Definitions HQ

Dialectic (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠reason's secret, which it passes off as dogmatics, and reveals against its will only when it derives the direct opposite from an equally accredited principle.

Dialectic (n.) of ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠pure reason deserves to be explained not only as an illusion to be dissolved but as a natural institution with a purpose.

Dialectic (n.) comes ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠to nothing but idle chatter when logic is used to extend our knowledge, asserting or impeaching whatever one wants with some plausibility.

Dialectic (n.) of ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the natural kind is our disposition to argue against duty's strict laws until they suit our wishes — corrupting them at their very source.

Dialectic (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠natural to reason, so there will always be some metaphysics in the world; philosophy's first task is to block the source of its errors.

Dialectic (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a logic of illusion — not a doctrine of probability, for the probable is truth known on insufficient grounds, defective but not deceptive.

Dialectic (n.) has ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠inexhaustible tricks, but you need not refute each illusion: answer "not proved" and demand the deduction of its principles, which will never come.

Dialectic (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠what happens when one takes what is merely regulative for constitutive: it partly confounds reason's use in experience and partly divides reason against itself.

Dialectic (n.) has ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠no victory you need fear: watch its conflict from the safe seat of critique — exhausting for the combatants, entertaining for you, and certainly bloodless.

Dialectic (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠general logic misused as an organon — the logic of illusion, a sophistical art for giving one's ignorance, and even one's intentional tricks, the air of truth.

Dialectic (n.) of ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠pure reason is natural and irremediable — not a trap for bunglers or a sophist's invention, but a mirage that keeps leading reason on with false hopes even after it is exposed.