The concept of “dialogue” has firmly entered our lives. When we pronounce this word, we don’t even think about its true meaning.
Dialogue is a complex tool
The meaning of the word "dialogue" in translation from Latin is a conversation of two. But this, so to speak, is the simplest interpretation of the definition. In a high understanding, dialogue is a contrast to a monologue. In the old days, this instrument was especially often used in such complex and difficult things as philosophy, rhetoric, logic, sophistry. The goal pursued by the dialogue is to maximally understandably convey to the listener an idea that has been examined from several points of view. Of these, as a result, either the most accurate wording will be chosen, or a general one will be deduced that corresponds to the position of the author. That, in general, is the meaning of the dialogue. Dialogue punctuation is easy to remember: each line starts with a new line, and a dash is placed in front of it.
Multiple Simplification
For a long time, dialogue remained to live only in the simplest interpretation, that is, it was just communication. And the first use of it as a genre, as a philosophical and literary instrument took place several millennia BC. By the way, now the dialogue is returning to serious areas of art after several centuries of oblivion.
Wise Asia
Being a European civilization in the majority, we, from the point of view of Europe, will talk about dialogue. However, it is wrong not to mention that in the east this instrument of literature and the concept also exist for a very long time. Moreover, we are talking about a high interpretation of this type of communication. The first material references to the use of dialogue in a philosophical sense in the Middle East and Asia date back to the second century BC. Actively this tool is used in the hymns of the Rigveda and in the Mahabharata. In general, we can say that the understanding, in the highest sense, of dialogue between the East and the West is the same.
Follower plato
The first use of dialogue in philosophy and literature is usually attributed to Plato. It is understood that it was this ancient Greek philosopher who systematized and made an independent literary form out of this tool. His experiments in the early work "Lakhet" are considered to be the starting point. However, Plato is not at all a founder, but a follower, about which he himself writes in some of his works. About half a century earlier, the Sicilian poets Sofron and Epicharm used this instrument. And so skillfully that they made a lasting impression on Plato, and in his first works he tried to imitate these masters.
Forgotten teachers
Unfortunately, the work of these two authors has not reached our days, so we can only make assumptions about their strength, if they so struck Plato. By the way, there is reason to believe that there were a number of figures other than those mentioned above who used dialogue as a method. But history, unfortunately, has not preserved even their names.
Difficult student
In Plato's works, dialogue is a very strong philosophical and literary element. But at the same time, the author simplified the concept itself. The fact is that in his works he used only argumentation, while his teachers also had a mimic component no less important. For some reason, the ancient Greek philosopher almost abandoned it, and his followers eventually stopped using it at all. It is still possible to understand more or less what dialogue is from the beginning and what is the meaning of its definition by its “inventors”.
First followers
After the death of Plato, many of his followers appeared not only in philosophy, but also in literature. One of them was Lucian of the Samostat. The works of this author were notorious for their time, ironic, and at the same time, the seriousness of the topics covered. About gods, about death, about courtesans and love, about philosophy, finally, just about the world around him, this ancient Greek poet, who lived in the second century of our era, wrote in his works. And for some of his creations he had to pay, they were too caustic. Dialogue was a favorite genre of “smart” literature until the 12th century.
Forgotten tool
Fashion is changeable, even if we are talking about “smart” literature and philosophy. Authors such as Bonaventure and Thomas Aquinas threw off the dialogue as a literary form from the pedestal, replacing it with sums. Serious authors in the next half millennium mostly exposed their thoughts, evidence, and thoughts in them. In sums, we studied the studied object from all possible points of view, analyzed it, sometimes giving encyclopedic data. The problem is that the dynamics and simplicity of understanding the dialogue from these creations disappeared. The formation of the sum as the main genre of philosophy largely explains the "darkness" of the Middle Ages. In order to understand the complex processes of life and death, to find out what great sages think of them, it was necessary to have a huge store of knowledge, access to which was limited by this format. The simplicity and clarity of the dialogue has been lost.
Triumphant return
The era of the Renaissance and the new era brought dialogue as a genre back to its rightful place. Notable and important works begin to appear at the end of the XVII - beginning of the XVIII century. The thirst for knowledge and the desire to convey their thoughts to as many people as possible again makes this genre popular with philosophers, theologians, writers, even musicologists will join them. Dialogues are written by such figures as Fontenelle and Fenelon, their works of the same name, in fact, gave impetus to the new popularity of this genre. In the wake of the new fashion, Italian authors decided to go even further - they build their works in the image and likeness of Platonic treatises, sometimes completely copying them, of course, adding their own thoughts. Celebrities such as Galileo, Tasso and Leopardi wrote their dialogues in Italy.
New time, revolution and oblivion
The industrial upheaval, which began during the next peak in the popularity of dialogue, plunged him into yet another abyss of oblivion. Life has accelerated so much that there is simply no time left for lengthy smart conversations. "Speak clearly and to the point!" - this is the main motto of the industrial revolution. Of course, with this approach, dialogs again equated to ordinary conversation. New time has created a direct relationship between word and deed. Here are just the ideological component that was present in the works of Plato, disappeared without a trace. Dialogues became not a way to explain and understand something, but a call to action, just a means of communication.
Swift twentieth century
With the end of a new time, the newest has come. This is perhaps the most terrible, fastest and bloody period in the history of mankind. There was almost no time left for reflection; wars were replaced one after another, just like revolutions. There were simply no prerequisites for the return of dialogue as a serious genre. This is not to say that he was in complete oblivion, it was used, but only a few.
The "Return" of Plato and Socrates
Rare writers, experimenting with dialogues, most often used these ancient Greek philosophers as interlocutors. It was often enough. As a result, even a new subspecies of this literary device, called the Platonic Dialogue, was formed.
Russia and the concept
It so happened that when we talked about dialogue as a concept and a genre, we did not touch Russia at all. The fact is that in our country, this instrument, in fact, has never lost popularity. There have always been authors writing in this genre. Moreover, it was the Russian philosopher, literary critic and theorist of European culture and art Mikhail Bakhtin who was finally able to give a complete definition of the concept of "dialogue". He found examples for research in the works of Dostoevsky. As a result, Mikhail Mikhailovich made certain conclusions. In particular, Bakhtin defined the forms of dialogue. There are two of them. The first type is comprehensive. In this case, the instrument is regarded as a kind of universal human reality, necessary for the full formation of the personality. The second type is direct dialogue. In this case, the event is meant - human communication.
Modernity
Towards the end of the twentieth century, dialogue is becoming the main instrument of our lives. This is due to the fact that humanity in the midst of the Cold War, which threatened complete destruction, was able to stop, think about its future. This was the impetus for the return of this genre. Moreover, today, dialogue is no longer just an instrument of philosophers, writers and other scientists, it is a whole social institution. Pedagogy does not think of itself without a conversation between teacher and student, and politics also cannot do without this form of communication . Please note that many international organizations designed to solve the problems of mankind have this word in the name. For example, Dialogue of Civil Society. Moreover, having finally appreciated the charm and capabilities of this tool in the process of exchanging their own unique vision of the world, people began to distinguish between special types of dialogues: equal, structured, debatable and confrontational. And people use each of them to the maximum to come to a consensus on a variety of issues or to inform the world about their own point of view.
Dialogues - the road to the future
Today, contrary to the desire of some to return communication to the level of monologues, "communication of two" is developing more and more. Mankind has finally realized the power and possibilities of dialogue in a high sense, learned the lessons of history, which show us that it is worth to come to the dictatorship of one voice, when the "dark time" begins. I would like to believe that communication, during which all points of view are heard, will continue to develop further, only this way will lead humanity to prosperity.