The Dialectical Circumplex Model: A Theory of Dialectic and Its Implications for Education

Abstract

A veil of mystery shrouds the origin and meaning of the dialectical method known as thesis-antithesis-synthesis. Many scholars reject the commonly-held notion that this triadic dialectic began with the enigmatic philosopher Hegel. Wheat’s recent book Hegel’s Undiscovered Thesis-Antithesis-Synthesis Dialectics, however, reaffirms the connection between Hegel and the triadic dialectic while offering a reinterpretation of the Hegelian dialectical format. Still, Wheat dismisses the dialectical method as outdated and without value. With this theoretical dissertation, I seek to demystify the seemingly esoteric concept of dialectic and evaluate the potential educational value of the dialectical method. First, I trace the conceptual development of dialectic from its origins in ancient Chinese, Indian, and Greek philosophy to its more modern interpretations in German idealism and Marxism. Next, I review the applications of dialectic within the fields of psychology and education. For instance, psychological literature alternatively presents dialectical thinking as a stage of intellectual development, a cultural thinking style, and an epistemological belief. From here, I propose a new theory of dialectic, which includes a unified definition of dialectic and a reinterpretation of the Hegelian dialectical method in tetradic form. I map this tetradic dialectical format (i.e., thesis-antithesis-synthesis-diathesis) onto a two-dimensional circumplex model in what I term the dialectical circumplex model. The purpose of this conceptual model is to facilitate dialectical thinking about, generate insights into, and create a more holistic representation of complex phenomena. I demonstrate this function with a dialectical model of knowing, which applies the dialectical circumplex model to the literature on epistemological development. I also explore the educational value of dialectic by outlining a dialectical method for learning. Lastly, I discuss implications of this new theory of dialectic and identify directions for future research.