Understanding Human Behaviour Through Septemics: Natural Law, Polymathy, and Social Change
057. Insights from my conversation with Jim Marshall on Septemics
What if the complexity of human behaviour could be mapped, predicted, and even improved through a universal framework? This is the bold claim behind Septemics: Hierarchies of Human Phenomena, the work of polymath and human development engineer Jim Marshall. In a recent Changemaker Q&A episode, Jim joined me to discuss his decades of research and the system he discovered: thirty-five scales of human behaviour, each defined across seven levels.
Far from being just another self-help model, Septemics seeks to provide a philosophical science — a way of understanding human action and interaction that is descriptive, predictive, and actionable.
The Origins of Septemics
Jim’s journey into Septemics began through years of work as a human development engineer, observing people and groups in diverse contexts. Across time, he noticed recurring patterns: human activity tended to unfold in stages, which could be expressed hierarchically. After decades of refinement, this became the framework of Septemics — a system that organises human phenomena into scales with seven distinct levels.
As Jim explains, the “seven” is not arbitrary. It reflects the underlying structure of change itself. All change requires a departure point and an arrival point (levels I and VII). Between these poles lies a midpoint (level IV), representing equilibrium and instability. From this centre, transition flows both upward and downward, creating the natural unfolding of levels II, III, V, and VI. Septemics, then, is not simply invented — it is observed from the way reality itself unfolds.
Septemics as a Science of Human Nature
Marshall positions Septemics as a “philosophical science,” akin to the periodic table in chemistry. Each scale offers a spectrum, from constructive to destructive manifestations of a given human phenomenon. Unlike the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), which catalogues mental illness primarily in terms of deficits, Septemics maps the full arc — positive, neutral, and negative.
The thirty-five scales cover domains ranging from personal growth and decision-making to group dynamics and social behaviour. Each scale provides both descriptive insight and practical application. By identifying where a person or group sits on a scale, one can anticipate challenges, make sense of behaviours, and identify pathways for development.
Why This Matters for Change-Makers
For those working toward social impact, Septemics provides a structured lens for understanding human complexity. Whether leading a movement, managing a team, or navigating personal growth, the ability to discern where someone sits within a developmental spectrum can prove invaluable.
Jim emphasises that the system is not meant to categorise or limit people but to empower them. Just as a map helps a traveller orient themselves and plan their journey, Septemics provides a framework for situating human experience and unlocking potential.
At its core, this theory reflects a deeply pragmatic hope: that by understanding the “mathematics” of human behaviour, we might better resolve conflict, foster growth, and collectively navigate the challenges of our time.
The Call to Deeper Study
One of the key themes Jim raised in our conversation is that Septemics requires effort. The scales are grounded in language, and precision matters. Readers are encouraged to use glossaries, study carefully, and avoid the temptation to reduce Septemics to familiar frameworks. This is, Jim argues, a genuinely new way of viewing human activity.
For those willing to take up the challenge, the reward is profound: a new conceptual technology for understanding and shaping the human condition.
Septemics invites us to consider whether human behaviour — often perceived as unpredictable or chaotic — actually follows discernible patterns. Jim Marshall’s work suggests it does. By uncovering the seven-level hierarchies that govern our actions, he offers both a descriptive science and a practical tool for transformation.
For changemakers, leaders, and anyone seeking to understand people more deeply, Septemics provides a radical, structured, and hopeful way forward.