Martin buber i and thou analysis

1923 book by Martin Buber

This article is about the book. For the progressive rock band, see I and Thou (band). For the 1953 German film, see I and You.

Ich und Du, usually translated as I and Thou, is a book by Martin Buber, published in 1923.

It was first translated from German to English in 1937, with a later translation by Walter Kaufmann being published in 1970.

Martin buber i and thou analysis

It is Buber’s best-known work, setting forth his critique of modern objectification in relationships with others.

Premise

Buber's main proposition is that we may address existence in two ways:

1. The attitude of the "I" towards an "It", towards an object that is separate in itself, which we either use or experience.
2. The attitude of the "I" towards "Thou", in a relationship in which the other is not separated by discrete bounds.

One of the major themes of the book is that human life finds its meaningfulness in relationships.

In Buber's view, all of our relationships bring us ultimately i