973 he was working on a manuscript entitled The Measurement of Value.
Another critical work is his Knowledge of Good (Robert S. HARTMAN, Arthur ELLIS and Rem B. EDWARDS, 2002 Rodopi Press) a thorough study of all the philosophical discussions of goodness and what gaps exist in a complete philosophy of value. Hartman shows how his Formal Value Theory fills these gaps.
External links
- The Robert S. Hartman Institute for Formal and Applied Axiology
- The Robert S. Hartman Collection, 1910-1973 at the University of Tennessee