ABSTRACT
As the epigraph indicates, Martin Buber, the well-known Jewish philosopher, was concerned with the problem of genuine dialogue, defined as a 'living mutual relation'. Buber is considered one of the twentieth century's greatest thinkers on education, having both a philosophical and a practical influence. Buber was a member of the infant Zionist movement and Theodor Herzl, Zionism's most prominent leader, appointed him editor of Die Welt, the official publication of the Zionist Congress. However, the Fifth Zionist Congress rejected the idea of Israel as being a purely 'religious or spiritual' one, and advocated a secular state that would provide a 'homeland' for those of the Jewish faith. According to Buber, human beings possess a twofold attitude indicated by the basic words I-It and I-Thou. Education requires a living relation between humans and, as such, Buber's theory of inter-human relationships serves as the obvious foundation for his philosophy of education.
