Origin, trends and articulation of african philosophy 3 origin, trends and articulation of african philosophy 3 on february 18, 2011 12. Histories, anthologies, introductions to african philosophy, journals, and websites conclusion. Oruka of nairobi university and it is a trend subscribed by many contemporary philosophers mostly in eastern africa and other parts of africa. It is accessible and handy to a wider range of readers, ranging from educators and students of african philosophy, anthropology, african studies, cultural studies, and all those concerned with the further development of. The first chapter critically evaluates the six trends of african philosophy as suggested by oruka. Pdf henry odera oruka and the question of methodology in. Trends and issues in african philosophy researchgate. One particular subject that many african philosophers have written about.
The purpose of this paper is to present a commentary on the current state of. Origin, trends and articulation of african philosophy 3. African philosophy is not so much an area or topic within philosophy as it is a set of culturally original questions about the full range of philosophical issues. Introduction to african philosophy pls1502 unisa studocu. There is no drastic distinction between man and nature. The late kenyan philosopher, henry odera oruka, identified six schools of thought on what african philosophy is or could be, namely, ethnophilosophy, philosophic sagacity, nationalisticideological philosophy, professional philosophy, hermeneutic philosophy, and artistic or literary philosophy. Pdf the nature and praxis of african philosophy researchgate. 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.
Odera orukas four trends in african philosophy and their implications for education in africa oswell hapanyengwichemhuru thought and practice. These ideologies are basic substances of african philosophy and african literature. This module outlines the development of african philosophy in the 20th century, a discourse that hinges on the following questions. Contemporary african social and political philosophy is rooted in the daily lives of african people, and it expresses itself through multiple modalities including, for example, art, religion, literature, music and the policy of urbanization of african cities. Pdf odera orukas four trends in african philosophy and their. An annotated bibliography of the recent studies on african philosophy.
List of books and articles about african philosophy. On the one hand, readers are introduced to various trends as distinguished by different authors, and on the other, they are given an idea of debates on issues raised by such classifications. Many readers and anthologies, introductions, and other paedagogical publications have. The sage philosophy project began in the mid1970s at the department of philosophy of the university of nairobi kenya. 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. While the second is branded as philosophic sagacity, the third trend is nationalistideological philosophy. American philosophy argues that philosophy should be useful, kaag tells the story of his discovery of a priceless library that had belonged to a now mostly forgotten american philosopher and he uses the books in the library as springboards to discussions of the ideas of thinkers such as emerson and william james. For the sophists, it would be questioning the foundations of traditional religion, morality and. African philosophy is the philosophical discourse produced by indigenous africans and their descendants, including african americans.
Consequently, it utilizes interview, discussion and dialogue. Africana philosophy stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. Department of philosophy and religious studies, kogi state university anyigba, nigeria. 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. The african philosophy reader peace palace library. This paper examines the contribution of henry odera oruka, a kenyan philosopher. The study is premised on famed kenyan philosopher, odera henry oruka. Pdf a short history of african philosophy semantic scholar. Methodology, african philosophy, philosophic sagacity. It is meant to convey the african roots of a system that is itself african in its characteristics.
Project muse african philosophy and thought systems. On studocu you find all the study guides, past exams and lecture notes for this course. In the phrase african socialism, the word african is not introduced to describe a continent to which a foreign ideology is to be transplanted. The call for papers prior to the conference asked for presenters that were a passionate about philosophy and b. An introduction to the history, concepts and contemporary issues. Nov 2016 and jun 2016 10 marks answer from the exam pack. How to use african philosophy to solve problems essay example. The african philosophy reader peace palace library, the. The present paper shows the very truth how philosophy matters in african literature. Pdf odera orukas four trends in african philosophy and. African philosophers may be found in the various academic fields of philosophy, such as metaphysics, epistemology, moral philosophy, and political philosophy. Introduction the past three or more decades have witnessed a deluge of works on the twin quest to know whether african philosophy exists and what its nature consists of.
For briefer overviews on current topics and trends in african philosophy, see the work of ochieng odhiambo 2010 and anoka 2012. In the last four decades, there has been a lively debate regarding the nature and status of african philosophy. It deals with metaphysics, epistemology, axiology, and methodology, as well as with the problems and opportunities of intercultural philosophizing. The kenyan philosopher henry odera oruka distinguishes what he calls four trends in african philosophy. This a 2007 version of a study guide the unisa philosophy dept has used to introduce to students since 2007. The concept ubuntu is a focal point in african philosophy, which cannot just be reduced to tradition practices. An introduction to the main philosophical trends in contemporary africa. Contemporary african social and political philosophy. Ebscohost serves thousands of libraries with premium essays, articles and other content including odera orukas four trends in african philosophy and their implications for education in africa. Pdf introduction to african philosophy study guide. Zeverin emagalit finds four trends in the present african 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.
Views of some of the bestknown african philosophers, such as kwasi wiredu, paulin hountondji, h. In this paper, i engage in a critical discussion of francophone african philosophy focusing on its history, the influences, and emerging trends. Trends in african philosophy, philosophy of education, henry odera oruka. Chapter 2 deals with trends in african philosophy from two perspectives. The book aims to generate more insights and influence national, continental, and global debates in the field of philosophy. Anglophone african philosophy is the philosophy of the previously english colonial countries in the african continent whereas is the philosophy of the previously. Studying pls1502 introduction to african philosophy at university of south africa. The paper first gives an outline of various approaches to african philosophy proposed by african philosophers. This philosophical trend is a creation of professor odera h. African philosophy instils decent values in people and teaches us to love our neighbours and that we have a duty towards them.
Hountondji, philosophy can be regarded as the most selfconscious of disciplines. Current trends and perspectives in african philosophy a. A companion to african philosophy edited by kwasi wiredu. The african ubuntu philosophy a person is a person through other persons. In this philosophical trend, sages get the status of formal community thinkers. In fact it would be more realistic to call them candidates for the position of african philosophy, with the understanding that more than one of them. These trends confirm that african philosophy is more than traditions, culture or ubuntu.
What are the specific qualities that distinguish it from western philosophy. On a general note, the thrust or focus of this paper is an attempt at identifying the nature of african. The four philosophical trends identified by oruka are, thus. African sage philosophy stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. African sage philosophy internet encyclopedia of philosophy. A journal of the philosophical association of kenya 5 2. In orukas method, african philosophy is conceived as a joint venture and product of both the ancient traditional and modern african philosophers. 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.
African philosophy is a technique to adjust ones life, which is focused on a western way of existence. It is intended to be used with a textbook it was written for published in 2002 under oxford university press as philosophy from africa. African philosophy essays essays and papers online. O hapanyengwi odera orukas four trends and their implications. Odera oruka, four trends in current african philosophy. African philosophy enables one to enquire about the importance of tradition and the values they equip an individual with. A crosscultural approach to classical and contemporary issues philosophy and the human situation richard h. On the existence and nonexistence of african philosophy. This is a vital text for understanding contextual historical trends in the development of african philosophic ideas on the continent and how africans could possibly navigate the turbulent catadromous waters, tangled webs and chasms of destruction, and chagrin of struggles that have engrossed africa. Especially the black african manual labourers thought of having nothing between their.
Nov 2016 and jun 2016 10 marks answer from the exam pack language is an important component in the study of philosophy. It is language that characterises the philosophy of many countries in the world today. Place, deleuze and guattari, and african philosophy by janz, bruce b philosophy today, vol. The fourth and fifth chapters offer a critique of the concept of person and african socialism respectively. She thus contextualizes the trends in african philosophy in relation to the.
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 student of philosophy who takes a course in african philosophy for the first time may be shocked by the fact that an extensive amount of literature on african philosophy is devoted to the polemic surrounding the issue of the existence. This paper is an attempt to survey although in a critical. At the university, henry odera oruka 19441995 popularized the term sage philosophy project, and closely related terms such as philosophic sagacity, both by initiating a project of interviewing african sages, and by naming this project. This enterprise is informed by the conviction that philosophy of education, while it deals with some issues that are peculiar to education, can benefit immensely from other philosophical discourses. Oswell hapanyengwichemhuru, odera orukas four trends in. The specific concept of narrative in african philosophy and its value for crosscultural understanding will surface often and be developed in several ways throughout the book. The first four are the generally well known and well explained schools of african philosophy. Basically, there are four trends that can be regarded as the core of african contemporary philosophy in our present times. This book provides an excellent orientation to, and a logical development of, the major trends and issues that have dominated discussions in african philosophy since the publication of placide tempels bantu philosophy in 1945.
Mogobe ramoses two papers are most instructive in this regard. Odera orukas four trends in african philosophy and their. How, in your opinion, did tempels contribute to the development of african philosophy. In this article, we seek to reflect on the implications of the four trends on education in africa. Key words trends in african philosophy, philosophy of education, henry odera oruka the late kenyan philosopher, henry odera oruka, identified six schools of thought on what african philosophy is or could be, namely, ethnophilosophy, philosophic sagacity, nationalisticideological philosophy, professional philosophy, hermeneutic philosophy, and artistic or literary philosophy. African philosophy essaysone of the foundations of the african concept of harmony and peace rests upon the basic african cultural worldview of the philosophy of participation and integration. Pls1502 introduction to african philosophy gimmenotes. Ogotemelli is a sage who is interviewed by marcel and the result is the philosophy of religion of the dogan people. Professor peter bodunrins paper the question of african philosophy philosophy 55 1981 161179 has, as it were, become the first question for most african scholars, teachers or. Key words trends in african philosophy, philosophy of education, henry odera oruka.
8 1113 446 901 305 370 71 632 468 721 1068 1579 701 167 549 1541 790 1145 769 448 1396 128 302 528 823 501 291 1198 140 572 48 371 241 596 169 403 1462 139 1166 760