Abstract
African traditional philosophies are multiple bodies of living comprehensive knowledges which encapsulate holistic ways of knowing. In its cosmological sense, it’s the common thread which connects African peoples with their African roots. It encompasses an intergenerational ancestral connection between the living, the dead, and the unborn. It is a moral and ethical communal existence which is built upon notions of collective social responsibility to one’s clan, family, and community, their ancestors, and the Creator. From a spiritual point of view, it is about giving thanks to the Creator, to the ancestors, and to the environment. In essence, African philosophies are an everyday embodiment of Wisdom as a being who is connected to a greater purpose in life. In this chapter, I will articulate my understanding of what constitutes African philosophies as well as provide synopses of the current contemporary debates on Africa philosophies. I will then highlight the dis-positioning of African philosophies within Eurocentric institutions. I will conceptualize the foundation of African philosophies. After that I will engage in a discussion about African communalism.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Asante, K. M. (2000). The Egyptian Philosophers: Ancient African Voices from Imhotep to Akhenaten. Chicago: African American Images.
Asante, K. M., & Abarry, S. A. (1996). African Intellectual Heritage: A Book of Sources. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
Bernal, M. (1987). The Black Athena: The Fabrication of Ancient Greece, 1785–1985. New Jersey: Rutgers University Press.
Bodunrin, O. P. (1981). The Question of African Philosophy. Philosophy, 56(216), 167–179.
Gbadegesin, S. (2004). Toward a Theory of Destiny. In K. Wiredu (Ed.), A Companion to African Philosophy (pp. 313–323). Victoria: Blackwell Publishing.
Gyekye, K. (1987). An Essay on African Philosophical Thought. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
Gyekye, K. (2003). Person and Community in African Thought. Washington: The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy.
Masolo, D. A. (1994). African Philosophy in Search of Identity. Indiana: Indiana University Press.
Mbiti, J. S. (1969). African Religions and Philosophy. London: Heinemann.
Obenga, T. (2004). Egypt: Ancient History of African Philosophy. In K. Wiredu (Ed.), A Companion to African Philosophy (pp. 31–49). Victoria: Blackwell Publishing.
Oduyoye, A. M. (2001). Introducing African Women’s Theology. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press Ltd.
Oruka, O. H. (1990). Sage Philosophies: Indigenous Philosophies and Modern Debates on African Philosophies. Leiden: Brill.
Outlaw, L. (1997). African Philosophy. The Journal of Ethics, 1, 265–290.
Pearce, C. (1992). African Philosophy and the Sociological Thesis. Philosophy of the Social Sciences, 22(4), 440–460.
Venter, E. (2004). The Notion of Ubuntu and Communalism in African Educational Discourse. Studies in Philosophy and Education, 23(2/3), 149–160.
Wiredu, K. (2004). African Philosophy in Our Time. In K. Wiredu (Ed.), A Companion to African Philosophy (pp. 1–29). Victoria: Blackwell Publishing.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Ilmi, A.A. (2019). African Traditional Philosophies. In: Gender, Democracy and Institutional Development in Africa. Gender, Development and Social Change. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11854-9_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11854-9_2
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-11853-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-11854-9
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)