Our Values

About the Book

At a time when the values of a money-oriented economy conflict with attempts to bring the values of well-being and quality of life to prominence, knowledge of trends in the development of values will help smooth the transition.

The presented theory of changes in values connects perception of each value with one of seven "dimensions": from the value of distance, area and height, through the importance of time (time/money), into quality of life, community/togetherness, and finally creative thinking.

While these predictions can be applied to all groupings of mankind, they are used here to describe the progress in multilingual Western European and North American society.

History helps to explain the multidimensionality of our value judgments. For example, the importance of the value of DISTANCE was replaced by AREA (for crop growing) where hunting was superseded by seeding and harvesting. With the development of urbia, HEIGHT became a more dominant value.

In the present we experience the supressingly dominant TIME-related value of money. More harmony will soon be achieved in the near future by the increasing acceptance of the importance of LIFE-related values which will bring improved health to all of mankind. Complementing these values will be an increasing emphasis on COMMUNITY and TOGETHERNESS, with meritocratic government, education in philosophical thought for the betterment of society, improved urban development, as well as environmental considerations.

In the far future, the rising impact of CREATIVE THINKING will favor intellectual over physical objectives, leading to a merging of scientific and spiritual thought.

About the Author

Professor Bernhart, born in Austria in 1914, earned Diplom-Ingenieur 1936 (honorary renewal 1986) and Doctor of Science 1950 (achievement renewal 2000), then emigrated to Canada in 1951 as environmental engineer for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. He was on the Engineering Professorial Staff, University of Toronto (1959 to 1976), and a consultant for environmental problems (1954 to passing, 2008) on 150 projects in 22 countries.

Alfred Bernhart has presented his ideas around the world, including:

New York, USA, 1967, City Planning Institute: Urban development of the Future. "Metropolis 2025" on an idealized plan for a metropolis of 25 million people.

Kyoto, Japan, 1968, University seminar: "Seven Dimensions of Human Perception" and the values arising from them, leading into the spiritual realm.

Stockholm, Sweden, 1972, Global Conference on Environmental Balance: the complete cycle of biological growth and decay, including fossil fuel burning.

Jerusalem, Israel, 1973, Conference on Religion and Environment. "Spaces of Sacrality", referring to values of community versus values of area.

Toronto, Canada, 1980, global congress of the Future Institute: Human Creativity as it affects prediction of the Future. Reprint of the book "Vitality, Community, Creativity", under the title "Future Creativity".

Rabat, Morocco, 1991, Annual Conference of the International Water Institute: the new Value of Sharing, in this case of water, for peaceful cooperation of the Nations in North Africa (i.e. River Nile fertilizing power.

For the presentation of his theory of seven dimensions, he earned the Medal of Honor, 1966, University of Geneva, Italy and the Heineman Prize 1969, Universities of Braunschweig and Hanover, Germany, which included nomination for the Nobel prize.

Professor Bernhart, was excited to have his book, Our Values, published shortly before his death. He is survived by his 3 children, 6 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.

Other publications by Alfred P. Bernhart:
Books on: Evapotranspiration:

including carbon dioxide conversion and oxygen emission: 1985, 1973, 1967 Distributor: I. Shouldice, 89 Bennett Rd. Toronto, M1E 3Y4, 416 283-6168

Creativity, Values, Future:

1976, Vitality, Community, Creativity, University of Toronto Press 1980, Future Creativity, reprint of above for global congress

Future:

1978, Zukunfts Signale (in german)