Martin Buber - 5681 Words

The 20th century has seen a continuation of the battle between reason and romanticism, rationalism and mysticism. With little conflict, Darwin and Freud co-exist in the modern mind. Marx exhibited the split vision, extolling the power of practical, realistic workers who would create a utopian world. In fact, this dichotomy which began in the Renaissance and became a gaping wound in the 17th and 18th centuries as we embraced science and reason as our god, has allowed for 20th century aberrations like Hitler and his Aryan ubermenchen or Stalin and his totalitarian state. Clearly, the 20th century mind is in dire need of healing. But only reinventing a healthy vision of humans in the world, one which integrates both the rational bent†¦show more content†¦People are happiest when they feel a sense of connectedness, of belonging, of relationship. The society we’ve constructed in the 20th century is a poor fit to our natures. Society yearns for change; Buber’s answer, and mine in this paper, is community. But before we turn to a discussion of community, I want to further clarify the I-You, the language of community. I-You dialogue takes place on three levels, and although our primary emphasis here will be on the second level, man-man, I feel it’s important to look at the other two levels briefly since these are a necessary part of the nature of the whole man. The first level is man’s relationship to nature. Buber would have us accept the fact that it is possible to have just as deep a relationship with nature as we can with man; â€Å"but it can also happen, if will and grace are joined, that as I contemplate the tree I am drawn into a relation, and the tree ceases to be an It. The power of exclusiveness has seized me† (Buber 1970, 58). This idea is a difficult one at first, but if you have ever watched a sunset or sat by an ocean, or listened to the wind gently playing through the trees it is easier to imagine bei ng able to feel a relationship with something inanimate. Buber makes clear that he is not suggesting a return to animism or totemism. No god, no Grecian dryad, exists in the tree that youShow MoreRelated Martin Buber - Dialogue Essay2943 Words   |  12 PagesMartin Buber - Dialogue How do we know when communication has served to strengthen relationships between people and expand individual viewpoints? When does communication reach beyond individual goals to promote and develop a sense of community? We can attempt to answer questions like these by exploring Martin Buber’s theory of Dialogue. I. Explanation of theory According to Martin Buber, an essential building block of community is the concept of dialogue. People often think of dialogue asRead MorePersonal Dialogue and Reality: I and Thou by Martin Buber Essay1253 Words   |  6 PagesMartin Buber’s â€Å"I and Thou† delivers a philosophy of private dialogue as it describes how personal dialogue can outline the character of reality. The book’s main theme is that life could also be outlined by the manner in which people tend to interact in dialogue with one another, with nature, and with God. According to Buber, a person might have two attitudes: I-Thou or I-It. I-Thou is a subject-to-subject relationship, whereas I-It is a subject-to-object relationship. Within the I-Thou relationshipRead MoreEssay The Father of Existentialism: Soren Kierkegaard1068 Words   |  5 Pages(Wartenberg). Similarly, Martin Buber (1878-1965) is well known for his philosophy of dialogues including I-Thou relationship and I-It relationship. Different philosophers have presented their explanations to describe the relationship of a man with the life such as Martin Buber, Steve Biko, axel Barnes, Karl Barth, William James, Soern Kierkegaard, John Macquarrie, etc. This paper aims to compare, contrast, and evaluate the philosophies of Soern Kierkegaard and Martin Buber. Soern Kierkegaard’s philosophyRead MoreMartin Buber and the Way of Man2554 Words   |  11 PagesIntroduction Martin Buber is today’s one of the most important representatives of the human spirit. He was born in Vienna in 1878, studied philosophy and the history of art at the University of Vienna and of Berlin. In 1916 he founded Der Jude, a periodical which he edited until 1924 and which became under his guidance the leading organ of the German-speaking Jewry. Professor Buber has written widely in the fields of philosophy, education, philosophy of religion, community, sociology, psychologyRead More Martin Buber’s Dialogic Communication Essay2289 Words   |  10 PagesMartin Buber’s Dialogic Communication Dialogue is more than talking. It is not the straightforwardness of talking to or at, rather it is communicating with or between. It is a relation between persons that is characterized in more or less degree by the element of inclusion (Buber, 97). Inclusiveness is an acknowledgment of the other person, an event experienced between two persons, mutual respect for both views and a willingness to listen to the views of the other. These elements are the heartRead MoreWho Is The Most Important Factor?1378 Words   |  6 Pagesjobs included folding and sorting clothes, cleaning around the Dorothy Day Center, as well as stocking the food pantry. I worked with six different individuals during the two separate days in which I donated my time and I also worked with Brother Martin Zatsick. He is the director of the Dorothy Day Center and is also the founder of this organization (â€Å"Dorothy†). There are two main functions of the Dorothy Day Center. This place acts as both a food pantry as well as a place to look for clothes asRead MoreDialogue in Martin Buber’s Book: â€Å"I and Thou† 532 Words   |  2 PagesMartin Buber’s â€Å"I and Thou† delivers a philosophy of private dialogue as it describes how personal dialogue can outline the character of reality. The book’s main theme is that life could also be outlined by the manner in which people tend to interact in dialogue with one another, with nature, and with God. According to Buber, a person might have two attitudes: I-Thou or I-It. I-Thou is a subject-to-subject relationship, whereas I-It is a subject-to-object relationship. Within the I-Thou relationshipRead MoreEssay about I and Thou4081 Words   |  17 Pagesaction you have with another? Martin Buber spent much of his life determining questions such as this, yet in a more concise manner. Buber focused on the relationship of man with man and what it ought to be, or perhaps could be. The relation can obtain even if the human being to whom I say You does not hear it in his experience. For You is more than It knows. No deception reaches this far: here is the cradle of actual life ( Buber, 1970, p.59). This quote comes from Martin Bubers book I and Thou andRead MoreThe Death Of God By Martin Buber, William Barrett, And George Steiner1204 Words   |  5 Pagesof Friedrich Nietzsche, and a rise in nihilism. This loss of security in the world has condemned man to an empty era; one of nothingness, and with no lucid image of the universe. All of these themes are notably discussed throughout the works of Martin Buber, William Barrett, and George Steiner. An i nsight of Buber’s essay â€Å"What is Man?† explores the concept of humanity’s perpetual epoch of homelessness, while Barrett analyzes modern man’s encounter with nothingness through his study in existentialRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr. Essay1553 Words   |  7 PagesMartin Luther King Jr. From the Apostle Paul to Martin Buber: Martin Luther Kings use of Historical and Religious Figures in his Letter From Birmingham Jail In his Letter From Birmingham Jail, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is addressing his fellow clergymen in response to their accusations of his unwise and untimely activities. Like most other reformers, he finds his greatest rationalization and defense from the word of God. Considering the religious affiliation of his audience, King appeals