Last week, Ohio State’s Center for Ethics and Human Values (CEHV) Associate Director Aaron Yarmel delivered a lecture titled “Dialogue Across Divides” at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Center for Ethics & Education. Yarmel provided practical tools and philosophical insight for engaging in meaningful conversations across deep disagreements. The event drew faculty, students, and community members who were dedicated to fostering thoughtful and deliberate discourse.

Yarmel started by recognizing long-standing critiques of dialogue, referencing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s warning that dialogue alone cannot solve injustice without a just context. He stressed that dialogue is not a cure-all: “Dialogue isn’t always going to protect you from people who are trying to use dialogue to trap you,” he pointed out.

At the heart of his talk were CEHV’s Four C’s of Civil Discourse—charitable, curious, conscientious, and constructive. “Civil discourse is the practice of deliberating matters of public concern with others in a way that seeks to expand knowledge and promote understanding,” Yarmel said.

During the Q&A, Yarmel explained how the Four C’s framework can support structured discussions in classrooms and public forums, mentioning CEHV’s SB1 Pedagogy Workshops that align with recent Ohio legislation, which encourages open inquiry. He also emphasized practical exercises CEHV uses to help participants develop these habits.

Yarmel concluded by emphasizing that effective dialogue demands careful planning and respect for participants’ goals—an approach that aligns with CEHV’s broader mission to promote ethical and reflective engagement in civic life.