In an Age of Violence, Why Logical Thinking Is More Critical Than Ever
Just two weeks ago, the nation recoiled at the news: Charlie Kirk, activist and public speaker, was assassinated while addressing a crowded audience at Utah Valley University. What had been a speaking and debate tour became the site of a brutal reminder: words carry power, and discourse can escalate beyond disagreement.
This tragedy—regardless of one’s views on Kirk’s politics—should provoke reflection in classical education circles, especially those committed to Dialogus and the practice of reasoned conversation.
The Stakes of Violent Polarization
When disagreements become existential, when opponents cease to be interlocutors and are instead caricatured as mortal enemies, reason gives way to rage. In the days after Kirk’s death:
Politicians rushed to blame ideological foes, heightening tension rather than urging reflection.
Educators and public figures faced backlash (even firings) over social media commentary—raising questions about free speech, nuance, and responsibility.
Some commentators argued the murder should refocus attention on civility; others warned that it would be used to suppress dissent.
These are not merely political skirmishes. They are symptoms of a deeper crisis: when we lose the capacity to argue well, we risk losing the ability to live well in community.
Why Logical Thinking Matters for Dialogus
At Higdon Learning, one of our goals is to help students engage ideas—not just absorb them. Dialogus (and classical pedagogy more broadly) depends on students being able to:
Discern valid from fallacious reasoning.
In polarized debates, emotional rhetoric often drowns out the argument. Students trained to spot straw man arguments, ad hominem attacks, reasoning that skips steps, or false dilemmas are less likely to be swayed by propaganda masquerading as logic.Listen charitably, even to those they disagree with.
Real dialogue presumes your interlocutor is trying to make sense (even if they fail). Logical thinking helps students slow down, analyze what’s being claimed, and identify hidden assumptions—rather than reflexively rejecting anything from the “wrong side.”Articulate their own position with clarity.
It’s one thing to have convictions; it’s another to defend them coherently. Logical thinking gives structure to argument—premises, evidence, inference—so beliefs aren’t wishy-washy or entirely reactive.Resist the allure of rhetorical escalation.
When heated debates devolve into insults, logical thinking becomes a stabilizer. It reminds us that even when passions run high, objective standards of coherence and consistency still apply.Foster mutual understanding without abandoning conviction.
Dialogue isn’t surrender. It’s a practice in which both parties bring themselves honestly, guided by reason, charity, and humility. Logical thinking gives us the tools to challenge without destroying.
What This Means for HLS Students, Parents & Teachers
For students: Encouraging them to question not just what they believe, but why they believe it. Let them wrestle with counterarguments. Ask: “What premises must you accept? Are there alternatives you’ve ignored?”
For parents and tutors: Model reasoned conversation at home. When disagreements come, pause. Ask, “Let’s map the argument: what are you assuming? Where might your opponent push back, and how would you respond?”
For teachers in classical settings: For older students, don’t shy away from controversial texts or current events (like the Kirk tragedy). Rather than avoiding the emotional storm, use it. Bring the tools of logic, rhetoric, and dialectic to bear. Help students analyze public discourse—where arguments succeed and where they fail.
For curriculum design: Integrate logic and fallacy detection explicitly. Use real-world texts (op-eds, speeches, debates) as case studies. Sometimes the most memorable lessons are those tied to the concrete, current moment.
A Call to Vigilance and Integrity
The shocking death of Charlie Kirk is a tragic moment in our public life. May we not let it become just another punchline in political warfare. Instead, let it remind us that ideas matter, and that how we think—how we argue, how we listen—ultimately shapes the kind of society we become.
At Higdon Learning, we believe students deserve more than indoctrination or echo chambers. They deserve disciplined thought, courage in discourse, and the humility to revise in light of truth. If the times demand anything, it’s that we nurture minds capable of reason, anchored in virtue and unfazed by the storms of politics.
