If your only tool is a hammer, every problem becomes a nail, Abraham Maslow wrote in his 1966 book, “The Psychology of Science.” The wry axiom became known as Maslow’s Hammer.

Nowadays a generation of political handymen has traded in their hammers, preferring now to freelance with another all-purpose tool, one with a less familiar name — the Hegelian Dialectic — but you’ve certainly seen it in wide use.

This handy implement is named for a German philosopher of the early 19th century. It has been stated as: Thesis, antithesis, synthesis; or to describe it very simply, every issue has opposing, valid but contradicting points of view, and that resolution is a blend — a compromise — between the various views.

Consider how many political news issues are presented using this formula. An issue is reported, such as the border wall or the case for health care benefits. Panelists for and against the issue debate each other until the next commercial break. Their point isn’t to seek resolution, but rather, argue for and against their perspective of the issue being debated. They debate, you decide. Or not.

Many times, it seems more important to those locked in these Hegelian debates to reject their rivals than to concede any points of agreement — even when agreement can be acknowledged. And this objective is making Hegel’s Dialectic about as blunt and useless as Maslow’s Hammer. Just as every problem is not a nail, neither is it a north-south, black-white solution in waiting.

What’s worse, we’re allowing adept politicians to use the Hegelian Dialectic as a diversionary tactic. This happened last week with the introduction of Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s 2019-20 budget. It included language that would lower the compulsory age for school attendance from age 8 years to 6, and raise the minimum dropout age from 17 to 18.

Is this really worthy of debate? Who would argue against it? The governor cites state Department of Education data showing the proposal would affect about 5,000 students statewide. With a statewide public/private enrollment of about 2 million, that’s about 0.25 percent of Pennsylvania’s total school-age population, and would include children with severe disabilities and special needs.

This is not an issue. However, there is an issue sneaking along in its shadow — a proposal by the governor to more than double the minimum starting pay for every starting public school teacher in Pennsylvania to $45,000, plus benefits.

Both of these changes are contained in a document titled the Statewide Workforce Education and Accountability Program, a component of Wolf’s budget proposal.

Why, oh, why is the governor sticking his nose into business where it doesn’t belong? Local school boards and teacher unions are responsible for negotiating wages and benefits. Collective bargaining in Harrisburg to set wages that apply in Philadelphia and Erie and Pittsburgh and Moniteau and Karns City and Slippery Rock — well, that’s like working a calculator with a hammer. It’s not very sophisticated.

It’s a safe bet nobody is teaching or learning the principles of Hegel in any Pennsylvania public school these days. They likely haven’t heard of Maslow, either. Hand tools are so primitive and out-of touch these days.

— TAH