#African philosophy

[theneptunianmind]

[omegaphilosophia]

The Philosophy of Ubuntu

The philosophy of Ubuntu is a traditional African ethical and philosophical concept that emphasizes community, interconnectedness, and shared humanity. Originating from the Bantu languages of southern Africa, the term "Ubuntu" can be translated as "I am because we are" or "humanity towards others." It reflects the belief that an individual's identity and well-being are deeply rooted in their relationships with others and that the community's welfare is integral to the individual's welfare.

Key Concepts in the Philosophy of Ubuntu:

Interconnectedness:

Communal Identity: Ubuntu posits that individuals are intrinsically linked to their communities. A person is not seen as an isolated entity but as part of a larger social fabric. This interconnectedness means that one's actions affect others, and the community's well-being is vital to each individual's well-being.

Relational Ontology: The concept suggests that being human is fundamentally about relationships with others. One's existence and identity are defined through interaction and connection with other people.

Human Dignity and Respect:

Inherent Worth: Ubuntu emphasizes the inherent dignity of every human being. It advocates for treating others with respect, compassion, and empathy, recognizing that everyone shares a common humanity.

Mutual Respect: In Ubuntu, respect is not merely a social nicety but a fundamental ethical obligation. Treating others with dignity is seen as essential to maintaining harmony and community cohesion.

Collective Responsibility:

Shared Responsibility: Ubuntu promotes the idea that members of a community have a collective responsibility for each other’s welfare. This includes supporting those in need, resolving conflicts through dialogue and reconciliation, and fostering an environment where everyone can thrive.

Ethics of Care: The philosophy encourages an ethic of care, where individuals actively contribute to the well-being of others, understanding that their own well-being is tied to the community's overall health.

Social Harmony and Reconciliation:

Peace and Reconciliation: Ubuntu values social harmony and seeks to resolve conflicts through restorative rather than retributive justice. The goal is to restore relationships and repair the social fabric, often through forgiveness and reconciliation.

Consensus Building: Decision-making within an Ubuntu framework often involves consensus-building processes, where the views of all community members are considered, and solutions are sought that benefit the collective.

Solidarity and Cooperation:

Unity and Cooperation: Ubuntu emphasizes solidarity, cooperation, and unity among people. It encourages collaborative efforts in all aspects of life, from family and community to work and governance, with the understanding that collective action leads to greater success and fulfillment.

Generosity and Sharing: The philosophy promotes generosity and sharing of resources, knowledge, and support, reflecting the belief that prosperity is achieved through collective effort.

Humanism and Morality:

Moral Framework: Ubuntu provides a moral framework that stresses the importance of kindness, generosity, and ethical behavior. It encourages individuals to act in ways that enhance the community’s well-being and to avoid actions that harm others.

Human-Centered Philosophy: Ubuntu is deeply humanistic, focusing on the value and dignity of each person and the importance of fostering positive human relationships.

Application in Modern Contexts:

Leadership and Governance: Ubuntu has been influential in shaping leadership and governance in post-apartheid South Africa and other African nations. Leaders inspired by Ubuntu prioritize the welfare of their people, seek to heal divisions, and promote social justice.

Global Relevance: While rooted in African traditions, the principles of Ubuntu have been embraced globally as a model for ethical leadership, conflict resolution, and community building. It offers a counterpoint to individualistic and competitive models of society by emphasizing cooperation, empathy, and the common good.

Ubuntu in Philosophy and Ethics:

Comparative Ethics: Ubuntu is often compared with other ethical systems, such as Confucianism, which also emphasizes the importance of relationships and community. It offers a unique perspective on ethics that prioritizes collective well-being over individual autonomy.

Challenges and Critiques: Some critiques of Ubuntu focus on its potential for communal pressure to conform, possibly at the expense of individual freedom. Others argue that while Ubuntu provides a strong ethical foundation, it must be adapted to fit modern, diverse societies.

The philosophy of Ubuntu offers a profound and holistic approach to understanding human relationships, ethics, and community. It underscores the importance of interconnectedness, mutual respect, and collective responsibility, providing a framework for fostering social harmony and promoting the common good. Ubuntu's principles are increasingly recognized and applied beyond African contexts, resonating with global movements toward more compassionate, cooperative, and just societies.

[demogul]

THE ORAL HISTORY OF IGBO'S AND KOLA NUT

THE ORAL HISTORY OF IGBO’S AND KOLA NUT Summary: This nut is a significant part of the Igbo people’s lives and belief system in Nigeria. It has a long history dating back to ancient times and is considered sacred and utilized in various ceremonies, rituals, and social gatherings. The kola nut serves as a symbol of hospitality, friendship, and goodwill and is an integral part of the cultural…

[ngaatee]

Hi! I just found your blog and I'm reading your texts about academia. Your thesis seems really interesting, so I am wondering, is it available for reading?

Hi there, thank you for your question! I had not posted it anywhere online but I will edit it (so sensitive information like my government name and address are not on it) and then I will reblog this post with links to the thesis and the proposal so that you can read it! Thank you for getting in touch with me, I feel very humbled and touched by the interest in my thesis because that thesis is truly my baby <3

[panafrocore]

Hatata: A Philosophical Inquiry in 17th Century Ethiopia

The Hatata, an intriguing work of philosophical inquiry originating in 17th century Ethiopia, holds a unique position in the literary landscape. Crafted during a time of intellectual and cultural efflorescence, this remarkable text emerged as a testament to the profound musings of its enigmatic author. At its core, the Hatata delves into the intricate interplay between individual consciousness…

[school-of-afrikanphilosophy]

Philosophical Foundations Of Afrofuturism History

[bijoumikhawal]

Read anything good lately?

Yes, but it's all fanfic and books about adorcism lol

[african-spirituality]

THE HIDDEN ALCHEMY: A JOURNEY FROM IGNORANCE TO ENLIGHTENMENT

When most people hear the term “alchemy,” they think of the ancient practice of attempting to transform base metals into gold. However, alchemy also holds a deeper, more esoteric interpretation: the transformation of the soul from ignorance to enlightenment. Many alchemists believed that true enlightenment lay in individual awakening rather than salvation through the Church. This spiritual aspect…

[kemetic-dreams]

Ubuntu (Zulu pronunciation: [ùɓúntʼù]) is a Nguni Bantu term meaning "humanity". It is sometimes translated as "I am because we are" (also "I am because you are"),or "humanity towards others" (Zulu umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu). 

In Xhosa, the latter term is used, but is often meant in a more philosophical sense to mean "the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity"

[sabakos]

Finally found a comprehensive treatment of African philosophy on libgen that doesn't devote a significant portion of the work to talking about Plotinus!

[apenitentialprayer]

The Focus on the Concrete and Particular

I tended then to have a deep suspicion of what Arthur Schopenhauer calls "university philosophy" or "academic philosophy," which tended to be much more concerned with abstract concepts […] as opposed to the concrete, the particular, the existential, the suffering beings and loving beings that we are and can be. You have to realize that I was coming out of the church, and so there was always Job sitting there, Daniel sitting there, and even Christ, especially the Christ between Good Friday and Easter, the Christ during the very dark Saturday, which struck me as highly illuminating of what it meant to be human. How do you really struggle against the suffering in a loving way, to leave a legacy in which people would be able to accent their own loving possibility in the midst of so much evil? So in that sense I think that the black church and its profound stress on the concrete and the particular —wrestling with limit situations, with death, dread, despair, disappointment, disease, and so on— has been influential on my Kierkegaardian outlook.

- Cornel West (“On My Intellectual Vocation,” from his Reader, page 20). Formatting changed to avoid wall of text.

The Good Samaritan, by Cyprián Majerník

[turiyatitta]

Unveiling the African Essence in Eastern Philosophy

A Tribute during Black History MonthAs we embark on the celebration of Black History Month, it’s essential to recognize the myriad contributions of African descendants not just in shaping modern civilization but also in sculpting the contours of Eastern philosophy. The historical interweaving of African traditions with Eastern thought offers a rich narrative, highlighting a profound exchange of…

[demogul]

THE AFRICAN IROKO TREE

INTRODUCTIONS Igbo people are one of the largest ethnic groups in Nigeria, known for their rich cultural heritage and traditions. They have a deep connection to their ancestors, spiritual beliefs, and community values. The Igbo language, art, music, and dance are all important aspects of their culture. One of the most significant elements of Igbo traditional beliefs and practices is the…

[fivepercentgodsandearths]

Show and Prove Recap

June 9-11, 2023

[ngaatee]

For the People Academia Breaks

Hey so I am going to get something off of my chest. Last year I got a postgraduate degree in philosophy and it was actually one of the most devastating experiences of my entire life.

I have always been someone with big ideas, and my favourite aspect of philosophy has always been the way that I can blend different ideas to address current issues, especially if something about those ideas sometimes veer into using my imagination. So when we got to choose our thesis topics, I jumped to do something ambitious, something impressive, something grand. And it was. I posed the following question: What would an African feminist ethic say about posthumanism and transhumanism as it pertains to the right to bodily integrity?

This question meant the world to me. It means the world to me. There was so much to get into, so many ideas, and so little published philosophical work on each section of the question. It was quintessentially me.

Ambitious, important and interesting. And I did fucking do it. I didn't get the high grade that I had hoped for, but I got a high enough average should I pursue further higher education, I had gotten a high grade for a concept I essentially invented and built from the ground up, and I had yet another fucking degree after a year plagued by illness, piss poor mental health, worse financial management and not a damn clue what I would do next.

I had also excelled in my other classes and so I was going to take the win and move on. I was in a space where what mattered to me was that I had what I needed for the next steps. Academia career, and somehow reforming education, those have been my goals forever, So I had my grades and set out to get reference letters and one person I asked was my supervisor. And that, dear reader, was when it all went to shit and my mental health sunk to a new low.

My supervisor and I had not had major conflict but I was ready to move on for a variety of reasons. I had tutored one of her classes and had reservations about her methodology and when opportunities for feedback came, I was as honest but diplomatic as possible. I was not the lecturer. When she became my supervisor I had looked in the guide and I had thought that she was going to be the right fit. But in some ways I always felt that my work was not my own, and often times my work became a site of ego. But it could have been worse so I was going to move on and take those lessons to do things differently next time.

So I emailed her, was happy to have the grades for a future in academia and asked for the referral. She emailed me and gave me unsolicited feedback and then openly stated that a section of my work "surprised her, and not in a good way". I will be frank, it disgusted me. I read it and my skin crawled because she had been a less than stellar supervisor, including being angered when I got an extension after my hospitalization, threatening to not even give me a grade, when the HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT granted me one.

I was a star pupil, with the exploratory ideas to back it up, and consistently she undermined me and I forgave her every time because of how badly I wanted it. And then in the last moment, after I toiled on a thesis and made it through with a high GPA, she could not let me be happy. She could not let me rejoice that every single day last year felt like I was taking my dying breath, And she could not be the kind of supervisor that deserved my bright ideas, my desire to learn, my ambition. I was told that I should prep a version of my paper for a conference and she never had the time to help me, everyday there was an excuse, and I still made it, and she could not just let us be cordial and move on.

That thesis I did is my first child. I laboured, I read, and I thought it through, and I was willing to accept the imperfections that came in my crafting of it because it was powerful and meaningful. I am an African woman, concerned with how we understand our autonomy and our bodies and what that means in a greater philosophical context. I chose a thesis that meant something to me, and I used whatever philosophical building blocks I could to bring it together, and achieved a feat that people thought might be impossible for me. And I am damn proud of it. And in that email, my supervisor didn't care because she felt embarrassed or something.

I have spent a year being angry. How dare she? Especially since academia puts certain kinds of constraints on work and even with those constraints, I made lemonade out of lemons. In fact, I made lemonade out of rocks. And I have grieved and been sad and it has broken my spirit remembering the disdain in that email. And then the later email with the reference letter where I discover that after all this time, my supervisor knows nothing about me.

She doesn't know my worth, she doesn't know how much her class benefitted from having me as a tutor, and my fellow tutor too. She doesn't know anything that other institutions would love about me. Her colleagues do though. They gave me beautiful letters that reflected my passion, honesty, and integrity, and I felt seen. I wish that I had gotten one of them to be my supervisor, I just didn't know any better, it was a new university, a new city, with new people. But my thesis, my baby, would have been so much safer and cared for in their hands.

But I am not ending it like that. I have started to embark on a multimedia art project revisiting and expanding my thesis and I am explaining different philosophical and sociological concepts that are relevant to it as I go along. Because my thesis belongs to me. My ideas belong to me. And the projections of my supervisor, and the painful memories that are attached to it for me will not under any circumstances, end with her defining my thesis for me.

My thesis is my baby, my child and I am proud of it. Its words live in me, its ideas still are a fixation in my mind, and now I have what it takes to really bring it to the next level. And so I will. I do not just love my thesis as a cute baby that people admire and call beautiful. I love my thesis as a petulant older child that sometimes struggles to string ideas that are linked but in ways that are not obvious. I love my thesis as a teenager lost in despair trying to reconcile how a society functions and the philosophies and ideologies that underpin it, the teenager reading social and political thought for the first time. I love my thesis as the young adult that has more questions than answers. I love my thesis as all of the people I have been and whom I will be.

Academia broke my heart. and it devastated many people befor me. But many ideas are worth exploring. Many ideas are worth cradling in a warm blanket and developing over time. Your ideas and mine, are worth so much more than the egos and power of people around us, and they do not get to rob our work of its dignity. And we do not have to leave the brilliance of our thoughts with the memories of people who never cared to understand them. And so I am coming back for my child, I am returning for my thesis. Because I am willing to spend time with it, and nurture it, and develop it. I am ready for it to one day be in the world and standing on its own.

The words of my thesis live in me, but the words of my thesis will live beyond me. And so as I drawm paint, photograph and write for this multimedia art project. As the young mother of this thesis and this combination of ideas, I will be raw and approach it with care, consideration and thoughtfulness. and hopefully, my thesis will find the right people who are interested in philosophy, sociology and the arts. Because this thesis will always be my baby, and I hope it meets people that love it and see it for what it is, the way that I do.

I dedicate this multimedia art project to the people whose first heartbreak was being alienated from their ideas in service of other people's desires. May you always find your way back to that child who wondered so much about the world, and was eager to learn more.