In “Our View of Learning,” one of Great Hearts’ Philosophical Pillars, we assert that “the world is ordered and knowable and that the human intellect, while imperfect, can attain knowledge of reality through reason, hard work, and a coherent program of study.” We also believe that language is an extension of the reason and corresponds to reality. In short, at Great Hearts Irving, we believe that words mean things, and which words we choose determines how closely our words correspond with the truth.

Often—even in classical education circles—you will hear the words virtue and values used as if they were interchangeable. They are not. At the 2023 National Symposium for Classical Education, Dr. Dan Scoggin, Co-Founder of Great Hearts Academies, gave the keynote address. We are grateful to Dr. Scoggin and Dr. Rob Jackson of the Great Hearts Institute for their gracious permission to reproduce Dr. Scoggin’s talk here.