Cover of The Paideia Archive: Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy
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Displaying: 1-7 of 7 documents


1. The Paideia Archive: Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy: Volume > 23
Innocent I. Asouzu Science and African Metaphysics: A Search for Direction
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If one takes the African situation as a case study, one finds that serious efforts are made for the sake of scientific progress and exploration. However, the results attained are not comparable to the energy expended. Lack of progress is often attributed to faulty policy formation and execution on the part of African leaders and governments. This essay attempts to shed light on the source of this problem. The heuristic principle I follow holds that the metaphysical preconditioning of consciousness leads us to approach sensory data in particular ways and, furthermore, influences both our formulation of problems and possible solutions. I note the lapses in African metaphysics and sketch an alternate metaphysics which I hope will inaugurate a new African system of thought.
2. The Paideia Archive: Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy: Volume > 23
Zekeh S. Gbotokuma Polygyny in Africa: A Male’s Post-Original Sin or Rejection of the Primeval Monogyny and A rmation of Sexual Inequality
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Whereas numerous African creation myths are supportive of cultural practices such as circumcision, there are very few, if any, creation myths that justify polygyny. There are many proverbs about polygamy. However, proverbs do not have the same weight as myths in explaining why certain things should be the way they are. African creation myths suggest that monogyny was the original practice not only among creator-gods, but also among the original humans. The pursuit of immortality through procreation is noble. Nevertheless, its achievement through polygyny discriminate against women. So, polygyny is a sexist cultural practice that has no genuine religious basis. It is a "post-original" sin as well as a culturally and morally controversial issue. It undermines the original gender equality. Consequently, it should be dismantled through education, commitment to and enforcement of human rights laws.
3. The Paideia Archive: Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy: Volume > 23
Anke Graness Das Projekt einer globalen Ethik und die afrikanische Philosophie
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Die Frage nach einer globalen Ethik stellt sich heute verschärft unfgrund der neuen Qualität gegenseitiger Abhängigkeit der einzelnen Staaten und Regionen beruhend auf einer eng verknüpften Weltwirtschaft und dem weltumspannenden Netz modernen Kommunikationssysteme. Diese Verknüpfung zeigt sich am deutlichsten in der Vernetzung transnationaler Konzerne, deren Produktionsstätten nicht mehr an nationale Territorien gebunden sind. Die Entstehung einer globalen Interdependenz hängt jedoch nicht nur mit ökonomischen Entwicklungen oder der neuen Effizienz der Kommunikationstechniken zusammen, sondern auch mit der in diesem Jahrhundert entstandenen Möglichkeit einer ökologischen oder militärischen Selbstzerstörung der Erde durch den Menschen.
4. The Paideia Archive: Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy: Volume > 23
Teodoros Kiros The Meditations of Zara Yaquob
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Claude Sumner was the first English-speaking scholar to introduce the thoughts of Zara Yaquob to the philosophical world. Sumner undertook the arduous task of comparing Zara Yaquob with Descartes on methods of thinking. For Sumner, modern philosophy began in Ethiopia with Zara Yaquob at the same time as in England and France. In what follows, I will compare Descartes and Yaquob as well.
5. The Paideia Archive: Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy: Volume > 23
Dirk J. Louw Ubuntu: An African Assessment of the Religious Other
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The decolonization of Africa, of which the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa is the most recent example, has led to a greater recognition of the wide variety of religions practising on its soil. When confronted with this plurality, and the corresponding plurality of claims to truth or credibility, believers often resort to absolutism. The absolutist evaluates the religious other in view of criteria which violate the self-understanding of the latter. The religious other is thus being colonized by a hegemony (i.e., an enforced homogeneity) of norms and values. This paper deals with an assessment of the faith of others which transcends absolutism without resorting to relativism. More specifically, it aims to show that an African philosophy and way of life called ‘Ubuntu’ (humanness) significantly overlaps with such a ‘decolonized’ assessment of the religious other, and that this assessment can therefore also be explained, motivated or underscored with reference to the concept of Ubuntu.
6. The Paideia Archive: Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy: Volume > 23
Moses Akin Makinde Whither Philosophy in Africa?
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This paper examines the position of philosophy in Africa from the time African and expatriate philosophers engaged in the debate on whether or not there was a uniquely African Philosophy. I argue that where this debate, prompted by the earlier writings of some colonial anthropologists, was going on, there was serious teaching, although not writing, of Western Philosophy. Major writings focused on the African Philosophy question. However, positive work was done after the publication of positive work on African Philosophy, leading to the abandonment of serious publication on Western Philosophy. In spite of this, the presence of expatriate staff in many departments of philosophy between 1975 and 1984 led to great expectations of the discipline on the African continent, as shown in my published work in 1987. Unfortunately, philosophy in Africa has been deteriorating since the end of the 1980's due to neglect and lack of funding by military governments (e.g., Nigeria). In addition to the bad economic situation which led to an exodus of prominent philosophers from Africa to the West, pioneering philosophers have retired and died. These unfortunate developments leave a bleak future for philosophy in Africa, as there may be no experienced philosophers to supervise undergraduate students, leaving a lack of viable replacements for the older philosophers. While resolution of this problem appears difficult, this paper is written in hope that the World Congress might intervene to counteract this desperate situation.
7. The Paideia Archive: Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy: Volume > 23
Gail Presbey Who Counts as a Sage?: Problems in the Further Implementation of Sage Philosophy
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With the recent death of Prof. H. Odera Oruka, founder of the ‘sage philosophy’ school of research based at the University of Nairobi, there is a need to look at some now-problematic issues. I suggest that the original impetus for starting the sage philosophy project-the defense against Euro-American skeptics who thought Africans incapable of philosophizing-has been outgrown. The present need for studies of African sages is to benefit from their wisdom, both in Africa and around the world. I also suggest that the title ‘sage’ has to be problematized. While there were good reasons to focus earlier on rural elders as overlooked wise philosophers, the emphasis now should be on admiring philosophical thought wherever it may be found—in women, youth, and urban Africans as well. In such a way, philosophy will be further relevant to people’s lives, and further light will be shed and shared regarding the lived experience in Africa.