DIALECTIC

DIALECTIC, in the Hegelian philosophy the logic of thought, and, if of thought, the logic of being, of essential being.

It is a path to understanding, achieved through reasoned dialogue and the art of logical discussion. It shares many features with, but is distinct from, rhetoric and debate. Also known as dialectics or the dialectical method, the idea of the dialectic was first developed in Ancient Greece and India, and has been developed since philosophers the world over.

The purpose of the dialectic is to find the truth. Key features of this quest include the participants being of equal status to one another. When discussing the topic in question, participants refrain from persuasion and concentrate of truth seeking. This requires participants to perform critical reflection — in other words, to be judgmental of their own opinions — and it is necessary for them to be flexible and able to change those opinions.

Socrates and Plato defined the Socratic Method of dialectics, which is one of the older dialectical methods. This method tests belief through questions.