Birth, <i>Sehnsucht</i> and Creation: Reading Buber between Plato and Kierkegaard
Martin Buber conceives human potential through the trope of pregnancy and birth. His portrayal of this phenomenon in <i>I and Thou</i> comprises a natural connection between mother and child during pregnancy and the potential for future, spiritual connections, articulated as I–Thou relat...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/1/16 |
| _version_ | 1797437574976897024 |
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| author | Evyatar Varman |
| author_facet | Evyatar Varman |
| author_sort | Evyatar Varman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Martin Buber conceives human potential through the trope of pregnancy and birth. His portrayal of this phenomenon in <i>I and Thou</i> comprises a natural connection between mother and child during pregnancy and the potential for future, spiritual connections, articulated as I–Thou relations, which the child may accordingly achieve with their surroundings. Analyzing this model reveals Buber’s literary-philosophical engagement with the works of Plato and Søren Kierkegaard, and illuminates his perspective on human abilities and limits. Moreover, the context of Plato and Kierkegaard elucidates the way Buber connects an inborn human yearning (<i>Sehnsucht</i>) for I–Thou relations to participation in the divine creation of the world. This connection between <i>Sehnsucht</i> and creation, between I–It and I–Thou relations, diminishes the gap between human and God, emphasizing the significant role divine creation plays in the I–It reality. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:22:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6f78146abf984f2b81eb1229b67022df |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:22:20Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-6f78146abf984f2b81eb1229b67022df2023-12-01T00:16:21ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442022-12-011411610.3390/rel14010016Birth, <i>Sehnsucht</i> and Creation: Reading Buber between Plato and KierkegaardEvyatar Varman0Department of Jewish Thought, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91905, IsraelMartin Buber conceives human potential through the trope of pregnancy and birth. His portrayal of this phenomenon in <i>I and Thou</i> comprises a natural connection between mother and child during pregnancy and the potential for future, spiritual connections, articulated as I–Thou relations, which the child may accordingly achieve with their surroundings. Analyzing this model reveals Buber’s literary-philosophical engagement with the works of Plato and Søren Kierkegaard, and illuminates his perspective on human abilities and limits. Moreover, the context of Plato and Kierkegaard elucidates the way Buber connects an inborn human yearning (<i>Sehnsucht</i>) for I–Thou relations to participation in the divine creation of the world. This connection between <i>Sehnsucht</i> and creation, between I–It and I–Thou relations, diminishes the gap between human and God, emphasizing the significant role divine creation plays in the I–It reality.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/1/16Martin Buber<i>I and Thou</i>I–It potentialPlatoparadoxSøren Kierkegaard |
| spellingShingle | Evyatar Varman Birth, <i>Sehnsucht</i> and Creation: Reading Buber between Plato and Kierkegaard Religions Martin Buber <i>I and Thou</i> I–It potential Plato paradox Søren Kierkegaard |
| title | Birth, <i>Sehnsucht</i> and Creation: Reading Buber between Plato and Kierkegaard |
| title_full | Birth, <i>Sehnsucht</i> and Creation: Reading Buber between Plato and Kierkegaard |
| title_fullStr | Birth, <i>Sehnsucht</i> and Creation: Reading Buber between Plato and Kierkegaard |
| title_full_unstemmed | Birth, <i>Sehnsucht</i> and Creation: Reading Buber between Plato and Kierkegaard |
| title_short | Birth, <i>Sehnsucht</i> and Creation: Reading Buber between Plato and Kierkegaard |
| title_sort | birth i sehnsucht i and creation reading buber between plato and kierkegaard |
| topic | Martin Buber <i>I and Thou</i> I–It potential Plato paradox Søren Kierkegaard |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/1/16 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT evyatarvarman birthisehnsuchtiandcreationreadingbuberbetweenplatoandkierkegaard |