Buber, << BOO buhr, >> Martin (1878-1965), was one of the greatest Jewish philosophers of modern times. Buber was an adherent of Zionism, a movement which believes that the Jews are a people and should have a state. He was also a leading interpreter of the Jewish mystical movement called Hasidism.
Buber’s philosophy begins with the relationship between the human being and the world. Buber believed that there are two kinds of relationships, which he called the “I-Thou” and the “I-It” relationships. The “I-Thou” relationship is direct, mutual, and open. The “I-It” relationship is imperfect and impersonal. In the “I-Thou” relationship, both sides speak as equals. God is the “Eternal Thou,” and the relationship of a human being to God is the supreme relationship of “I-Thou.” Through this relationship, the human being gains revelation, or the knowledge of God’s will. Buber’s philosophy is deeply rooted in Judaism. But Protestant and Roman Catholic thinkers have been influenced by his concept of the life of faith as a life of dialogue between God and human beings.
Buber was born in Vienna on Feb. 8, 1878, and taught Judaism in Germany. When the Nazis came to power in 1933, he was forced to resign his university professorship. In 1938, he moved to Palestine, where he taught at the Hebrew University. Buber wrote several books, including I and Thou (1923) and Tales of the Hasidim (1961). He died on July 13, 1965.
See also Religion (Earlier theories) .
