Applications of NLP by Dilts Robert Brian

Author:Dilts, Robert Brian [Dilts, Robert Brian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dilts Strategy Group
Published: 2018-02-28T00:00:00+00:00

Plato’s Use of the Dialectic In The Republic: A Linguistic Analysis

I. Introduction

Plato’s dialectic, a form of the Socratic method of discussion and reasoning through argument and dialogues, was described by him in The Republic as the “activity which systematically sets about the definition of the essential nature of things. . . . Dialectic, in fact, is the only activity whose method is to challenge its own assumptions so that it may rest firmly on first principles.” Plato maintained that through the scrutinizing examination and re-examination of statements of principles and virtues, even those brought up by its own arguments, the dialectic would eventually boil the statements down to the eternal truths or 'forms’ at their base. The success of the dialectic, however, relies on the depth of the examination and the extent to which the assumptions are challenged.

The term 'modelling' applies to the way in which a person classifies, arranges and stores his experiences and perceptions in order to direct his actions. The way in which an individual organizes his own 'model’ of the world he experiences determines the way in which past perception and experiences are recalled and how future ones are to be approached. Philosophy and politics are ideal disciplines for the manifestation of formal modelling systems on personal and on collective levels; philosophy being the study and organization of one’s own personal experiences and politics being the attempt to transform these patterns to a community level.

Plato’s republic reflects one such model of the world and, in fact, The Republic provides for us among the first records of the conscious categorization and manipulation of a philosophical and political model.

Throughout history the great philosophers, politicians and speakers have admired and attempted to imitate Socrates’ verbal artistry. Yet, there really has never been another individual who has been able to fully capture Socrates’ powers of speech; his ability to identify the weak points in his opponents’ arguments and assumptions; and his ability to formulate questions that so directly confront those assumptions and weak spots.

It seems that, despite its definition, the dialectic procedure was not as systematic as Plato claimed. Most people find themselves in awe of or confused by Socrates’ abilities rather than able to apply the dialectic principles to their own interactions to get to “first principles.” Most people are not able to really listen to what other people say and identify and challenge assumptions. Certainly this ability has not yet been made so formally explicit that anyone could be a Socrates in the same way that almost anyone can drive a car, use a gun or push a button that would detonate a nuclear explosion. Perhaps it is because of this lack that one finds it so hard to disagree with those that claim that our political systems and political thinking have not advanced much beyond that of Socrates’ time—certainly not as much as our technological systems and our weaponry.

Perhaps if there had been more people trained in the Socratic ability to challenge assumptions in Hitler’s Germany the course of history would have been very different.

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