An african philosophy of personhood, morality, and politics. He is less widely acknowledged as a philosopher, in spite of his considerable philosophical training, seminal contribution to african political theory, and incisive critique of the ethics of international relations. Aug 19, 2006 contemporary african philosophers and scholars on african cultures such as gyekye, gbadegesin, okolo, okafor, khapoya and okoye are advancing the same kind of argument. Kwame gyekye offers a philosophical interpretation and critical analysis of the african cultural experience in modern times. Gyekye was professor of philosophy at the university of ghana, and a visiting professor of philosophy and african american studies at temple university. Tradition and modernity paperback kwame gyekye oxford. Emeritus professor kwame gyekye 10 november 1939 april 2019 was a ghanaian philosopher, and an important figure in the development of modern african philosophy. The communitarian conception of person is a widely accepted view in african thought. How moderate is kwame gyekyes moderate communitarianism. Pdf from llb pls1502 at university of south africa. Module pls1502 2002 person and community in african thought. The value of a person in akan traditional life and thought. The african philosopher kwame gyekye explores how the akan people of ghana conceive of a person.
Pdf two conceptions of african ethics researchgate. African ubuntu philosophy and philosophy of global management. Restrictions pro authors only online only open access only published only filter by language configure languages here. According to him, one of the commonalities among african cultures is a communitarian social order. This dissertation argues that gyekye, in his idea of communitarianism, has a contribution to make towards the understanding of the sociopolitical structures of multicultural communities in africa. Pdf individualism in african moral cultures researchgate.
The african philosopher kwame gyekye explores how the akan people of. It must, gyekye argues, arise from african thought itself, relate to the culture out of which it grows, and provide the possibility of a. There has been a great deal of misconception about both the metaphysical and social status of the person in african thought. The culture of the akan people of west africa dates from before the th century. In other words, he grounds rights in some understanding of human nature. This text includes 25 readings from african thinkers such as biko, appiah, wiredu, sogolo gyekye and senghor. Defining the main principles of a distinct african philosophy, this work rejects the idea that an african philosophy consists simply of the work of africans writing on philosophy. Humanismthe doctrine that sees human needs and interests as fundamentalthus constitutes the foundation of african ethics see section 5 above. An essay on african philosophical thought the akan conceptual scheme, kwame gyekye, 1987. An essay on african philosophical thought by kwame gyekye.
There is no question that kwasi wiredu and kwame gyekye are one of. Kwame gyekye thinks there is a distinction between what he calls radical communitarianism and his own version of moderate communitarianism. Person and community in african thought by kwame gyekye the image of man in. A social structure is evolved not only to give effect to certain conceptions of human nature, but also to provide a framework. Dec 29, 2015 african philosophy is philosophy produced by african people, philosophy which presents african worldviews, or philosophy that uses distinct african philosophical methods. View notes gyekye person and community in african thought. A critique of gyekyes moderate communitarianism article pdf available in south african journal of philosophy 282 october 2009 with 1,397 reads how we measure reads. The entry points up the social character of african ethics and highlights its affiliated notions of the. In this sustained and nuanced attempt to define a genuinely african philosophy, kwame gyekye rejects the idea that an african philosophy consists simply of the work of africans writing on philosophy. I will argue that gyekyes idea of communitarian ethics can assist us to understand and. Morality for him is, simply, the observance of rules for the harmonious adjustment of the interests of the individual to those of others in society. He uses this exploration to argue that there is an african philosophy, and that african philosophy can be found in part in the.
In the light of the autonomous or near autonomous character of its activities, the communitarian self cannot be held as a cramped or shackled self, responding robotically to the ways and demands of the. Akan philosophy of the person stanford encyclopedia of. Morality in african thought person and community in african thought kwame gyekye the existence of a social structure is an out standing, in fact, a necessary feature of every human society. Kwame nkrumah is globally recognized as a foremost panafricanist strategist and statesman. A critique of gyekye s moderate communitarianism article pdf available in south african journal of philosophy 282 october 2009 with 1,397 reads how we measure reads. It argues that critical analyses of specific traditional african modes of thought are necessary to develop a distinctively african philosophy. Kwame gyekye author of an essay on african philosophical.
This book offers a philosophical interpretation and critical analysis of the african cultural experience in modern times. This essay explores representative africanist thought on personhood and community, highlighting especially the debate between ifeanyi menkiti and kwame gyekye on communitarianism, defined generally as relating to social organization in small, cooperative, partially collectivist communities. Kwame gyekye born is a ghanaian philosopherand ghekye important figure in the development of modern african philosophy. While not ignoring the diversities of the cultures of africa, gyekye emphasizes that there are certain underlying similarities between the cultures of africa.
Critically employing western political and philosophical concepts to clear, comparative advantage, gyekye addresses a wide range of concrete problems afflicting postcolonial african states, such as ethnicity and nationbuilding, the relationship of tradition to modernity. Pdf i focus on d a masolos discussion of morality as characteristically understood by african. The existence of a social structure is an out standing, in fact. The chapter discusses the unresolved predicament of the most considerable level of connection between the society and its members that would be beneficial to both agents. In their attempt to evolve ways of life appropriate to our modern world culture, says kwame gyekye, african people face a number of unique societal challenges, some stemming from the values and practices of their traditional cultures, others representing the legacy of. It is intended to be used with a textbook it was written for published in 2002 under oxford university press as philosophy from africa. Gyekye s construct of metanationality, in relation to his communitarian ethics, addresses the sociopolitical and cultural problems confronting. This orientation of african ethics takes its impulse, undoubtedly, from the humanistic outlook that characterizes traditional african life and thought. In ghana, after political independence from britain, kwame nkrumah 1964. Introduction our globalising world needs a theory of ethical global management that is consistent with our. This is particularly timely for me, since i can use it for when my ethics class its called ethics and race, though really about conceptions of ethics and difference in relation to africana philosophies turns to african philosophy. In this important and pioneering book, kwame gyekye examines postcolonial african experience from a viewpoint receptive to aspects of both traditional african cultures and western political and moral theory. Kwame gyekye on african ethics philosophy in a time of error. Kwasi wiredu 1992, kwame gyekye 1996 and austin fagothey 1959.
For wiredu 1992, morality in the strictest sense is universal and essential to human culture. Kwame gyekye is the author of an essay on african philosophical thought 4. Joseph kofi antwi abstract as a contribution to the debate on african philosophy, this paper explores the value of a person in akan traditional life and thought. Like other longestablished cultures the world over, the akan have developed a rich conceptual system complete with metaphysical, moral, and epistemological aspects. African ubuntu philosophy and philosophy of global management david w.
Module pls1502 year of publication 2002 title of publication person and community in. Most of the book, however, is focused on the akan people of ghana. Lutz the catholic university of eastern africa nairobi, kenya 1. Pdf this article repudiates the dichotomy that african ethics is. On a communitarian ethos, equality and human rights in africa. Aug 28, 1987 gyekye deals with broad methodological issues such as whether philosophy could take place in oral rather written traditions and what, if anything, could be said about african philosophy as a whole. Kwame gyekye, an essay on african philosophical thought. My goals are both historical and substantive, meaning that i use reflection on masolos book as an occasion to shed light not only on the nature of recent debates about african ethics, but also. Gyekye was professor of philosophy at the university of ghana, and a visiting professor of philosophy and africanamerican studies at temple university. Subsequent to the colonial period, the african nations face the most dominant issue of corruption and its effects on the effectiveness of the government, the level of trust that the masses bestow on their leaders, and the advancing direction toward the development of each society as a whole. This a 2007 version of a study guide the unisa philosophy dept has used to introduce to students since 2007. Of particular interest is the akan conception of persons, a conception that informs a variety of.
Sep 09, 2010 kwame gyekye on african ethics heres a new stanford entry. Engmann moral foundations of an african culture by kwasi wiredu. Pdf introduction to african philosophy study guide. African philosophy can be found in the various traditional and cultural schemes of the people.
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