From Above and the Deep: Decision as the First Phase of Action

This chapter explores Martin Buber’s concept of decision (Entscheidung). Section “(1)” presents decision as an essential feature of action, and as its first and most fundamental phase. Section “(2)” delves into Buber’s foundational distinction between pseudo decisions and true ones. Following this, sections “(3) and (4)” introduce two key resources necessary for making a true decision: revelation and human conscience, with section “(5)” detailing their interplay. In section “(6)”, Buber’s distinction between true and pseudo decisions is juxtaposed with Ullman-Margalit and Morgenbesser’s distinction between picking and choosing. The objective of unpacking Buber’s concept of decision is to facilitate and elucidate the linkage between Buber’s concepts of dialogue and action. The chapter concludes by teasing out the emergent link.