He has published journal articles touching on issues in metaphysics, african philosophy, social philosophy, and philosophy of science. Segun gbadegesin 24 on the normative conception of a person 324 ifeanyi a. He argues that much of modern africana thought emerged out of. Bringing together canonical philosophical texts from african, africanamerican, afrocaribbean, and black european thinkers, this major new anthology is designed to serve both as a textbook and as the authoritative reference volume in. Segun gbadegesin, kwame gyekye, paulin hountondji, mahmood mamdani, john mbiti, ngugi wa thiongo, henry odera oruka, sedar leopold senghor, tsenay serequeberhan, kwasi wiredu. A common theme between the essays is that a word shared by different cultures can have different extensions while being. African philosophy new and traditional perspectives ed. Yoruba philosophy and contemporary african realities by segun gbadegsin.
An outline of a theory of destiny request pdf researchgate. In west african traditions, land belongs to the person who works it. Liberation and postcolonial african philosophy 36 african humanism and socialism postcolonial african thought the question of race 4. It offers a distinctive historical treatment of african philosophy. Segun gbadegesin 1991 authors segun gbadegesin howard university abstract this article has no associated abstract. A companion to african philosophy edited by kwasi wiredu. The concept of person in an african culture and its implication for social order elvis imafidon department of philosophy, catholic major seminary of all saints, p. Segun gbadegesin 5 personal identity in african metaphysics. A short history of african philosophy peace palace library. On the terms ethics and morality the term ethics is technically used by philosophers to mean a philosophical study of moralitymorality understood as a set of social rules, principles, norms that guide or are intended to guide the conduct of people in a society, and as beliefs about right and wrong conduct as well as good or bad character. Traditional yoruba philosophy and contemporary african realities, by. Though, gbadegesins interpretation is not absolute in yoruba lingua structure, as oluiwa could denote a dignified parent with excellent character.
Traditional yoruba philosophy and contemporary african realities, new york. Pertinent among such beliefs, are the beliefs in ori1 and human destiny. The african philosophy reader peace palace library. In these works, the traditional thought systems are analyzed using the western conceptual. Current trends and perspectives in african philosophy a. What they have in common, though, is that their ideas on the concept of a person issue largely from the. African philosophy, the status and value of ethnophilosophy, and the position of placide. The meaning and nature of african philosophy in a globalising. Segun gbadegesin identifies one when he interpreted oluiwa as god, the creator of every baby and as every baby is an omoluwabi 2007. The african philosophy reader second edition a text with readings. Selected bibliography on african philosophy bibliography 1. However, not all of them are equally important for all thinkers. Though, gbadegesins interpretation is not absolute in yoruba lingua structure, as oluiwa could denote. Community and justice 58 persons, individualism, and communalism suffering and injustice poverty and human development 5.
An outline of a theory of destiny, segun gbadegesin 5. An introduction to africana philosophy in this book lewis r. The concepts of ori and human destiny in traditional yoruba. The palgrave handbook of african philosophy adeshina. Gbadegesin segun gbadegesin the issues of interest to us in. The akan conceptual scheme cup, cambridge new york 1987 or segun gbadegesins african philosophy. These philosophers include kwasi wiredu, kwame gyekye and segun gbadegesin. The yoruba concept of a person, in african philosophy. John mbiti, kwasi wiredu, segun gbadegesin, and several. The role of african languages in african philosophy. Nature, agency, and causation in african traditional thought, i. The rebirth of african moral traditions as key to the. Students should answer questions 1, 2, and 3 each week, then choose at least five other questions that are most.
The following pages engage a hermeneutic approach to african philosophy, focusing on the work of tsenay serequeberhan. The concepts of ori and human destiny across different strata of human existence. Oyeshile department of philosophy, university of ibadan, ibadan, nigeria introduction the definition of philosophy has remained a perennial philosophical problem and there is little agreement as to what it is. Journal of philosophy and culture the problem of destiny. Oyeshile department of philosophy, university of ibadan, ibadan, nigeria introduction the definition of philosophy has remained a perennial philosophical problem and there is little agreement as to. In the last four decades, there has been a lively debate regarding the nature and status of african philosophy. Many african scholars have expressed varied thoughts about the concept of a person, specifically about that which constitutes a person in african philosophy.
African philosophy ultimately tries to bring a more rigorous conception of african philosophy into fruitful contact with western philosophical concerns, specifically in the philosophies of psychology, mind, science, and language, as well as in metaphysics and epistemology. Elvis imafidon teaches philosophy in the department of philosophy at ambrose alli university, ekpoma nigeria. References to the concept of destiny in traditional yoruba philosophy, the problem of choice, interconnectedness of destinies, individual and communal destinies. Gbadegesin the focus is on the concept of person in the yoruba conceptual scheme, but. 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.
Africana is a more inclusive term for scholarship related to both africa and the diaspora. A modern contemporary african philosopher by the name, tsenay serequeberhan teaching african philosophy at hampshire college once remarked that when he told students and the faculty there that he was teaching african philosophy, they were shocked and raised eyebrows by asking if such a thing like african philosophy ever existed at all. A companion to african philosophy electronic resource in. May 28, 2017 the idea of an african philosophy is still controversial with many within academia denying its existence andor its possibility to exist.
Reflections on african philosophy, culture and democracy in africa. The contributors, established and budding philosophers, have succeeded in further opening the windows of the discipline to the world of scholarship. First, african philosophy queries the habitual universality claims of western philosophy. 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. Current trends and perspectives in african philosophy. This volume of newly commissioned essays provides comprehensive coverage of african philosophy, ranging across disciplines and throughout the ages. In this pathbreaking book, segun gbadegesin offers a new and promising approach which recognizes the traditional and contemporary facets of african philosophy by exploring the issues they raise. Below, i shall briefly speak to both these points in the course of reflecting on the rise.
African diasporic consciousness in the afroarabic world of the middle ages. Traditional yoruba philosophy and contemporary african realities peter lang, new york, san francisco, bern, frankfurt am main, paris, london, 1991. This paper examines, and further reflects, on segun gbadegesin. Roux have brought together thirtyseven philosophers, thirtythree of whom are black africans, to present the most current philosophical discussions. Segun gbadegesin, african philosophy traditional yoruba. Traditional yoruba philosophy and contemporary african realities paperback by. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books. Westerners tend to romanticize traditional african beliefs when they treat them as inherently arational. Download african philosophy ebook free in pdf and epub format. An outline of a theory of destiny an outline of a theory of destiny chapter. Given this consideration, ori is nothing short of what the yoruba call ipin or okeipori. Request pdf on mar 11, 2007, abdulrasheed naallah and others published.
Traditional yoruba philosophy and contemporary african. The importance of contemporary african philosophy iai tv. Personal identity in african metaphysics, leke adeofe 6. Segun gbadegesin argues about acceptability or nonacceptability of that which is handed on, what is handed on and how it is handed on as making up the character of tradition. This study adopts a heuristic technique to argue the thesis that a set of norms rooted in the african philosophy of. There is a welldeveloped body of literature in yoruba philosophical studies. The debate surrounding its existence is, as stated by kenyan philosopher masolo, defined by western discourse on africa and the african response 1. It argues that the yoruba concept of destiny is complex, and that this complexity may be the source of the problems encountered by scholars. The concepts of ori and human destiny it is the ancestral guardian soul, having its physical symbolization as the physical head. It covers all the main branches of philosophy as addressed in the african tradition. The contributors, who include leke adeofe, kwame anthony appiah, lee brown, segun gbadegesin, d. Segun gbadegesin 1991 authors segun gbadegesin howard university. Whatever is created belongs to the creatorsnot to the god that created them, and certainly not to the colonist or slavemaster.
Ontologized ethics by elvis imafidon overdrive rakuten. For the sophists, it would be questioning the foundations of traditional religion, morality and. Reinventing ontology, gnosis, and values in african philosophy. A reinterpretation of african philosophical idea of man and the universe. Masolo, albert mosley, ifeanyi menkiti, and kwasi wiredu, incorporate. I use the term african to refer to scholarship that is specically concerned with the african continent and its cultures. This essay explores the concept of destiny in yoruba philosophical discourse. In part i, the author examines, with refreshing insights, the philosophical concepts of the person, individuality, community and morality, religiosity. Read african philosophy online, read in mobile or kindle. Gbadegesin segun gbadegesin the issues of interest to us. What they have in common, though, is that their ideas on the concept of a person issue largely from the traditional philosophies of some west. New essays in african metaethics examines an often neglected metaethical issue in african philosophical discourse. The concepts of ori and human destiny in traditional. A modern contemporary african philosopher by the name, tsenay serequeberhan teaching african philosophy at hampshire college once remarked that when he told students and the faculty there that he was teaching african philosophy, they were shocked and raised eyebrows by asking if such a thing like.
At the heart of the discussion is the question of where to locate such an approach in the existing philosophical literature. The african philosophy reader, second edition, is a substantially revised and greatly enhanced collection of writings on african philosophy. African philosophy traditional yoruba philosophy and contemporary african realities. 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 african philosophy and thought systems on the african continent. A companion to african philosophy wiley online books. This book features a collection of essays that seek to provide accurate and welldeveloped characterizations of the epistemological and metaphysical concerns that shaped the conceptual languages and philosophical thought of subsaharan africa.