Martin Buber and Henri Maldiney on the Notion of Event
Abstract
This paper investigates the thematization of the event from two different, yet related approaches. First, I will analyze Martin Buber’s notion of the relational event, following its manifold usage in his writings. Buber’s perspective will help in emphasizing the relational character of the event, which happens between I and Thou. Secondly, I will interrogate Henri Maldiney’s concept of the event, in relation to what he has called transpassibility (transpassibilité), namely our radical openness towards the event. Transpassibility will be analyzed alongside the notion of trust, and I will attempt to prove that this radical openness to the event will be the key element that allows the human being to resist and cope with it. My claim is that the perspectives of both Buber and Maldiney can be taken in conjunction and provide a unitary whole regarding the process of attuning to the world. Buber stressed the importance of genuine encounters in the life of the person, while Maldiney addressed the problem of rhythm, regarding our relationship with the world. An adjacent aim of my paper will be that of showing how the conceptualizations of the two authors can lead us to a different approach concerning the psychotherapeutic relationship, hence I will also venture into the paths that Martin Buber and Henri Maldiney opened towards a dialogical psychotherapy. Nevertheless, both authors acknowledged the importance of trust in the world and its distinctive function, which allows the person to cope with the traumatic event. Finally, my paper will test the limits of the possibility of comparing Buber’s philosophy of dialogue and Maldiney’s phenomenological stance towards events.
Keywords: Martin Buber, Henri Maldiney, phenomenology, event, trust, rhythm, openness, receptivity, responsivity, psychotherapy
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