di´a|c´ti|cal|ly

di|a|lec|tic «_DY uh LEHK tihk», noun, adjective.

–n.

1. Often, dialectics. the art or practice of logical discussion as a means of examining critically the truth of a theory or opinion: »

Freedom of speech has become a central concern of the western society because of the discovery among the Greeks that dialectic, as demonstrated in the Socratic dialogues, is a principal method of attaining moral and political truth (Atlantic).

2. discussion or debate, on the basis of logic, of the truth of a theory or opinion; logical argumentation.

3. a branch of logic that consists of formal rhetorical reasoning.

4. Often, dialectics. a) a method of logic based on the resolution of contradictory opposites, thesis and antithesis, leading to synthesis. It was used by Hegel and later adapted by Marx. b) a social, economic, or other change believed to result from the resolution of contradictory opposites.

–adj.

1. having to do with dialectics; dialectical: »

a dialectic theory of history.

2. = dialectal. (Cf. ↑dialectal)

╂[< Old French dialectique < Latin dialectica < Greek dialektik (téchnē) dialectic art, art of reasoning < diálektikos < diálektos; see etym. under dialect (Cf. ↑dialect)]

–di´a|c´ti|cal|ly, adverb.