This post about Septemics – The Study Of Human Phenomena as a way to understand human behavior, is by Jim Marshall, B.S., and is posted with his permission. Jim was our guest in two premium episodes, Septemics part one and part two.

Isaac Asimov, in his famous Foundation trilogy, imagined a future in which a science of the mind could accurately predict human events. This essay is a down payment on that promise. It describes a revolutionary and elaborate system for accurately analyzing, assessing, predicting and managing the behaviors and characteristics of groups and individuals by means of a new philosophical science called Septemics, which consists of thirty-five scales, each of which delineates the exact sequence and patterns in which human beings actually behave and manifest in various contexts. Each of these scales describes an axis upon which individuals or groups advance or decline. Septemics would generally fit into the literary category of Psychological Philosophy, although there has probably never before been a book quite like this in human history. One must actually read the book in order to access the power of its contents, because it is not like anything else.

Septemics is a philosophical science based on the fact that many phenomena related to Human Beings occur in a sequence of seven levels. Literally, the word “septemics” means of, or pertaining to, seven. Septemics comprises a collection of scales or sequences, each of which breaks down various human phenomena into a hierarchy of seven steps.There are thirty-five such scales, which span the spectrum of human experience. Accordingly, any human situation, problem, dilemma, etc. in the life of any person can successfully by analyzed by one or more of these scales. There are twenty-four scales which apply primarily to individuals and eleven which apply primarily to groups. The seminal work on this subject is Septemics: Hierarchies of Human Phenomena – Analysis, Prediction and Management of Human Affairs, which is a text book on an entirely new subject, yet comprehensible to the average reader.

Septemics is based entirely on natural law. These scales were discovered empirically over many decades. There is no theory of Septemics. These scales have mathematics embedded within them, and anything which has mathematics embedded within it is natural law, such as The Fibonacci Sequence. Because these scales are based upon natural law, they resonate with the reader.

Each of these scales provides the user with an infallible way of determining the salutariness or beneficialness of any group, individual or activity. If the group, individual or activity moves persons up these scales, it is beneficial or positive; if it moves them down, it is detrimental or negative. More importantly, just finding out what level you or another person, is at on any of these scales is, by itself, enlightening and beneficial. Finally, once you know the actual level of a person or group on any scale, you can improve that person or group by moving them up one level (at a time), as these levels comprise gradients to success in the relevant area of activity. All of these advantages represent major steps forward for society. Each of these scales is an axis against which to evaluate human behavior. Combined, they empower one to understand, predict and manage human affairs to a degree hitherto unattainable by most.

The data in this book are vital for every human being, and can help you to achieve your goals faster and easier, by explaining what might otherwise seem to be inexplicable or random. If someone were to invite you to a rendezvous, you would certainly expect to be told the exact time, date and location, and perhaps also how to get there. Needless to say, it is very difficult to get somewhere if you do not know where you are, where you are going, nor how to get to your destination. This sounds idiotic, but most people do this regularly.

For example, when this writer started driving extensively, before GPS units, I was surprised to learn how many people did not know (geographically) precisely where they were, nor exactly how to get there. More often than not, a request for driving directions was requited by vague and often inaccurate instructions, which often did more harm than good. I learned to ask only for the address, which many could not give anyway, and then look it up on a good map. 

If this is so with physical locations, it is even more so with conceptual locations, because they are abstract. Most people wander through life aimlessly, so much so that it is considered “normal.” Whether discussing politics, career, romance, finances, health, etc., most people do not know where they are, where they are going, nor how to get there. If you want to improve your or another’s condition, these scales are very useful, because each scale is a roadmap for some area of human activity. It enables you to find out precisely where you are, where you are going, and how to get there, given some specific context. 

Each of these scales dispels confusion by orienting the person in his situation. Confusion is the result of disorientation. Consequently, when a person “knows where he stands,” one can think much more clearly about that area. These scales facilitate the ascertainment of one’s present location or condition, one’s immediate objective, and the pathway to achieve it, in some given context. As regards human affairs, no matter where you are, nor where you are trying to go, these scales can help you arrive more swiftly, and less painfully.

You can use this book by finding your level (meaning present location) on the appropriate scale, which also tells you the next level up (your immediate destination), and the next level down (where you will wind up if you fail), and puts it all in the context of where you have been and where you are headed.

The Individual Scales are:

The Scale of Basic Purposes

The Scale of Personal Influence

The Scale of Choice

The Scale of Permeation

The Scale of Thought

The Scale of Identity

The Scale of Evaluation

The Scale of Motivation

The Scale of Control

The Scale of Stopping

The Scale of Scholarship

The Scale of Literacy

The Scale of Human Ability

The Scale of Memory

The Scale of Spiritual Identity

The Scale of Mental Deletion 

The Scale of Aberration

The Scale of Physical Fitness

The Scale of Justification

The Scale of Belief

The Scale of Equanimity

The Scale of Attack

The Scale of Conflict

The Scale of Reaction

The Group Scales are:

The Scale of Relationships

The Scale of Life Spheres

The Scale of Government

The Scale of Civilization

The Scale of Survival

The Scale of Management

The Scale of Exchange

The Scale of Communication 

The Scale of Allegiance

The Scale of Sexuality

The Scale of Politics

Each of these scales is expressed in a table that resembles the periodic table of elements, but for each of these thirty-five corresponding subjects. Each table is a roadmap for the corresponding area of life, and is unique. One cannot infer anything about scale A by studying scale B. Between them, they cover human phenomena.

An extremely useful datum of Septemics is that one can only move to the level immediately above or below. Next to not knowing what level one is at, the most common failing in life is attempting to move to a level that is not adjacent to the level one is occupying. It is always impossible to skip a level. Occasionally, one might go through a level swiftly, easily or without realizing it, but one went through nevertheless. 

If you study these scales carefully, and use them to resolve your confusions and dilemmas, your life will improve. The more carefully you study the scales, and the more diligently and frequently you apply them, the more benefit you will receive.

Whenever a situation or question arises in your life, turn to the appropriate chapter and analyze the situation against the relevant scale. Specifically, I would advise you to go through each relevant scale, and find your level, either generally or as regards some given context, by an honest inspection of behavior and situation. I am not advising you to tell anyone what level you are at, as you may wish to keep that to yourself. 

Once you are sure you are at a particular level, try to get the idea of being at the next level up. Ask yourself: How would that manifest? Then, work out a plan for how you would move up to the next level. If you are correct about what level you are in, it will not be difficult, in most cases, to figure out what to do next, however arduous or lengthy the task might be. If you cannot work out how to get up to the next level, generally it is because either you are actually at a different level than you think, or you have not fully comprehended the text. If you do these steps thoroughly for each scale, you will undergo a metamorphosis.

In the case of a few Scales, it might not be possible for you to go up a level in the near future, but merely knowing what level you are at will help considerably.

I strongly advise against ever divulging the level of any living person on any scale, as doing so would be unethical and counterproductive. Get the person to figure it out for oneself, and the person will have a consequent realization about the situation.

The best way to introduce someone to Septemics is to use a specific scale to help the person resolve a specific problem. This is done as follows:

Get the person to explain the situation fully. Select the appropriate scale or scales for the situation. If you have studied the scales well, this should be easy, if not obvious. For example, if one is having spousal difficulties, consult The Scale of Sexuality, and The Scale of Allegiance, or if one is having health difficulties, consult The Scale of Physical Fitness.

Next, have the person study the glossary for the corresponding chapter and ensure he or she understands all the words. Then have the person study the entire scale carefully, being certain the reader knows the correct definition of each word. When he or she is done studying the scale, ask if he or she has any questions about it, or disagreements with it. If so, clear these up.

Next, help the person find where he or she is on the scale. Usually the reader will find a bracket within seconds, thus narrowing the field of choices, and upon reading the text of that scale with find one’s level. This step alone should bring considerable relief. If it does not, you probably have selected the wrong level, or, less likely, the wrong scale. Time spent on this step is a wise investment. You might ask: “How are you manifesting this level?” Often, this is all one need do, as one will usually have a realization about the situation, as a result of this step.

Then help the person to work out a handling that will move him or her up one level. If you have the right level, this is often easy. A useful technique in this regard is to get the person to visualize first being at the level one is at, and then ask him or her to transform that visualization into being at the next higher level. When he or she has done so, ask him or her how close he or she came to complete transformation. Then, repeat this entire visualization technique until either the person says he or she got all the way there, or has a relevant realization, and is pleased with the result.

If you really want to clean up someone’s life, either generally, or as regards some specific area, help the person to find one’s level on all relevant scales, and then coach him to move up one level for each scale. Done correctly, this would bring about major improvements in the person’s life.

When you are working with a person with these scales, watch the person carefully. When he finds the right level, he or she will look happier, relieved, brighter, etc. If the person looks worse after selecting a level, he or she probably has selected the wrong level. If he or she voices a positive realization, you have found the correct level. If it is not obvious whether or not you have the correct level, ask: “How does that seem to you?” and observe the response closely. If you do all of this well, people will wonder if you are some kind of a genius or mind reader, because you will get positive results with so little effort.

Parents can use these scales to help their children. Spouses can use these scales to help their mates. Pastors can use these scales to help their parishioners. Counselors can use these scales to help their clients. Bosses can use these scales to help their workers. Teachers can use these scales to help their students, and so forth.

Anyone could use this book to help oneself, one’s friends, loved ones and teammates. As with anything else, you will become more adept as you gain experience. 

These scales apply to people in general, across all lines, be they gendered, racial, ethnic, historical, social, religious, cultural, economic, educational, professional, geographic, national, age, etc. These scales transcend any other categories of people. Needless to say, the person must make an effort to get these scales to help one, for them to do so.

Septemics is for anyone who can read English and wishes to improve oneself or one’s life. These scales were designed to wrap around the reader, so they are extremely user-friendly. 

Septemics: Hierarchies of Human Phenomena is available in hardbound, softbound and ebook, and can be purchased wherever books are sold, including Amazon or Barnes & Nobles.

Copyright 2024 by Jim Marshall