The Values Prism
"If the Constitution is the skeleton, the Values are the nervous system."
Governance rules alone are cold and brittle. The Values Prism provides the qualitative framework that guides judgment, prioritizes attention, and maintains human connection within the machine.
Light into Color: One source, three expressions
Inner Domain
Sphere of Self
Love
The foundation of all meaningful action. Love is not sentimentality but the active commitment to the flourishing of others and the whole.
Transparency
Making the invisible visible. Sharing information, intentions, and reasoning openly so that trust can be built on truth.
Vulnerability
The courage to be seen. Acknowledging uncertainty, admitting mistakes, and asking for help when needed.
Clarity
Cutting through noise to essence. Communicating with precision, removing ambiguity, and ensuring understanding.
Relational Domain
Sphere of Tribe
Participation
Active engagement in shared governance. Not passive membership but genuine contribution to collective decision-making.
Connection
The web of relationships that holds the community together. Nurturing bonds that transcend transactional exchange.
Expressive Domain
Sphere of World
Competence
The capacity to do what needs to be done well. Developing and deploying skills in service of the mission.
Creativity
The generative force that brings new possibilities into being. Innovation, imagination, and the courage to try new approaches.
Freedom
The space to act according to one's own judgment within appropriate constraints. Autonomy balanced with responsibility.
Values in Practice
"Values inform judgment; they do not replace it."
Human Role
Humans internalize values to make wiser decisions. We act from the values, using them as an internal compass for judgment in ambiguous situations.
AI Role
AI is aware of the values context but does not use them to judge humans or override instructions. Values inform AI assistance, not AI authority.
The Values Prism works in concert with the Constitution's structural elements.
Structure provides the "Who" and "What" — Values provide the "Why" and "How"