Africanafricana philosophy bibliography philpapers. The african ubuntu philosophy a person is a person through other persons. A critical study of the major orientations in contemporary african philosophy. The debate surrounding its existence is, as stated by kenyan philosopher masolo, defined by western discourse on africa and the african response 1. History of african philosophy internet encyclopedia of philosophy. The african philosophy of ubuntu in south african education article pdf available in studies in philosophy and education 11. African philosophy in the twentieth century has not tended to cluster in schools, apart from those which trace their heritage back to the forms of philosophy brought by colonial powers or inculcated by the graduate schools of particular african philosophers. The problem of language in contemporary african philosophy. An introduction to african politics, this course will provide for its participants a general survey of the main issues regarding politics in the continent. Available literature and academic practice in african philosophy since the 1960s have largely featured discourses in the areas of origin, general meaning and nature of the discipline, with little attention given to. In the following pages i have confined myself in the main to those problems of philosophy in regard to which i thought it possible to say something positive and constructive, since merely negative criticism seemed out of place.
We are indeed blessed to have ezes wideranging and magnificent anthology. Major themes include african oral traditions, reactions to the depredations of colonialism and enslavement, political philosophy and philosophy of race developed in the twentieth century, and the emergence of africana thought within academia. Journal of african philosophy, culture and religions 3 1. Hountondji attacks a myth popularized by ethnophilosophers such as placide tempels and alexis kagame that there is an indigenous, collective african philosophy separate and distinct from the western philosophical tradition. Africana philosophy is the name for an emergent and still developing field of ideas and ideaspaces, intellectual endeavors, discourses, and discursive networks within and beyond academic philosophy that was recognized as such by national and international organizations of professional philosophers, including the american philosophical association, starting in the 1980s. A short history of african philosophy peace palace library. Steve kquofi andpeace amate from the university of science and technology in kumasi, ghana, carried out a study. May 28, 2017 the idea of an african philosophy is still controversial with many within academia denying its existence andor its possibility to exist. In discussing african culture and values, we are not presupposing that all african.
An african philosophy of education offers a discourse to address the continents many problems. On being human waghid, 2014, a defense is offered for the notion. African philosophy is the philosophical discourse produced by indigenous africans and their descendants, including african americans. Bodunrin argues that the quest for african philosophy is an attempt to meet the challenges created by the colonial situa tion, the denigration of africans as. The african worldview that informs an african philosophy of history is summed up in the concepts of dynamism, lifeforce, and muntumankind comprehending the dead, the living, and yet unborn. Oyeshile department of philosophy, university of ibadan, ibadan, nigeria introduction the definition of philosophy has remained a perennial philosophical problem and there is little agreement as to what it is. The main objective of this paper is to examine african culture and values. Community and justice 58 persons, individualism, and communalism suffering and injustice poverty and human development 5. Firstly, ehtnic philosophy also defined as the philosophy of africa, consists of religious and moral beliefs and contains peoples view of life and the experience of. African philosophy general the basics of philosophy. African philosophy of education is action as it points to doing or enacting an activity with some morally worthwhile purpose or just action. In this respect it is like other areas of applied philosophy, such as the philosophy of law, the philosophy of science, and the philosophy of medicine.
The dominant debate on the conceptual and theoretical purchase of the notion of african identity since the 1970s to the present 2016 has been between the essentialist and antiessentialist views of african. We would not know how to think, or walk, or speak, or behave as human beings unless we learned it from other human beings. An african philosophy of history for african unity. Liberation and postcolonial african philosophy 36 african humanism and socialism postcolonial african thought the question of race 4. Free essays on disadvantages of african philosophy. African solutions for african problems has lately been the boast of the continent since it found its voice and some muscle to attempt to confront its problems.
In this incisive, original exploration of the nature and future of african philosophy, paulin j. He argues that much of modern africana thought emerged out of. This a 2007 version of a study guide the unisa philosophy dept has used to introduce to students since 2007. This view is held by placide tempels 1959 who explicitly argues that the. For this reason, theory of knowledge occupies a larger space than metaphysics in the present volume, and some. Steve kquofi and peace amate from the university of science and technology in kumasi, ghana, carried out a study on the significance of akan proverbs. Again if an african had to do philosophy, especially philosophy of education he philosophy pathways issue 212 31st may 2017. The main problem that this paper is intended to advance is that africa is regarded by some people as having not had any form of. As an epistemological problem, it persists among the philosophers from the past down to the present. A modern contemporary african philosopher by the name, tsenay serequeberhan teaching african philosophy at hampshire college once remarked that when he told students and the faculty there that he was teaching african philosophy, they were shocked and raised eyebrows by asking if such a thing like african philosophy ever existed at all. Several authors have provided useful introductions of ubuntu in the field of business ethics.
How can african philosophy be sensitive to the traditional worldviews of african. The second edition of this book is a celebration of the success that the department of. Philosophy, a discipline as old as the human faculty of reason has its thrust on the good life for man. Proverbs in africa are wise philosophical expressions, generally short and sometimes very funny, yet the messages they carry are deep. Africana philosophy history of philosophy without any gaps. Philosophy at the university of south africa has had with its efforts to. An introduction to african philosophy samuel oluoch imbo.
Furthermore, it is the subjectmatter that determines its own methods anyanwu 1989, 5. African indigenous education was a lifelong process of learning where by a person progressed through predetermined stages of life of graduation from cradle to grave. African identity to theorize and imagine sociopolitical and cultural freedom of the formerly colonized. Themes, issues and problems in african philosophy isaac e. An introduction to africana philosophy in this book lewis r. African cosmology and the duality of western hegemony. Areas covered range from political system types, political economies, and political cultures of diverse. Pdf the african philosophy of ubuntu in south african. African philosophy and the challenge from hegemonic. The concept ubuntu is a focal point in african philosophy, which cannot just be reduced to tradition practices.
It starts by attempting a common definition of the word person and proceeds to show that the concept of person in african thinking is taken to be in contradistinction to the western concept. One particular subject that many african philosophers have written about is that on the subject of. Teaching 10 weeks teaching with 3 contact hours per week 2 hours lecture and 1 hour tutorial. Free essays on disadvantages of african philosophy through. African diasporic consciousness in the afroarabic world of the middle ages. The once acrimonious debate on the existence of african philosophy has come of age, yet the need to cultivate a culture of belonging is more demanding now than ever before in many african societies. A case study of nkusukumekumfienyan area of the central region. Part one, which is the introduction to african philosophy of education, and its entitled towards a framework of thinking. A companion to african philosophy edited by kwasi wiredu. Quizlet flashcards, activities and games help you improve your grades. My knowledge about african philosophy is limited to the south african concept of ubuntu, which is a teaching of interconnectedness. African philosophy many of the greatest thinkers of the modern era, including david hume, immanuel kant, and thomas jefferson, considered africans and their descendants to be so intellectually handicapped as to make them philosophical invalids, incapable of moral and scientific reasoning.
Development and the african philosophical debate ecommons. The problem centres on whether or not african languages can be used in doing contemporary african philosophy, where doing means teaching, writing and researching. In a previous work, entitled african philosophy of education. Odera orukas four trends in african philosophy and their. Student revolt, decolonisation and governance in south africa. Understanding the essence of ubuntu the african philosophy. The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and cultural values on christian muslim relations in ghana from 1920 through the present. John murungi, an introduction to african legal philosophy. Africana philosophy is the name for an emergent and still developing field of ideas and ideaspaces, intellectual endeavors, discourses, and discursive networks within and beyond academic philosophy that was recognized as such by national and international organizations of professional philosophers, including the american philosophical. Its ambitious effort will serve well all those interested in african studies and students and specialists of philosophy in general. African philosophy is the philosophical discourse produced by indigenous africans and their. In terms of reference works, the new routledge encyclopedia of philosophy has good entries on african philosophy. African philosophy is a disputed term, partly because it is not clear if it refers to philosophies with a specifically african theme or context such as distinctively african perceptions of time, personhood, etc.
D faculty of arts department of philosophy university of uyo, uyo abstract. Reflective action involves an identification of major problems on the african continent. The philosophy of education is janusfaced, looking both inward to the parent discipline of philosophy and outward to educational practice. In any philosophical discussion the world knowledge occupies a very important, rather the central place. However, implicit in the slogan is the notion that some problems are african problems which must be left to africans to solve. Department of philosophy, national university of lesotho advice viriri is currently the chairperson and senior lecturer in the department of african languages and culture at midlands state university in zimbabwe. Mar 26, 2018 living in a country with free religion choice, in southamerica, i have had the chance to see african philosophy alive and moving in many religious centres. Yet, as argued in the present article, authentic african philosophy. Philosophy of education, philosophical reflection on the nature, aims, and problems of education. The gargantuan indelible energised chicanery waves of neocolonialism and globalisation and their sweeping effect on africa demand more concerted. In terms of books, works by the following authors, in addition to the names mentioned earlier, are readily available.
The african philosophy of ubuntu is typically characterised as a communitarian philosophy that emphasises virtues such as compassion, tolerance and harmony. It also revolves around the question of the extent to which words and concepts in use in traditions of philosophy outside africa can be translated into indigenous african. It is intended to be used with a textbook it was written for published in 2002 under oxford university press as philosophy from africa. The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and. African philosophy is a technique to adjust ones life, which is focused on a western way of existence. The second chapter outlines the concept of person in african philosophy. The meaning and nature of african philosophy in a globalising world international journal of humanities social sciences and education ijhsse page 88 philosophy would be nothing more than asking and offering rational explanations of the universe. Pdf introduction to african philosophy study guide. Africana is a more inclusive term for scholarship related to both africa and the diaspora. Prior to colonialism, african philosophies of education were localized to meet the immediate needs of the native community. What are the main characteristics of african philosophy.
The book claims that african legal philosophy exists and is intelligible in the context of african culture, just as every other legal philosophy has its cultural foundation. These include famine, hunger, poverty, abuse, violence and exclusion of the other. African philosophy instils decent values in people and teaches us to love our neighbours and that we have a duty towards them. Available literature and academic practice in african philosophy since the 1960s have largely featured discourses in the areas of origin, general meaning and nature of the discipline, with little attention given to specialized areas. Political instability in africa where the problem lies and.
After these two europeans, africans began to attain maturation. The late kenyan philosopher, henry odera oruka, identified six schools of thought on what african philosophy is or could be, namely, ethno philosophy, philosophic sagacity, nationalisticideological philosophy, professional philosophy, hermeneutic philosophy, and artistic or literary philosophy. African sage philosophy is the name now commonly given to the body of thought produced by persons considered wise in african communities, and more specifically refers to those who seek a rational foundation for ideas and concepts used to describe and view the world by critically examining the justification of those ideas and concepts. This paper examines the concept and philosophy of african traditional religion from the viewpoint of africans. Aime cesaire, john mbiti, odera oruka, julius nyerere, leopold senghor, nnamdi azikiwe. It is a traditional african philosophy that offers us an understanding of ourselves in relation with the world. According to ubuntu, there exists a common bond between us all and it is through this bond, through our interaction with our fellow human beings, that we discover our own human qualities.
Problems and challenges of conversation method 71 several factors, like personal sensitivity and commitment to certain problems of experience. This implies that african indigenous education was continuous throughout lifetime from childhood to oldage mushi 2009 defines african indigenous education as a process of passing. The meaning and nature of african philosophy in a globalising. It presents the worldview, philosophical nature and foundation of african traditional religion. His publications include beauty and culture and numerous articles. The south african studentworker uprisings in light of just war theory. Furthermore the notion that africa is a continent on drift is a view point that seems to confine africa to a static position where it. His research interests are in the areas of african literature, theatre, african philosophy, postcoloniality and feminism as theories. It also shows that the worship of god in african traditional religion is through sacrifices, offerings, singing, dancing and prayers. With this criticism hountondji started an ongoing debate about the status of african philosophy, the status and value of ethnophilosophy, and the position of placide tempels in african philosophy. It brings together some of the most stimulating texts of african, african american, afrocaribbean, and black european philosophy. The split of african philosophical thinking between the schools of ethnophilosophy and professional philosophy shows the involvement of philosophical issues in. The african philosophy reader peace palace library.
Philosophy and studies, coeditor of quest, african philosophy and africana philosophy. African philosophy and the method of ordinary language philosophy by gbenga fasiku department of philosophy obafemi awolowo university, ileife, nigeria. In what way can the universalist view of philosophy help africans to modernize. Submitted by francis acquah to the university of exeter as a thesis for the degree of doctor of philosophy in theology in december 2011. Samuel oluoch imbo synthesizes the ideas of key african philosophers into an accessible narrative. I use the term african to refer to scholarship that is specically concerned with the african continent and its cultures. African philosophy enables one to enquire about the importance of tradition and the values they equip an individual with. Ubuntu is based on acknowledgement of the environment, and the nonseparation of self and others. African philosophy distinguishable from nonafrican philosophical.
In the opinion of some philosophers, african philosophy, visavis western philosophy, african philosophy depicts no more than a particularist exemplar of the universal western philosophy. African sage philosophy stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. Africana philosophy stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. Themes, issues and problems in african philosophy isaac. African philosophy and the future of africa1 gerard walmsley the papers in this volume were all presented at a conference on african philosophy and the future of africa st augustine college of south africa, october 2007. What really matters to anyanwu is the formulation of the problem.
The call for papers prior to the conference asked for presenters that were a passionate about philosophy and b. Bello is a senior lecturer in philosophy at the university of ibadan. The result might be a philosophy which is, by definition, a proxy of western philosophy. African philosophers may be found in the various academic fields of philosophy, such as metaphysics, epistemology, moral philosophy, and political philosophy. What are the disadvantages of african philosophy answers. Organized topically rather than historically, this book provides an excellent introduction to the subject of african philosophy. In the realm of philosophy, empiricism arises as one of the theories regarding the sources of knowledge. In south africa, the notion of an african philosophy of education emerged with the advent of postapartheid education and the call for an educational philosophy that would reflect this renewal, a focus on africa and its cultures, identities and values, and the new imperatives for education in a postcolonial and postapartheid era. This volume provides the key to a deepened discourse on philosophy in africa. In recent years there has been growing interest in this philosophy, and in how it can be applied to a variety of disciplines and issues. What are the three advantages of using african philosophy. The course is taught in term 1 and focuses on philosophy in africa that is expressed in european languages. What law is, how it is thought, how it is interpreted, and how it is applied takes place with thing the parameters of african culture.
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