Thesis, Antithesis, Synthesis Was Not Hegel's Phrase

A thesis is a proposition put forward, or the long piece of research a student writes to earn a degree. The formula *thesis, antithesis, synthesis* is quoted as Hegel's on every undergraduate reading list, but he barely used it: the phrasing comes from Johann Gottlieb Fichte and was applied to Hegel by later summarisers. The Greek word simply means a placing or setting down.

• A proposition argued for. *His central thesis.*
• A research dissertation. *A doctoral thesis.*
• Antithesis — the direct opposite. *The antithesis of subtlety.*
• Synthesis — combining into a whole. *A synthesis of both views.*
• Theses — the plural. *Luther's ninety-five theses.*

Word forms

• The thesis runs to ninety thousand words.Academic.
• His thesis is that the change was economic.The argument.
• Luther nailed his theses to the door.The plural, and a famous story.

Thesis or dissertation?

• In Britain — thesis usually means doctoral, dissertation undergraduate or master's
• In America — often reversed: thesis for master's, dissertation for doctoral
• The plural — theses, pronounced with a final -eez
• Viva — the oral defence, from Latin *viva voce*, by live voice
• Always check the local convention before using either word

Greek *thesis*, a placing or setting down, from *tithenai*, to place. English used it for a proposition from the 1500s and for a research dissertation from the 1600s.