Theory of Logical Hegemony

The critical theory proposing that dominant groups maintain power not just through force or economics, but through control over what counts as "logical" in the first place. According to this theory, the rules of logic aren't universal and neutral—they're tools of hegemony, designed to privilege certain ways of thinking while marginalizing others. Western logic (non-contradiction, excluded middle, linear reasoning) becomes the standard against which all other reasoning is judged, making indigenous epistemologies, feminine modes of thought, and non-Western philosophies appear "illogical" simply because they operate by different rules. The theory of logical hegemony explains why "that doesn't make sense" often really means "that doesn't fit my cultural framework," and why marginalized groups are constantly forced to translate their experiences into dominant logical forms to be heard.

Example: "She invoked the theory of logical hegemony when her professor dismissed indigenous knowledge as 'unscientific.' 'You're not evaluating their logic,' she said. 'You're imposing yours. The hegemony of Western rationality decides what counts as knowledge, and everything else gets called myth.' The professor said she was being relativistic. She said he was being hegemonic. Neither convinced the other, but she felt better for naming it."

Theory of Logical Hegemony by Dumu The Void February 15, 2026

Theory of Logical Hegemony

A critical framework examining how one logical system—typically classical Western logic—has been naturalized as universal reason, marginalizing alternative logics (dialectical, paraconsistent, intuitionistic, Indigenous). It argues that logical hegemony is maintained through education, the structure of academic philosophy, and the equation of “logical” with “rational.” This hegemony prevents the recognition that different logics suit different domains and that “logic” itself is a historical and cultural product.

Example: “The theory of logical hegemony explained why Zen paradoxes were dismissed as irrational rather than seen as coherent within a different logical framework—classical logic had been installed as the default.”

Theory of Logical Hegemony by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal March 24, 2026