what are Hegelian dialects?
In: Other
In philosophy, there are a number of methods for “proving ideas true”. You might be more familiar with Platonic dialectic if you’re a philosophy student. If you’re not a philosophy student, this isn’t a term you’re going to enjoy learning about.
A 19th Century German philosopher, G.W.F. Hegel, proposed a different dialectic, which now bears his name. It’s a “proof” that uses a technique that in math would be called a contradiction. In math if you have a theorem that can be used to show 1=2, then that theorem is false because 1 does not equal 2. Hegel uses a similar type of negative assertion.
Well, Hegel was born in Stuttgart, which is in Baden-Wurttemberg. That region is today associated with the Alemannic and Franconian dialects of High German. Hegel was from an educated family, so he may also have been influenced by “court” dialects imposed through intentional standardization of the language, though these would have coincidentally been quite similar to the High German dialects of Stuttgart, which are in turn a big influence on today’s “Standard German.” That makes Hegel the relatively rare 18th/19th century German who would sound relatively “normal” today. Neat!
Dialec**tic** is the practice/art of arriving at the truth by using logical arguments. It starts with two people with opposing opinions, having a good-faith dialog with each other. (or one person who is examining both sides of opposing definitions, like examining two different opposing answers to the question “what is consciousness?”)
Dial**ect** is a region or culture-specific *way of speaking*. An individual from rural Kentucky may have an Appalachian *dialect*, and use words, pronunciations, and forms of grammar specific to that region.
Latest Answers