Martin Buber: The Philosophy of Dialogue
Introduction Buber spoke and
read Hebrew, Yiddish, Polish, German, Greek, Latin, French, Italian, and English!
Introduction Buber demonstrated
in his own life the power of the Jewish ideal of study as a form of prayer and a path to wisdom.
I-Thou: The Dialogic Principle Our meaning comes
from our connectedness. The extent to which we are disconnected is the extent to which we feel meaninglessness.
I-Thou: The Dialogic Principle The I-It relationship is
in fact a relationship with oneself; it is not a dialogue, but a monologue.
Us-Them Those who have
managed to cut through the terrible complexities of life and offer such a scheme of Us-Them have been hailed as prophets in all ages.
Summary We do not see God
because we cannot find him alone. God is only found in a relationship, where “I AM” becomes “He is Present.”
Summary Buber demonstrates
that wisdom is found not in certitude, but in seeking; not in solitude, but in relationship; not in the I-It, but in the
I-Thou.