dialectic

noun

di·a·lec·tic ˌdī-ə-ˈlek-tik How to pronounce dialectic (audio)

philosophy : logic sense 1a(1)

philosophy

: discussion and reasoning by dialogue as a method of intellectual investigation

specifically : the Socratic techniques of exposing false beliefs and eliciting truth

: the Platonic (see platonic sense 1) investigation of the eternal ideas

philosophy : the logic of appearances and of illusions : the logic of fallacy

the dialectic of Kant

philosophy

: the Hegelian process of change in which a concept or its realization passes over into and is preserved and fulfilled by its opposite

also : the critical investigation of this process

b Marxism

(1)

usually dialectics plural in form but singular or plural in construction : development through the stages of thesis (see thesis sense 4), antithesis, and synthesis (see synthesis sense 2b) in accordance with the laws of dialectical materialism

(2)

: the investigation of this process

(3)

: the theoretical application of this process especially in the social sciences

usually dialectics plural in form but singular or plural in construction philosophy

: any systematic reasoning, exposition (see exposition sense 2a), or argument that juxtaposes opposed or contradictory ideas and usually seeks to resolve their conflict : a method of examining and discussing opposing ideas in order to find the truth

: an intellectual exchange of ideas

philosophy : the dialectical tension or opposition between two interacting forces or elements

Did you know?

Dialectic: Logic Through Conversation

Dialectic is a term used in philosophy, and the fact that it is closely connected to the ideas of Socrates and Plato is completely logical—even from an etymological point of view. Plato’s famous dialogues frequently presented Socrates playing a leading role, and dialogue comes from the Greek roots dia- (“through” or “across”) and -logue (“discourse” or “talk”). Dialect and dialectic come from dialecktos (“conversation” or “dialect”) and ultimately back to the Greek word dialegesthai, meaning “to converse.”

Conversation or dialogue was indeed at the heart of the “Socratic method,” through which Socrates would ask probing questions which cumulatively revealed his students’ unsupported assumptions and misconceptions. The goal, according to the definition in our Unabridged Dictionary, was to “elicit a clear and consistent expression of something supposed to be implicitly known by all rational beings.”

Other philosophers had specific uses of the term dialectic, including Aristotelianism, Stoicism, Kantianism, Hegelianism, and Marxism.Asking a series of questions was considered by Socrates a method of “giving birth” to the truth, and a related word, maieutic, defined as “relating to or resembling the Socratic method of eliciting new ideas from another,” comes from the Greek word meaning “of midwifery.”

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Here was a tense dialectic that energized his entire career—a tugging between a world of civic engagement, where all pronouncements are dubious, and a sere realm of a lovely, but unsustainable, disembodiment.

Brad Leithauser, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022 Irrelevant, predictable, just a footnote to the dialectic.

Ross Douthat, National Review, 31 Mar. 2022 With its two writer-stars playing six different characters competing for social survival, the piece creates a rigorous dialectic between inner and outer appearances.

Juan A. Ramírez, Vogue, 14 June 2022 Mega-developers sidestep this important civic dialectic by building adult playgrounds and tarting them up as caricatures of fancy European cities to disguise the fact that they are designed to control and monitor the lifestyles of their inhabitants.

Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2022 These ideas would culminate with Hegel’s dialectic of history, through which humans progressively realize the Geist of their age, driving toward an ever more perfect human freedom.

Jeffrey Collins, WSJ, 18 Mar. 2022 Godwin also discussed Hegel’s dialectic of thesis, antithesis and synthesis, with which a case can be made that the United States is currently grappling.

Michelle L. Quinn, chicagotribune.com, 21 Feb. 2022 This tension is often observed in the dialectic between a founder’s organization and a successor’s organization.

Prudy Gourguechon, Forbes, 25 Jan. 2022 To collapse the Marxian dialectic of premature revolution: this was history simultaneously as tragedy and farce.

Will Self, Harper's Magazine, 23 Nov. 2021 See More

单词	dialectic
释义	dialectic noun di·a·lec·tic ˌdī-ə-ˈlek-tik 1 philosophy : logic sense 1a(1) 2 philosophy a : discussion and reasoning by dialogue as a method of intellectual investigation specifically : the Socratic techniques of exposing false beliefs and eliciting truth b : the Platonic (see platonic sense 1) investigation of the eternal ideas 3 philosophy : the logic of appearances and of illusions : the logic of fallacy the dialectic of Kant 4 philosophy a : the Hegelian process of change in which a concept or its realization passes over into and is preserved and fulfilled by its opposite also : the critical investigation of this process b Marxism (1) usually dialectics plural in form but singular or plural in construction : development through the stages of thesis (see thesis sense 4), antithesis, and synthesis (see synthesis sense 2b) in accordance with the laws of dialectical materialism (2) : the investigation of this process (3) : the theoretical application of this process especially in the social sciences 5 usually dialectics plural in form but singular or plural in construction philosophy a : any systematic reasoning, exposition (see exposition sense 2a), or argument that juxtaposes opposed or contradictory ideas and usually seeks to resolve their conflict : a method of examining and discussing opposing ideas in order to find the truth b : an intellectual exchange of ideas 6 philosophy : the dialectical tension or opposition between two interacting forces or elements Did you know? Dialectic: Logic Through Conversation Dialectic is a term used in philosophy, and the fact that it is closely connected to the ideas of Socrates and Plato is completely logical—even from an etymological point of view. Plato’s famous dialogues frequently presented Socrates playing a leading role, and dialogue comes from the Greek roots dia- (“through” or “across”) and -logue (“discourse” or “talk”). Dialect and dialectic come from dialecktos (“conversation” or “dialect”) and ultimately back to the Greek word dialegesthai, meaning “to converse.” Conversation or dialogue was indeed at the heart of the “Socratic method,” through which Socrates would ask probing questions which cumulatively revealed his students’ unsupported assumptions and misconceptions. The goal, according to the definition in our Unabridged Dictionary, was to “elicit a clear and consistent expression of something supposed to be implicitly known by all rational beings.” Other philosophers had specific uses of the term dialectic, including Aristotelianism, Stoicism, Kantianism, Hegelianism, and Marxism.Asking a series of questions was considered by Socrates a method of “giving birth” to the truth, and a related word, maieutic, defined as “relating to or resembling the Socratic method of eliciting new ideas from another,” comes from the Greek word meaning “of midwifery.” Example Sentences Recent Examples on the Web Here was a tense dialectic that energized his entire career—a tugging between a world of civic engagement, where all pronouncements are dubious, and a sere realm of a lovely, but unsustainable, disembodiment. Brad Leithauser, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022 Irrelevant, predictable, just a footnote to the dialectic. Ross Douthat, National Review, 31 Mar. 2022 With its two writer-stars playing six different characters competing for social survival, the piece creates a rigorous dialectic between inner and outer appearances. Juan A. Ramírez, Vogue, 14 June 2022 Mega-developers sidestep this important civic dialectic by building adult playgrounds and tarting them up as caricatures of fancy European cities to disguise the fact that they are designed to control and monitor the lifestyles of their inhabitants. Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2022 These ideas would culminate with Hegel’s dialectic of history, through which humans progressively realize the Geist of their age, driving toward an ever more perfect human freedom. Jeffrey Collins, WSJ, 18 Mar. 2022 Godwin also discussed Hegel’s dialectic of thesis, antithesis and synthesis, with which a case can be made that the United States is currently grappling. Michelle L. Quinn, chicagotribune.com, 21 Feb. 2022 This tension is often observed in the dialectic between a founder’s organization and a successor’s organization. Prudy Gourguechon, Forbes, 25 Jan. 2022 To collapse the Marxian dialectic of premature revolution: this was history simultaneously as tragedy and farce. Will Self, Harper's Magazine, 23 Nov. 2021 See More Word History Etymology Middle English dialetik, from Anglo-French dialetiqe, from Latin dialectica, from Greek dialektikē, from feminine of dialektikos of conversation, from dialektos — see dialect First Known Use 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
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dialectic

noun

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Example Sentences

Word History