Philosophy - Martin Buber Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Philosophy - Martin Buber - Essay Example For Buber, the self cannot be fully human without the co-existence of the other; both co-exist in order to achieve a synthesis of what characterizes a meaningful life; otherwise, life would be impossible. Human beings are often divided into two aspects of being: objective and subjective. The former is hardly controversial, for it depicts a person’s thoughts, feelings, and ideas just the way that person ought to speak or act. However, the latter is of great controversy when dealing with what makes us truly human; â€Å"that meeting of minds by which two selves take each others meaning with reference to the same object beheld in common† (Percy 631). Similarly, Martin Buber identifies two aspects of being: I-It and I-Thou. This was Buber’s interpretation of the human being’s two-fold attitude toward the world and others. And it is through an examination of the distinctions between these two that we unfold the meaning of Buber’s dialogical philosophy. Given this, I shall devote this essay to a discourse on the phenomenon of social relationships in the light of Martin Buber’s dialogical philosophy. I will investigate the relationship between the s elf or the â€Å"I,† and the other or the â€Å"It,† as espoused by Buber in his work, I and Thou. Moreover, I shall emphasize the importance of intersubjectivity in Buber’s philosophy. Herein, I shall argue that in order for self-realization to take place, that is, in order to be truly human, an intersubjective relationship between I-It and I-Thou should co-exist. Thus, self-realization cannot be achieved in a vacuum or in a state of pure isolation but through intersubjective social interaction. The self needs others in order to satisfy his needs, goals, and ideals. Without others, the self cannot exist at all. Furthermore, the self can only gain an enhanced mode of self-expansion through his relationship with the other. Buber surmised