I can't think of the word, and I know it's basic but I've been writing this essay for too long and my brain has pretty much shut off.
So what is the word for when you look at two sides/two sources to reach a middle ground... it starts with a d I'm pretty sure.
I think you are referring to dialectic, possibly? Although dialectical reasoning is supposed to result in a reasoned, rational answer rather than a middle ground per se, as I understand the term.