Structured Engagement with THEE
This website is a product of TOP: the THEE Online Project.
You need a structured approach if you are new to THEE (Taxonomy of Human Elements in Endeavour) and want to become properly conversant.
THEE is an exceedingly complex system with unusual hierarchical structures and a number of interwoven concepts. This means a deliberate guided learning process is essential, and a step-by-step approach is offered for your consideration here.
How Long Does It Take?
For a Basic Familiarity: A few weeks—after reading introductory materials and one or two frameworks as suggested below.
For Application in Practice: A few months after getting fully conversant with a particular framework and linked frameworks if relevant.
For Mastery: Years via ongoing study and application.
1. Get a Conceptual Overview
THEE is so different to what you are used to, that you are well-served by starting with an overview that will serve as a context for the more detailed study to follow.
What is THEE?
THEE is a universal taxonomy of human functioning. It deals with how a person thinks, acts and interacts in their endeavours.
This already introduce ideas that may be strange:
See: Basic Conceptions.
In particular, you need a fix on the reality that is being organized by THEE.
See: Psychosocial Reality and its relation to Endeavour.
You need to see Mind as a distracting and unnecessary concept.
But we still need a Brain.
How is THEE different to current Theories?
Unlike psychological, sociological, or management theories, THEE is a classification system rather than a single theoretical perspective. That is to say it is descriptive, practical, and systematic rather than experimental or conceptual. Its contents are available to any person who reflects penetratingly on their own and others' functioning.
You may wish to get a fix on why the findings should be viewed as valid.
See: Validation and following topics that examine specific perspectives.
Complement with an Informal Overview
The About section contains a lot of general material that will likely touch on immediate interests or queries that you have. It deals with common questions, unusual features, scientific issues, and provides background.
2. Get Familiar with the Structure
You will need to allocate sufficient time to study the unique features of the Taxonomy.
See The Big Picture
THEE consists of interlinked 7-level hierarchies of various sorts in a complex but repetitive pattern.
See: Representing the Taxonomy
Structures are experienced as frameworks of assumptions that guide and shape understanding and action. While these are usually implicit, they can and should be made explicit when there is persistent confusion and problems.
Recognize the Structures
Start by appreciating the Root Hierarchy (Levels of Will) because this contains (or emanates) all other hierarchies. It represents the foundation of human endeavour: endeavouring, thriving, coping, surviving.
See: Root Complex
Every structure/framework is built up out of elements (entities). The principal structural forms are: hierarchy, typology, duality, tree, and spiral.
See: Taxonomic Structures and the topics that follow.
For more detail, see: Graphic Representation and the topics that follow.
Value the Formulae
Every element and framework in THEE has a name. In order to find your way around the Taxonomy and avoid issues around naming, the Taxonomy also uses formulae which are unequivocal and precise.
See: Explaining naming.
See: THEE Formula System
3. Identify What Matters to You
THEE is vast, complicated and detailed. It cannot be grasped as a whole. One or other of the frameworks will be more relevant depending on your current concerns, challenges, or curiosities.
Advice
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Engage with the frameworks that resonate most—those that align with your struggles, professional interests, or philosophical inquiries.
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Ask yourself: What challenges am I currently facing? What am I most curious about? What has always seemed mysterious? What isn't going as it should?
Popular Frameworks
Most people are interested in how to relate on a daily basis:
Check out: interacting for benefit.
If you are a manager, then decision-making will be important.
If you are a CEO, then structuring your organization will be important
If you are interested in the forces within you that steer your life overall:
Check out: primal quests.
Fed up with politics?
Check out this summary and then pick specific frameworks.
Or alternative research methods
Or creativity
Or goodness
Or open up the Table of Contents in the left-hand column, and let your eye wander up and down until it hits a topic that stimulates your curiosity.
4. Use Supporting Materials
THEE-online contains structured explanations for each framework with tables, diagrams, and examples.
Texts
After initial explorations, carefully and methodically work through the topics including applications.
The book “Working with Values” is foundational for understanding THEE’s approach to purpose and ethics via a traditional exposition. Chapters and Tables can be downloaded here.
Note that most other scientific publications of THEE frameworks have been superseded by the online formulations.
Use ChatGPT
ChatGPT (Plus) can operate as a long-term assistant in exploring and developing THEE frameworks, but this requires:
• Basic familiarity with THEE’s formula system, structural conventions, and current findings as developed in the previous steps.
• Clear goals for your interrogation in the chat to enable ongoing guidance and correction of ChatGPT’s responses.
• Patience and a record-keeping system to maintain continuity across chats.
This is a demanding task but it can allow rapid progress, fresh insights, and even collaboration on as yet unformulated taxonomic structures.
5. Apply a Framework to Real-Life Situations
THEE is not just theoretical—it is a practical tool for understanding and improving real-world functioning, particularly for groups.
See: Classification of THEE Tools
Application
In studying a framework, pay particular attention to specific applications that are suggested. Try them out. That means relating the concepts to real situations, such as:
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Your own decision-making processes.
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Your leadership style.
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Your workplace managerial and accountability structures
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How different people justify their ethical choices.
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Evolution of a complex current endeavour of yours.
Other Possibilities
Compare THEE to other models you know or colleagues use.
Try applying THEE frameworks to a workplace issue, leadership challenge, or personal matters.
Take notes on where THEE provides new insights or clarifies misunderstandings.
6. Test your Understanding
THEE requires that you penetrate deeply into personal functioning—but have you really grasped the ideas or are your biases showing through?
Deal with Misconceptions
However hard you try, distortions and misconceptions easily develop because you naturally project your own socialization and identifications into the frameworks. This is particularly likely in dealing with mentalities and approaches.
You can get more clarity if you:
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Discuss your understanding of a framework with others interested in that same framework. Do not avoid disagreeing with given formulations because this will help both of you clarify your thinking.
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Learn by teaching others. This will be the sternest test because your pupils will challenge and criticize the material from many angles reflecting their biases or perhaps submission to conventional authoritative views.
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Engage with professional colleagues: If you are working with THEE professionally, there may be others familiar with your application or target problem.
Develop Yourself & THEE
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Formulate questions about areas you don’t understand and explore them by yourself or others.
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Investigate unfinished frameworks. In the Taxonomy Notes, there are drafts that point the way while surely containing errors. If you have the confidence, work on frameworks that are empty and shown as "not investigated".
Originally posted: 2 April 2025.