3. Roots of dialogue

Conventional wisdom locates the origins of modern dialogue in the Classical Greek polis. The legacy of classical models of dialogue offer a continuum of philosophically compelling models that draw on distinctive aspects of Classical Greek ideals. Attention turns to three schools of thought as they relate to dialogue through the work of their leading exponents, Gadamer, Dewey, and Habermas, respectively. Each supports a distinctive model of dialogue and each has particular shortcomings and inconsistencies. The intent is to give readers a better appreciation of the requirements and resources available for grounding one's particular version of dialogue and for anticipating its potential difficulties.