ASSESMENT (2019-2020)

Hegel’s dialectical methods

[Political Science-II]

Submitted to- Submitted by-

Shweta Rathore ma’am Mehvash
BA+LLB(HONS.) SEM-II

Sec-A, Sub.code-BALB1022

Roll no-18GSOL1020084
 Hegel’s Description of dialectical method
(Thesis ,Antithesis, Synthesis)

Hegel’s pol. philosophies rest mainly on his dialectical method. Hegel borrowed
his method from Socrates who is the first exponent of this method. Hegel has
himself expressed his debt to Socrates for this method. The dialectic means to
discuss. Socrates believed that one can arrive at the truth only by constant que.

It was the process of exposing contradictions through the method of discussion.

Having taken a clue from Socrates Hegel argued that absolute Idea or the Spirit,
in search of self-realisation moves from being to non-being to becoming.

To put it in simple words, an idea moves from a thesis to antithesis until a

synthesis of the two is found. Synthesis has in it elements of thesis as well as
antithesis. In due course, the synthesis itself acquires the status of a thesis and
gives rise to its own antithesis. This process goes on. In practice, Hegel applied
his dialectical method

Therefore, his method may be described as dialectical idealism. It means that

every idea (thesis) gives rise to a counter idea (antithesis) and the original idea
and counter idea merge to give rise to a new idea (synthesis). This new idea, in
due course, itself becomes a thesis and gives rise to its antithesis and the process
goes on.

Hegel argued that through the use of his dial. methods he has discovered the
greatest formula in the history of philosophy. He maintained that the march of
reason in history was a complex dialectical process. It is a mechanism by which
thought propels itself. Dialectical idealism was a logical apparatus for interp. the
history in its true perspective.

Hegel argued that a phen. can be best understood according to the law of dial, i.e.
when contrasted with its opposite. Pleasure is best understood in opposition to
pain, heat in opposition to cold, goodness in opposition to badness, justice in
opposition to injustice and so on. Hegel has given several instances of thesis,
antithesis and synthesis. The following instances given by him are noteworthy
and we should remember them.

Hegel believed that the true nature of thing can be known only if its
contradictions are also known. In this sense, his theory of dialects is rooted in
contradiction or negation. He considered contradictions as the driving force of
the whole process of evolution. This is the fundamental law of the cosmos as also
of thought.

 Questions concerning the Hegelian dialectic.

 What is Hegel known for?

 What is Hegelian dialectic?

 What does it mean to think dialectically?

 What is the connection between dialectic and truth?

 Key abbreviations
Pol- political
Ques- questioning
Phen- phenomenon

Dail- dialectical