dialectical

Dialectical is an adjective pertaining to dialectic, a method of argument and inquiry that emphasizes the examination of opposing ideas and their resolution through reasoning and dialogue. In its broad sense, dialectical thinking seeks to understand phenomena by considering contradictions and their reconciliation rather than accepting fixed, isolated positions.

Historically, dialectic has roots in ancient Greek philosophy, notably in the Socratic method of dialogue. It was developed into a systematic account by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, who described the development of ideas through dynamic relations of opposing aspects, culminating in a higher synthesis. Karl Marx adapted the concept into dialectical materialism, arguing that social and historical change arises from the conflict of material forces and contradictions within a mode of production.

In logic and contemporary discourse, "dialectical" can describe methods of reasoning that engage opposing arguments and seek integrative solutions, rather than rigidly adhering to a single position. The term is sometimes used in popular or therapeutic contexts, as in dialectical thinking or dialectical behavior therapy, which emphasizes balancing acceptance with change in psychological treatment.

While the phrase "thesis, antithesis, synthesis" is commonly associated with dialectics, it is a simplified rendering of Hegelian dialectic and does not fully capture its complexity across different traditions.