Philosophy of Humanity

Anthropology (Philosophy of Humanity)

Personalism

An important direction in philosophical anthropology that has set and continues to set the tone for philosophical discourse is personalism, which, as its name suggests, places the individual person (persona) at its center. Personalism primarily comprises religious thinkers who emphasize that a person reveals and constitutes themselves in dialogue with others. The possibility of constituting oneself and one's worldview depends on one's orientation towards the other within this dialogue.

A leading thinker in this direction was Martin Buber (1878-1965), born in Vienna, raised in Lviv, and later emigrating to Israel. Buber was an active participant in the Zionist movement (the movement for the establishment of the State of Israel) and a collector and systematizer of the spiritual heritage of Hasidism (a mystical direction in Judaism that emphasizes personal communication with God). The spiritual tradition of Hasidism inspired Buber’s philosophical views, with dialogue at their core. His philosophy revolves around two types of relationships: "I-Thou" and "I-It". Every person relates to others according to one of these modes of perception. If a person perceives the other as "Thou" and relates to them as such, then a personalistic relationship arises, characterized by humanity and morality. Conversely, if a person regards the other as "It", they view the other not as a person but as an instrument for achieving their own goals, a mere object. Buber emphasized that the "I-Thou" relationship is necessary not only with other people but also with the things of the world. If a person sees a tree only as "It", they will use it for their purposes regardless of the consequences. However, if a person views the tree through the lens of "Thou", as a divine creation granted to humanity by God, they will be able to appreciate this gift. Ecology can only be discussed when nature is regarded not as a resource but as a gift. The more a person develops a relationship with others based on the "I-It" model, the closer human civilization moves towards its destruction. The salvation of humanity is only possible through nurturing dialogue based on the "I-Thou" model. To see "Thou" in another person, nature, and social institutions, one must find a place for the Absolute Thou—God—in their life. Buber was convinced that once a person places God at the center of their life and establishes a dialogue with Him based on the "I-Thou" model, everything else in their life will also fall into place: they will see "Thou" in others, nature, and society, rather than "It", meaning the person rather than merely a means to an end. Buber’s ideas of dialogical personalism had a profound impact on 20th-century philosophy and garnered numerous followers.

The German-Jewish philosopher Franz Rosenzweig (1886-1929) collaborated with Buber on several projects, the most significant of which was the translation of the Tanakh (the Jewish sacred scripture) into German. Rosenzweig began this translation with Buber but it was completed by Buber after Rosenzweig's death. Rosenzweig’s translation was based on the belief that all languages stem from a universal language through which God spoke to humanity. He presented the Tanakh not as a doctrinal document or a message from God to man, but as a dialogue where God spoke to man, and man responded.

Another contributor to the development of dialogical personalism was the Jewish-German-American philosopher Eugen Moritz Friedrich Rosenstock-Huessy (1888-1973). He believed that the true essence of a person is revealed only in dialogue. According to him, a person is fundamentally a speaking being. Thinking, he argued, is a reflection of speech. Since speech is revealed only in dialogue, which requires another person to communicate with, this implies that there must be such a person who initiated speech and thought. Rosenstock-Huessy considered this person to be God. God began speaking with man, and man was compelled to respond. In responding to God, man began to speak, and since thinking is derived from speaking, to think as well. Thus, God, by initiating a dialogue with humanity, elevated it above all material creation and imparted His image into it. This potential for speech and thought can only be realized when one maintains a dialogue with God.

The French philosopher Emmanuel Levinas (1905-1995) began his reflections with the issue of the crisis in metaphysics. The traditional foundations of metaphysics, established in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, became subjects of critique and doubt in modern and contemporary philosophy. As a result of this crisis, even the existence of oneself could not be proved. The only way for a person to affirm their own existence is through dialogue. By engaging in dialogue with others, a person affirms their own being and uniqueness.

In addition to the aforementioned thinkers, many other philosophers, scholars, and literary figures have developed and popularized the ideas of personalism. They all agree that the only way to reveal human essence is through dialogue. In dialogue, a person perceives others as individuals, thereby actualizing their own personhood. There are two models of communication: "I-Thou" and "I-It". Communication based on the "I-Thou" model enables interpersonal dialogue. Even attitudes towards things should be grounded in the dialogical "I-Thou" model; otherwise, people will view the surrounding world merely as a means to achieve their own consumptive and mercantile goals. According to most personalists, the establishment of dialogue between two people or between a person and the world is possible only when one has established a dialogue with God as the Absolute Thou.