Philosophical Inquiry

Volume 31, Issue 3/4, Summer 2009

Logic and Conflict

Analysing conflict from a logical perspective involves the exploration of concepts such as dualism and dialectics. In exploring the ontological determinants - identity and negation - it becomes evident that identity is a process and its essential component is negation. Dualism and the law of contradiction provide the framework that perceives reality as consisting of two irreducible elements or modes. It divides an entity into its extremities by denying its unity and creates an insurmountable gap preventing the disparate components, principles or thoughts f r om being harmonized. In other words reality is determined by polarization, i.e. good-evil, true-false, right-wrong. I am suggesting that using the logic of dualism as a method to approach conflict will necessarily be one-sided. It seems to be the case that a dialectical understanding of reality provides the means for dealing with negation in a non-existential manner, that is to say it opens the sphere of dialogue. A principle that recognizes reality as contradictory establishes an identity that holds in itself negation and affirmation as distinguished entities that claim successfully their existence as components of a unity. Hence within contradiction the perspective of both being and non-being is explored thereby providing the ideal starting point for conflict resolution.