What is Dialectic?
A discourse between two or more individuals with different perspectives, ideas, or beliefs.
The Art of Civil Discourse: Understanding Dialectic in Writing
Dialectic is the art of civil discourse, enabling two or more individuals to engage in thought-provoking conversations, writing, or debates exploring different perspectives, ideas, or beliefs.
This technique is highly valued in creative writing because it encourages respectful dialogue where authors can work through challenging ideas and sharpen their language while collaborating with others. In grammar, dialectic refers to the exchange of opposing ideas in a way that strengthens the argument or point, highlighting the soundness of reasoning and evidence.
As dialectic focuses on mutual respect and rational thought, it helps writers develop the essential skills of listening carefully, acknowledging differences, and recognizing common ground while composing engaging content. In etymology, dialectic has its roots in the Greek word dialegesthai, which means to converse. Thus, dialectic is not only the art of conversation but also writing that is persuasive, thoughtful, and intellectually stimulating.
Here are two famous examples of dialectic in literary works:
In Act II, Scene II of Romeo and Juliet, Romeo engages in a dialectic with himself as he decides whether Juliet returns his love, using opposing arguments to explore his own emotions toward her as he speaks from the perspective of both man and woman: 'She speaks, yet she says nothing. What of that? Her eye discourses; I will answer it. / I am too bold; 'tis not to me she speaks. / Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, / Having some business, do entreat her eyes / To twinkle in their spheres till they return. / What if her eyes were there, they in her head? / The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, / As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven / Would through the airy region stream so bright / That birds would sing and think it were not night. / See how she leans her cheek upon her hand! / O, that I were a glove upon that hand, / That I might touch that cheek!'
In The Republic, Socrates uses dialectic to explore the concept of justice with his interlocutors, who challenge his definition and ethos, engaging Socrates in a dialogue in which opposing ideas are debated and compared until a sound definition emerges through careful consideration of all positions.