A dialogic perspective for family therapy: the contributions of Martin Buber and Gregory Bateson

This paper concerns the philosophies of Martin Buber and Gregory Bateson, and the application of their philosophies to family therapy. The relevance of Buber's philosophical concepts to a social constructionist perspective in family therapy is given particular attention. Central points of Buber's and Bateson's theoretical perspectives are reviewed and compared. Both thinkers believe that relationship is the primary ingredient in the world of the living, and both have a commitment to the concept that difference is the essential building block of the world of the living. Buber and Bateson, as philosophical anthropologists, are concerned with questions of how their ontologies or epistemologies can be applied to the domain of human interactions, including various healing relationships such as family therapy. This paper shows how their theoretical ideas fit into family therapy thinking and practices, particularly from a social constructionist perspective.