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Draft Paper prepared for presentation

26 Psychology of Mathematics Education Conference at the University of East Anglia,

Norwich, UK. July 21-26, 2002.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF DIALOGUE IN PROBLEM-SOLVING USING

MARTIN BUBER’S TRIAD - “I-THOU-WE”

C. Jotin Khisty

Professor of Civil Engineering

Dept. of Civil & Architectural Engineering

Illinois Institute of Technology

3210 South Dearborn Street

Chicogo, Illinois 60616-3793, USA.

ABSTRACT

This paper describes and discusses how Martin Buber’s profound and complex

interpretation of the relationship of the epoch-making triad, “I-Thou-We”, and the

process of dialogue stemming from this triad, were applied in teaching senior-level

undergraduate and graduate courses in problem-solving and design. In Buber’s classic

work, dialogue takes on a multi-faceted meaning, looking far beyond the conventional

ideas of conversational parlance and exchange. The purpose of dialogue is both to

question and to reconcile a wide spectrum of human experiences, from the abstract and

the concrete to the crisp and the fuzzy. Dialogue, a semiotic process of mutual give and

take, is by definition, open-ended, continuous, and tentative. It explores rather than settles

questions and allows for a participatory mode, reflecting the insights of persons at that

moment. This paper synthesizes the use of dialogue through several strands of inquiry:

cybernetics, information science, learning, philosophy, semiosis, and systems thinking.

Our class-room experience demonstrated that the applications of authentic dialogue led to

better understanding of the subject matter, minimized the level of mistrust, led to greater

cooperation and participation, improved working relationships, led to a sense of identity,

and above all, resulted in “wholeness” and systemicity.

INTRODUCTION

Over the years it has been well established that the development and use of problem

solving and design abilities are a prerequisite for completing any type of

mathematics/science-based instructional program, such as a bachelor’s degree in

engineering (Goodson, 1981). Problem solving and project designing use the systems

approach for decision-making. This approach invariably tackles the basic question: How

can we choose the best course of action, taking into account the goals and objectives we

th

are trying to achieve and the constraints that limit our actions by such factors as time,

labor, money, and the policies set by the government or by the market. Basically, this

information-based approach is a form of means-end analysis using a vast array of tools

drawn from disciplines as diverse as economics, mathematics, operations research,

planning, and psychology (Khisty & Khisty 1998; Khisty & Lall 1998; Khisty &

Mohammadi 2001). However, since problem solving and project designing involves co-

operative inquiry, one of the critical ingredients for such inquiry is the ability for students

to discuss, deliberate, debate, and dialogue with one another to find the “best” solution. In

essence, engineering students need to be communicators, not just ‘calculators’. The

objective of classroom exercises is naturally to prepare students for easy entry, after

graduation, to real-world practice, where teams of engineers, planners, and support staff

interact with clients and the public As an instructor, I value the way my students bring

meaning to engineering problem solving through their technical knowledge, and yet my

classroom experience indicates that the majority of students have great difficulty in

dialoging and deliberating with their peers and with their instructors to bring out the best

in design, unless a special effort is made by instructors to educate them about the use of

dialogue.

This paper describes and discusses my experience of introducing the practice of dialoging

and deliberation in the classroom by transcending the limitations imposed by the inherent

scientific and technical nature of engineering problem solving. More specifically, this

paper represents an ongoing exploratory classroom investigation of the relevance and

significance of Martin Buber’s classic work, “I and Thou” (1958), along with his other

related writings, in which he sets forth his stunning insights concerning the value of

dialogue as an essential aspect of the human spirit. To whom does Buber speak?

Naturally, to every one who cares to listen: the teacher, the student, the philosopher, the

change agent, the underdog, indeed to anybody who wishes to set up a relationship of

response, immediacy, and spontaneity between themselves and others.

Unfortunately, Buber’s philosophy is not easy to understand, and many find his work

obscure, ambiguous, and difficult to unravel and interpret. To set his ideas for application

to the classroom, I have drawn on the work of several other philosophers and thinkers for

clarifying such issues as logical positivism, semiotics, and dialogue. The nature of

engineering problem solving and design in the framework of the means-ends context is

taken up next, followed by the significance of Buber’s philosophy described in four sub-

sections: the ‘I-Thou-We’ relation, the meaning of dialogue, the place of education, and

the encounter on the ‘narrow ridge’. Finally, I discuss my classroom experience,

providing key learning pointers regarding dialogue and then summarize my results.

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THE PATH FROM LOGICAL POSITIVISM TO SEMIOTICS AND DIALOGUE

Engineering education is primarily based on making scientific inquiry, acquiring

scientific knowledge, and using technical rationality. As a design profession, engineering

is a prescriptive science, with the goal of converting an existing situation to a preferred

one.