The Intrinsic Metaphysical Tendency of Man in the Psycho-Philosophical Theory of Martin Buber

There is an intrinsic desire and striving for perfection in a every single rational being. This is as a result of man's obvious discovery of some lack in every individual person. Even though every individual is unique, yet no single person exhausts humanity but rather participates in it. Consequently, man's striving for relationship is as a result of this his nature. Invariably, man is an incomplete entity, and as such has a destiny to shape. In any given essence in the sensible material order, there are many individuals who though numerically distinct, participate in the same essence. Meanwhile, the person of plurality indicates that no single individual can exhausts the essential perfection. It will be appropriate, therefore, to posit that God through whom everything exists and is sustained ought to be and is actually the perfection of all that is. The wonder or the mystery of our being is fulfilled and surpassed only by the splendour and joy of our coming to life in God. Man, therefore, struggles for this splendour through his threefold relationship with the world/things, fellowmen and finally with God. It is in the de-materialization and spiritualization of this relationship that man comes into deep and permanent union with the Thou in whose presence everything is endowed with meaning. The researcher primarily uses the method of philosophical reasoning and presentation to achieve the purpose of the research.

IJSSHR, Volume 04 Issue 03 March 2021 www.ijsshr.in Page 502 philosophical sees reason as an instrument of scientific investigation. What is called concrete philosophy describes feelings and experiences and these have become crucial and have replaced knowledge. In this contemporary era, which has replaced knowledge with experience, it is inevitable that people will seek the ultimate experience in the chemically induced experience. The combination of mass culture and contemporary era however, do not necessarily signify or imply an increase in human community. In this contemporary era, Positivism has eliminated philosophy. As a result of this intellectual position, the new man finds it nearly impossible to appreciate the truth as important in his life. Relationship consequently, cannot be genuine in a world where truth is disregarded. Meanwhile, the Contemporary man is undoubtedly unable to appreciate the truth as a result of Kantian rejection of metaphysics. The contemporary man is possessed by the merely experiential and merely utilitarian, that he tends to accept as real and true, only that which is endowed with actuality of the physical and physiological.
In a bid to correct this misunderstanding of what relation should be, Kierkegaard went to the extreme. He seems to be so highly influenced by the medieval trend of thought that he contends that man should do away with any other relation and relate with God alone. It was at this point that Buber came up with the view that relationship is not one-sided but both horizontal and vertical in dimensions. For him, relation should be founded in God and manifested in his creation. He, therefore, defines man as "a being capable of threefold relations". In threefold relations, man is also capable of twofold attitudes: I-It and I-Thou.

Man's ardent desire for perfection:
Aristotle sees man as a being who by its nature, desires to know (Aristotle; 350 B. C. E). This inborn curiosity and enthusiasm in man concerning knowledge is what urged the researcher to research into the structure of man's relationship with the world/things; with fellow men and finally with God. Man is not a being that is satisfied by merely being in the world. Rather, the life of man is authenticated through man's knowledge of his environs, of himself and as well as in fulfilling the purpose of his existence. Hence, Cassire defines man as: ...that creature who is constantly in search of himself -a creature who in every moment of his existence must examine and scrutinise the conditions of his existence (Cassire; 1968). Man as a person searches for himself, studies his surroundings, and tries to manipulate his environment. Each producer labels their own products, gives the contents of their products; how it should be used and when it should be needed. For instance, a drug producer prescribes how the drug should be applied. This prescription must be followed if life is to be preserved, if not, life will be destroyed instead. This demonstrates the need to follow always the plan or the prescription of the producer, the maker or the creator. In the same vein, God created man for a genuine purpose. Man's life on earth is not without aim. It has a purpose. It is geared towards a destination. For Buber, this purpose is union with God-the Eternal Thou. This is the reason why man constantly shows by way of his activities, the ardent desire for perfection. Buber maintains that this union-perfection is made possible through the I-Thou relationship of human which is a road to the divine-God himself. The researcher calls this man's intrinsic urge for perfection, the metaphysical tendency of man to God. Its degeneration in our Contemporary society is as a result of the reluctant attempt of the Contemporary man to enter into a living relationship. Consequently, the contemporary man has seriously taken Science and Technology for his own God and, therefore, is satisfied with the merely empirical and merely experimental.

Twofold attitudes of man
The twofold attitudes of man is not another way of proposing the existence of two different worlds. It will be a grievous mistake to assume the existence of two worlds. Man is, however, capable of acting towards reality in two distinct ways. Any realistic treatise on relationship must necessarily take notice of this man's ambivalence. The world of "it" and the world of "thou", borrowing Martin Buber's expression, reflect two primary and different manners in which man may relate to the world or even to his fellowmen. Hence, Each man, each single I, comes before the moment in which the Thou is present and encounters it in a twofold manner.... (Cohen;1957). Admittedly, the two worlds are not necessarily separated from one another or in conflict as such. They are aspects of the same human urge to relate, and therefore, should be open to one another and compliments each other. Man's relation to the world/things and his fellowmen is paradoxical. It may be mutual or exploitative. Meanwhile, ...he either ignores the challenge of grace and the Thou dissolves in an object..., or the I is filled and transformed, relation is achieved, and the I-Thou, ... is realized (Cohen;1957).

Man's ability for threefold relations
Thus, man has the ability for threefold relations. These threefold relations include: relation with the world/things, relation with fellowmen and finally, relation with the spiritual being. However, these threefold relations can be approached by man in twofold manners. He can either regard them as "it" or as "Thou". Nevertheless, the threefold relations are essential for man to exist really in the world. In the recognition and appreciation of the three lies man's authenticity.