incorrect
Contrast is to be different. A h1 only creates a hierarchy because it is different not because it is a h1. Than again I guess I’m speaking visually so never mind.
You are almost funny when you make up these wild conclusions.
I’m guessing you never wrote an outline for an article?
Or taken a class on English?
Giving something emphasis gives it more weight, we do it all the time when we speak.
For example telling jokes, we give the punch line more emphasis.
It does not define a hierarchy, if it did it would be included in an outline.
An HTML document has a structural hierarchy and a logical hierarchy. HTML has nothing to do with visuals, with the exception of some presentational element types (most of which are deprecated).
The structural hierarchy is made up from the nesting of elements. The root is the html element which has two children: head and body. These, in turn, have other children nested in a hierarchical structure.
The logical hierarchy is made up from headings, corresponding to the ‘outline’ that logic_earth speaks of. It describes the logical disposition of the content. And it’s the heading levels that make up this logical hierarchy; not their appearance, which is undefined by HTML anyway.
I’m afraid I still fail to see the ‘visual’ hierarchy and how emphasis would affect it.
Like I said – logical hierarchy yes – visual hierarchy no.
Contrast is just to be different.
A heading with a larger point size than the surrounding text is typographic contrast. This typographic contrast visually communicates to the viewer that the larger item is more dominate than the surrounding text. That’s just a simple example, but it all comes down to contrast in line,color,shape,texture or value. If the majority of elements on a page are similar and there is one contrasting item visually the eye will go there first. The eye tends to follow a path from more to less greater areas of contrast.
Giving something emphasis gives it more weight, we do it all the time when we speak.
For example telling jokes, we give the punch line more emphasis.
EXACTLY, so through contrast you can visually communicate emphasis.
When people emphasis something when they speak their voice changes which is contrast. The listener than identifies it as more important because of that break from the normal speech pattern.
Again… I’m not arguing logical hierarchy, but visual.
I’m sure if you read this post before reading it your eyes went to the bold areas. This is because they contrast everything else in visual weight. If they did not have a contrasting visual weight your eyes wouldn’t have immediately identified them as areas of emphasis.
But this has nothing whatsoever to do with HTML. HTML doesn’t define the point size for headings. That’s a job for CSS.
HTML defines the logical hierarchy based on heading levels.
Actually, no. I’m a very linear reader. 
Thanks for the advice guys. I was wondering about this as well.
Nate