Odera oruka, four trends in current african philosophy. Odera orukas four trends in african philosophy and their. My interest in what follows is to discuss the contemporary situation as revealed in research publications on substantive issues. Nyerere 1968, 1968a, for example, had done in forming their politicalphilosophical positions what oruka calls ideological trends, all with different. 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 in. Nonwestern philosophical communities are becoming more prominent in the global philosophical sphere, and the problems nonwestern philosophers analyse, the solutions they put forward, and the ideas they inject into world philosophy are coming to center stage. Anyanwus philosophical significance of myth and symbol. The african experience in the american market place a scaring indictment of western scholars and their distortion of african culture. Contemporary philosophy is the present period in the history of western philosophy beginning at the early 20th century with the increasing professionalization of the discipline and the rise of analytic and continental philosophy the phrase contemporary philosophy is a piece of technical terminology in philosophy that refers to a specific period in the history of western philosophy namely. In this regard our effort is historical, in the sense that we feel the urge to begin to document the movement of ideas that culminated into african philosophy as tension on the debate about the existence of african philosophy is gradually cooling down today. Thus, it raises questions on what it entails for a given idea to be termed african philosophy. The earliest histories were mostly stories of disastersfloods, famines, and plaguesor of wars, including the statesmen and generals who figured in them. A companion to african philosophy edited by kwasi wiredu.
Trends in african philosophy, philosophy of education, henry odera oruka. O hapanyengwi odera orukas four trends and their implications. In this paper, i engage in a critical discussion of francophone african philosophy focusing on its history, the influences, and emerging trends. He argues that much of modern africana thought emerged out of. Pdf odera orukas four trends in african philosophy and their.
An introduction to africana philosophy in this book lewis r. Contemporary philosophy is the present period in the history of western philosophy beginning at the early 20th century with the increasing professionalization of the discipline and the rise of analytic and continental philosophy. In 2008, i became the founding editorinchief of the new series of thought and practice. Dec 29, 2015 african philosophy is philosophy produced by african people, philosophy which presents african worldviews, or philosophy that uses distinct african philosophical methods. However, african philosophy is african system of world views.
It was a project started in the 1970s in an attempt to preserve the knowledge of the indigenous thinkers in traditional african communities. African philosophy is used in different ways by different philosophers. 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. I hope to show through a few snapshots of current research that despite the controversy, much has been done on substantive african philosophy. A crosscultural approach to classical and contemporary issues in. Some scholars think that the answer to the question of authentic african philosophy is in the method of writing and presenting african philosophy. Pdf in the opinion of some philosophers, african philosophy, visavis western. 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. We would not know how to think, or walk, or speak, or behave as human beings unless we learned it from other human beings. Pdf introduction to african philosophy study guide. Current trends and perspectives in african philosophy.
Views of some of the bestknown african philosophers, such as kwasi wiredu, paulin hountondji, h. This trend implicitly rejects a holistic approach to african philosophy. What challenges do the emergent views and trends in african. An introduction to the main philosophical trends in contemporary africa attempt to excavate the philosophical elements in folklore and myth. Liberation and postcolonial african philosophy 36 african humanism and socialism postcolonial african thought the question of race 4. What is here called crosscultural understanding is itself a kind of compara. 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.
Basically, there are four trends that can be regarded as the core of african contemporary philosophy in our present times. Philosophy and studies, coeditor of quest, african philosophy and africana philosophy. The fourth and fifth chapters offer a critique of the concept of person and african socialism respectively. While the second is branded as philosophic sagacity, the third trend is nationalistideological philosophy. The paper concentrates on its panoramic presentation, evoking main trends and suggesting new debates and challenges. Its emphasized that one of the main trends in the development of african philosophy in the contemporary world is the search for african identity, ideas of african renaissance. Henry odera oruka 1 june 1944, nyanza province 9 december 1995, nairobi was a kenyan philosopher who is best known for sage philosophy. Issues and trends in contemporary african politics.
But there has been a change of focus in the last few years. In this article, we seek to reflect on the implications of the four trends on education in africa. What are the current trends in contemporary philosophy. African philosophy approach argues argument authors bantu beliefs bodunrin called. New approaches is the result of several years of reassessing african literature from multiple perspectives, including the interdisciplinary, ethical, and scholarpoet traditions. African sage philosophy stanford encyclopedia of philosophy.
This part of the book examines globalization and how it continues to transform philosophy. In orukas method, african philosophy is conceived as a joint venture and product of both the ancient traditional and modern african philosophers. This article focuses on african philosophy issues, ideas and the major trends of its development in the contemporary world. While literature generally has always been informed by other disciplines, more than ever before it now carries so many is. For political and moral philosophy you might take a look at t. Oruka believed, as he explains in trends in contemporary african philosophy pp. This is because it is within african philosophy that an african epistemology is subsumed. Hountondji, philosophy can be regarded as the most selfconscious of disciplines. In view of the ubuntu philosophy, the chapter also discusses external factors that. Isbn 9780815381662 download download pdf download download pdf. The first four are the generally well known and well explained schools of african philosophy. This enterprise is informed by the conviction that philosophy of education, while it deals with some issues that are peculiar to education, can benefit.
The meaning and nature of african philosophy in a globalising. There had been a divisionback in the sixties and seventies as to whether the task of african philosophy should. Consequently, it utilizes interview, discussion and dialogue. It is also a reflection on african worldviews by both africans and nonafricans. In 2008, i became the founding editor in chief of the new series of thought and practice. Csr, which are deeply entrenched in african ubuntu cultural systems. The first chapter critically evaluates the six trends of african philosophy as suggested by oruka. Foundations of modern african philosophy 21 ethnophilosophy and the negritude movement critical, scientific philosophy sage philosophy 3. The paper first gives an outline of various approaches to african philosophy proposed by african philosophers. Chapter 2 deals with trends in african philosophy from two perspectives. Contemporary african social and political philosophy.
History of african philosophy internet encyclopedia of. African philosophers may be found in the various academic fields of philosophy, such as metaphysics, epistemology, moral philosophy, and political philosophy. African philosophy is philosophy produced by african people, philosophy which presents african worldviews, or philosophy that uses distinct african philosophical methods. Africana philosophy stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. An introduction to the main philosophical trends in contemporary africa. Major trends in historical thought and writing page7 historians have also studied new social classes. Certitude and doubt, a study guide in epistemology. Recent trends in global philosophy oxford handbooks. Definition of african philosophy essay pls1502 unisa. Contemporary african philosophers attempt to rethink the initial problems that. In the last four decades, there has been a lively debate regarding the nature and status of african philosophy. 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 social and political philosophy is an important field of research.
African diasporic consciousness in the afroarabic world of the middle ages. May 28, 2019 the answer depends on your specific interests. Bello is a senior lecturer in philosophy at the university of ibadan. Definition of african philosophy introduction philosophy is derived from greek meaning love of wisdom he also corroborates osuagwu s factors on the africanity of. The african ubuntu philosophy a person is a person through other persons.
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. 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. My interest in what follows is to discuss the contemporary situation as. African philosophy is an attempt by philosophers to make the folklores, myth, sooth sayings, religion, education, socio political organizations and other aspects of the african culture relevant to.
African philosophy is the philosophical discourse produced by indigenous africans and their descendants, including african americans. However, i have a special interest in political philosophy, ethics and philosophy of religion. This perception is the achilles heel of trends of african political philosophy. African philosophy has branched out to cover the philosophical activities of various groups. We will survey the trends in african philosophical thought. 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. This module outlines the development of african philosophy in the 20th century, a discourse that hinges on the following questions. The major trends in the development of african philosophy. Tempelssbantu philosophy 19451958, various trends in african philosophy have recognized the tremendous significance of the ogirisi.
The phrase contemporary philosophy is a piece of technical terminology in philosophy that refers to a specific. 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. The sage philosophy project began in the mid1970s at the department of philosophy of the university of nairobi kenya. What are the specific qualities that distinguish it from western philosophy. Current trends and perspectives in african philosophy a. The late kenyan philosopher, henry odera oruka, identified six schools of thought on what african philosophy is or could be, namely, ethnophilosophy.
Beginning the historical account from the 1920s, i examine the colonial discourses on racialism, and the various reactions generated leading to the negritude movement in francophone african intellectual history. Pdf odera orukas four trends in african philosophy and. 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. Peter bodunrin, who is one of the betterknown african contemporary. On a general note, the thrust or focus of this paper is an attempt at identifying the nature of african philosophy. Momohs the mythological question in african philosophy and k. The african philosophy reader peace palace library, the. African sage philosophy internet encyclopedia of philosophy. Approaches to african philosophy contemporary african philosophy poses a methodological problem, in view of the question of authentic african 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. The idea of an african philosophy of education has been much. The major trends in the development of african philosophy in. 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.
This paper questions this assumption and demonstrates that, as a human undertaking. Although african philosophers spend their time doing work in many different areas, such as metaphysics, epistemology, moral philosophy, and political philosophy, a great deal of the literature is taken up with a debate concerning the nature of african philosophy itself and if it in fact exists. One particular subject that many african philosophers have written about is that on the subject of. 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.
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