Martin Buber was a 20th century philosopher who developed a philosophy centered on dialogue. He described two types of relationships: I-Thou and I-It. I-Thou relationships involve seeing the other person as a whole being and engaging in mutual dialogue, while I-It relationships are detached and treat the other as an object. Buber believed human existence is defined by how we engage in dialogue with others, the world, and God. Dialogue for Buber meant a deep, genuine relationship where both persons acknowledge each other as equals. His philosophy emphasized the importance of relating to others through meaningful interaction and understanding their whole being rather than just isolated qualities.

1. Martin Buber’s I-Thou
Man and
Himself:
Discussant:
PHOEBE ABALEÑA & CHRISTINE JOY V. PERION
Concept of Self

2. “I-THOU & I- IT”
MARTIN BUBER

3. Martin Buber

4. ⇝ Martin Buber, (born February 8, 1878, Vienna—died June 13,
1965, Jerusalem), German-Jewish religious philosopher, biblical
translator and interpreter, and master of German prose style.
⇝ He is a 20th century philosopher, religious thinker, and
political activist whose area of philosophical concern includes the
dialogical principle.
⇝ Buber’s philosophy was centered on the encounter, or
dialogue, of man with other beings, particularly exemplified in
the relation with other men but ultimately resting on and
pointing to the relation with God.

5. ⇝ Buber was the son of Carl Buber, an agronomist, and his
wife—both assimilated Jews. When Martin was three his mother
left his father, and the boy was brought up by his grandparents
in Lemberg (now Lviv, Ukraine). The search after the lost mother
became a strong motive for his dialogical thinking—his I–Thou
philosophy.

6. ⇝ Martin Buber’s I and Thou (Ich und Du, 1923) presents a
philosophy of personal dialogue, in that it describes how
personal dialogue can define the nature of reality. Buber’s major
theme is that human existence may be defined by the way in
which we engage in dialogue with each other, with the world, and
with God.

7. DIALOGUE
It is a deep and genuine relationship between
persons. It happens when two persons truly
acknowledge each other’s presence and treat
each other as equals.

8. ⇝ According to Buber, human beings may adopt two attitudes
toward the world: I-Thou or I-It. I-Thou is a relation of subject-to-
subject, while I-It is a relation of subject-to-object. In the I-Thou
relationship, human beings are aware of each other as having a
unity of being. In the I-Thou relationship, human beings do not
perceive each other as consisting of specific, isolated qualities,
but engage in a dialogue involving each other’s whole being. I-
Thou is a relationship of mutuality and reciprocity, while I-It is a
relationship of separateness and detachment.

9. I-THOU RELATIONSHIP VS I-IT RELATIONSHIP
⇝ I-Thou relationship – refers to the world of
encounter and relationships where there are
persons. It is concrete encounter without any
qualification of one another.
⇝ I-IT relationship – refers to the world of experience
and sensation where there are objects. An
individual treats other things, people etc., as
object to be used and experienced.

10. ⇝ It is easy to see that in the philosophy of Martin Buber,
if you can enter into a relation with an It-Thou and still
see a singular being, it is easier to dialogue with a man
who is indeed an I-Thou. The dialogue between man and
man is an exchange in language, but the encounter with
both natures is likewise important for man to be able to
work with precision so that he can understand the truth of
relations.

11. “Feelings dwell in man; but man dwells in his
love. That is no metaphor, but the actual
truth. Love does not cling to the I in such a
way as to have the Thou only for its "
content," its object; but love is between I
and Thou. The man who does not know this, with
his very being know this, does not know love;
even though he ascribes to it the feelings he
lives through, experiences, enjoys, and
expresses.”
—Martin Buber, I and thou

12. “Genuine dialogue happens when members
know and recognize the value of each one
and the goal of the discourse itself”
—Martin Buber, I and thou

13. Let’s Apply
it!
ACTIVITY TIME!

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