Introduction

Over the last three decades I have been developing an applied dialectical method for the study and conceptualisation of human beings and societies through the praxis of working at transforming wellbeing and quality of life and experiences and feelings of a meaningful and satisfying life for the individual participants and a democracy of and for all in dignity, humanity, wellbeing, growth and empowerment and equality for groups and societies.  The theory has started as a criticism of the use of the propositional logic in the study and conceptualization of human beings, the human subject and human existence and societies.  My criticism was that this use of the propositional logic inclines to reduce, abstract, objectify and degrade the human subject through invalidating linguistic propositional assertions.

My applied dialectical method is based on the following

1. Enquiry  and enquiring- the logic of questions and answers and formulating the most appropriate questions for the explanation (theorisation) and understanding of the studied phenomenon.   How do I lead a more meaningful life? How do I transform my experience of personal dissatisfaction into a life of greater personal satisfaction? How do we transform our society into a democracy of and for all in dignity, humanity, wellbeing, growth and empowerment and equality? How do we transform autocracy to a  democracy of and for all in dignity, humanity, wellbeing, growth and empowerment and equality?

Whereas the traditional propositional logic uses the logic of formulating, testing and validating or invalidating linguistic assertions in the construction of theories, my theory uses enquiring and enquiries and formulating the most appropriate questions for the development of theories.

2. Fusing and using contradictions and the tension this creates.  Whereas the traditional propositional logic cannot hold contradiction as contradiction invalidates the theory, my method uses the anti-thesis to explain and transform the thesis.

Hence, looking at and delving inside the anti-thesis of a meaningful life which is emptiness and self-satisfaction which is undesired and fusing it with the thesis of working to construct, develop and transform a life of greater meaning (the desired thesis) enables to work at transforming individuals' lives.   Similarly, understanding and delving inside the undesired anti-thesis of autocracy of and for some over the majority in oppression, degradation, inhumanity and equality and fusing it  with the desired thesis of a democracy of and for all in dignity, humanity, wellbeing, growth and empowerment and equality and the tension that this fusion creates enables groups to qualitatively transform their societies. 

 3. Phenomenology.  Phenomenology describes how a person orients to a lived, living, embodied, and situated experience in the world over time, space, and action. 

 4. Reflection or dialogue with oneself being transformed, enriched and complemented by to dialogues with other people.

5. Praxis of working out action plans to transform difficulties and problems.

Participants create action plans as for how to qualitatively transform the undesired anti-thesis to their desired thesis as they enquire into their formulated questions.   

 6. Evaluating the action plans through reflection and dialogue.  Reformulating and rewriting the action plans in accordance with the reflection and the dialogue that expands on the reflection.

7. acting out the new action plans and evaluating it  

After participants work out their suggested action plans to rectify tensions and revert contradictions into what they seek and value, dialogue enables them to further develop their idiosyncratic action plans and improve their wellbeing and quality of life vis-à-vis the communities of which they are a part. They form a community that works together to improve the lives of its individual members. They take turns in expressing their views and learn to collaborate with other people through dialogue and thereby transform their own reflections.