We are made for dialogue

The benefits of being open to those who see things differently

In ancient Greece, the philosopher Socrates carried out a kind of inner dialogue as he sought to understand the truth about life and the values we should live. With reason he would weigh different ideas and perspectives, and question the validity of different arguments for and against what he was considering. In his relationship with students, he tried not to just teach them what he thought about things; he asked them questions and elicited their responses through dialogue in order to help them examine their own internal dialogue and find the truth. In this regard, Socrates was always in dialogue within himself and with others.

Until recently, the Western notion of human intelligence had been marked by two aspects: reason and intellect. Reason is the internal and rational discursive thought that considers and compares one concept or viewpoint with another in search of truth, and then draws conclusions and explanations. One might say this is similar to the inner dialogue of Socrates. The intellect, instead, is that capacity of human intelligence to open up and go beyond itself. It is the conscious ability to examine the world around oneself, to learn and to consider the views of others, taking their perspectives and reasoning into consideration. This is similar to the external dialogue Socrates practiced with his students.

However, this dual nature of dialogue has been obscured in recent times, with consequences that could be dramatic. It seems that today more and more people do not consider varying viewpoints, weighing different values in an inner dialogue open to finding the truth about things. Many seem to latch emotionally onto a particular opinion without seeking any rational justification or basis in fact. Moved by fear or the need to be right, these persons short-circuit the inner dialogue of rationally considering and weighing different alternatives.

If I interrupt my inner dialogue in this way, I am not really open to dialogue with others anymore. Without this external dialogue, relationships with others may become confrontational, abusive or manipulative. I do not open up to something greater than myself and my own opinions. I cannot open myself up to others as possible sources of knowledge and bearers of truth.

With this sort of attitude, some people today commonly seek out only others who agree with them. What happens to individuals, then, can happen to groups as well. Social groups, political parties and nations can cease recognizing the value of dialogue and cooperation with people they consider too different from themselves. Public dialogue about important issues degenerates into argument, obstructionism and conflict as groups seek only to control everything according to their own opinions.

When conflicts and confrontations arise, we should remember the lessons of the recent past when people set aside dialogue, leading to the different types of tyranny and the wars of the 20th century.

We must remember that we are made for dialogue. We need to be open to the inner dialogue by which we consider and weigh all points of view, looking carefully at the pros and cons. We need then to engage in real and open dialogue with those who hold different views, with respect for them, listening to and reflecting on what they say as well as expressing our points of view.

In this regard, we should see the other person, group, culture or religion as a bearer of views that can enrich us with a broader understanding of human experience, and realize that our dialogue gives us the opportunity to reciprocate by sharing views of our own.

Doing so, we will receive back what we all need today: the need to be able to understand our world and ourselves more fully, and in doing so use our intelligence to the full. Then we can find common ground, respectful of differences, wherein we can work together for the common good.

Antonio Maria Baggio with Don W. Mitchell (http://www.newcityph.com/ )

Antonio M. Baggio is professor of Political Science and Philosophy at the Gregorian University of Rome and at Sophia University Institute in Loppiano, Italy.