Dialectical method, sometimes referred to as the Socratic Method, is where there are two points of opinion that lie on opposite ends of a spectrum that "debate." Through the process of debate the participants as well as the audience can acquire a deeper understanding of the topic being investigated. The participants will institute a reasoned argument from each point-of-view and present this during the course of the dialectic. The dialectical method is heavily rooted in logic and reason and does not make provisions for emotional or ethical appeals; which would be included in "rhetoric."
In Classical Philosophy, Socrates and his dialogues represent the ideal representation of the dialectic. Through reason and debate two individuals could tease out inconsistencies with different theories to attempt to continually get closer to the truth. When an inconsistency is identified, it can be thought of as more of a starting point than an end. That is, it is the nature of the inconsistency to warrant further investigation and these inconsistencies can shed further light on the original theories or perhaps create new theories to be tested. The ultimate truth, in Socrates opinion, would come from the position in which no more contradictions were possible, however such a position is extremely uncommon.
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Friedrich Hegel is credited with giving the dialectic a new renaissance. He proposed a dialectical model of nature and of history and that the dialectic was a fundamental aspect to the nature of reality. Many other philosophers also picked up on Hegel's work; including most notably, Karl Marx. Marx took some of Hegel's ideas and applied them to the material structure of societies.
Marx's ideas were that there was a dialectical relationship between the owners of capital and of the laboring masses. The owners of capital would continually increase their power over society until it reach a point in which it was so out of balance that there would be no choice but for the workers to revolt. Many examples of this can be seen throughout world history. The powerful would grow their power until the laborers of society would eventually overthrow the power structures in hopes of creating something more fair. Marx believed that there would be a natural evolution to this cycle that would occur. The last stage of this evolution in his opinion would be some form of a communist system in which power and material wealth was more equally shared amongst the population.
Nietzsche was…
