Editing Antithesis (section)

== In philosophical discussion ==
{{See also|Thesis, antithesis, synthesis|Dialectic}}
In [[dialectic]]s (any formal system of reasoning that arrives at the truth by the exchange of logical arguments) antithesis is the juxtaposition of contrasting ideas, usually in a balanced way. The logical arguments are said to be stated in the order [[thesis, antithesis, synthesis]].

Although this style of philosophical discussion (stating a point of view, then its opposite, and finally drawing a conclusion) was commonly used by ancient philosophers,<ref>E.g. Cicero, ''de Officiis'' 3.54-57.</ref> the use of the trio "thesis, antithesis, synthesis" itself to describe it goes back only to the 18th century, to a work published in 1794 by the German philosopher [[Johann Gottlieb Fichte]].<ref>Williams, Robert R. (1992). ''Recognition: Fichte and Hegel on the Other''. SUNY Press. p. 46, note 37.</ref>

The phrase is sometimes incorrectly stated to originate from the German philosopher [[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel|Hegel]]. However, Hegel never actually used the trio of terms except once in a lecture, in which he reproached [[Immanuel Kant]] for having "everywhere posited thesis, antithesis, synthesis".<ref>Kaufmann,
 Walter, ''Hegel: A Reinterpretation'', 1966, Anchor Books, p.154.</ref>