African Ethics: A Guide to Key Ideas

Description

This is the first comprehensive exploration of African ethics covering everything from normative ethics and applied ethics, to meta-ethics and methodology, as well as the history of its evolution. African Ethics provides an in-depth exploration of Ubuntu ethics which is defined as a set of values based on concepts such as reciprocity, mutual respect, and working towards the common good. Ubuntu ethics also strongly emphasize the place of human dignity. The book engages with both theory and practice and how these ethical ideas impact upon the actual lived experience of Africans. It also includes important political considerations such as the impact of imperialism, colonialism, and capitalism on African ethics as well as the negative impact of apartheid and the renaissance made possible by the ‘The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’ whose work was premised heavily on African ethical ideas. This book is not just a wide-ranging and incisive introduction but also a reformulation of key concepts and current debates in African ethics. Crucially, African Ethics is an inclusive text, one that speaks from an African perspective and contributes to the decolonizing of contemporary ethics. Cover Halftitle page Series page Title page Copyright page Dedication Contents List of Contributors Preface Acknowledgements Introduction African Ethics: What It Is and Its Importance Jonathan O. Chimakonam and Luís Cordeiro-Rodrigues Introduction Decolonization of inquiry What is African ethics? A short history of African ethics Outline of the volume Bibliography 1 Sources of Moral Justification in African Ethics Jonathan O. Chimakonam Introduction Some moral beliefs in African traditional thought Two attempts at a theory of right action: Thaddeus Metz vs Amara Esther Chimakonam Two other sources of moral justifi cation Innocent Asouzu (complementary ethical reflection) Conclusion Funding Acknowledgements Notes References 2 African Proverbs Edwin Etieyibo Introduction Nature, substance and function of proverbs African proverbs and ethics or morality Proverbs and thematic categories Communalistic African ethics and characteristics of African ethics Some objections and responses Conclusion Notes References 3 Innocent Asouzu’s Complementary Ethics Jonathan O. Chimakonam and L. Uchenna Ogbonnaya Introduction Background to complementary reflection The fundamental principles, imperative and criterion of complementary reflection The method of complementary reflection An exposition of complementary ethics Conclusion Funding Acknowledgements Notes References 4 Basic Intuitions in African Ethics Patrick Giddy Introduction Universality through an inclusivity sourced in the moral order Human nature and its telos both a fact and a value Ethics as recognizing autonomy versus ethics as building community Human agency as developed through the ‘other’ Resistance to global neocolonialism References 5 African Views of Moral Status Cornelius Ewuoso Introduction/defi nition Moral status in dominant (Western) and African philosophy Dominant conceptions of moral status in African relational philosophy Concluding remarks Bibliography 6 Influences of Religions on African Ethics Insights from African Indigenous Religions, Christianity and Islam SimonMary Asese Aihiokhai Introduction African pragmatic ethics: Insights from African Indigenous Religions Influences of Christian moral thought on African ethics Conclusion References 7 A Personhood-Based Theory of Right Action Amara Esther Chimakonam Introduction African moral beliefs vs systems of African ethics: A conversation with Menkiti on his account of the normative conception of personhood Theories of right action in African ethics Towards a personhood-based theory of right action6 Conclusion Acknowledgements Notes References 8 Complementary Ethical Reflection in Ibuanyidanda Philosophy Innocent I. Asouzu Complementary ethical reflection Nature of ethical awareness Nature of authentic human action: The joy of being – jide ka iji Acknowledgements References 9 The Common Good in Complementary Ethical Reflection Innocent I. Asouzu The common good The common good as basic anthropological constant Common good in tension-laden existential situations The idea of common good and overcoming existential tension The idea of common good and authentic existence Common good and truth and authenticity criterion Acknowledgements References 10 Underlying Moral Justification of Baraza and Indaba Dialogic Institutions in African Social Ethics and Philosophy Jean Chrysostome K. Kiyala Introduction Ethical background Concept definitions and delimitations Moral justification of Baraza, Indaba and Imbizo Conclusion Acknowledgements Notes References 11 The Virtues of African Ethics Thaddeus Metz Introduction The traditionally African and the classically Greek Community as the ground of virtue Vitality as the ground of virtue8 The vices of African ethics Conclusion Acknowledgements Notes References 12 Ujamaa and African Ethics Isaiah Negedu Introduction Understanding ujamaa and African sociopolitical philosophy The possibility of a meeting point between ujamaa and African ethics (can ujamaa accommodate African ethics?) Conclusion Notes References 13 Ancient Egyptian Ethics’ Origin of the African Renaissance Concept Simphiwe Sesanti Background and introduction Defining and contextualizing ancient Egyptians’ ethics The Supreme Being as a source of ethics The ancestors as a source of ethics: The logic Libation: An act honouring the Supreme Being, the ancestors, and preserving family ties The heart and the tongue as crucial factors in the exercise of Maat Social implications: Family as a source of ethics Political implications: Ethical leadership Concluding remarks References 14 The Partialist Leaning and Impartialist Aspiration of Traditional African Ethics Ada Agada Introduction African Ethics, partiality and impartiality The partialist structure of traditional African ethics The impartialist aspiration of African ethics Conclusion Notes References 15 Yorùbá Ethics Babalola Joseph Balogun Introduction The seven pillars of the Yorùbá ethical system Humanism Communality Religiosity Existentiality Rationality Reciprocity Character-based The roles of the gods and their deputies Ifá and ethical visions Yorùbá ethics in contemporary times Conclusion Notes References 16 The African Ethics of Ukama Munamato Chemhuru Introduction Understanding ukama Ukama and unhu/ubuntu: Distinguishing the two The holistic character of ukama ethics Conclusion Acknowledgements Notes References 17 African Feminism and Africana Womanism Joyline Gwara Introduction Black feminism/womanism Themes in black feminism Africana womanism Characteristics of Africana womanism Looking through the lens of black feminism, womanism and Africana womanism Conclusion References 18 African Business Ethics Past Contributions and Future Challenges and Possibilities Minka Woermann Introduction A1: Business environments in sub-Saharan Africa should reflect the values of ubuntu A2: Ubuntu can contribute significantly to the development of business ethics The ubuntu challenge to Western- based theories The future of African business ethics Notes References 19 Key Perspectives on Medical Ethics in Africa Gerald M. Ssebunnya Introduction Indigenous medical ethics in African traditional healing The role of the traditional healer in Africa today The erosion of Hippocratic medical ethics Medical ethics in Africa today: The trajectory of principlism Medical ethics education in Africa Conclusion References 20 African Just War Theory Theoretical Impetus and Contemporary Trajectory Ronald Olufemi Badru Introduction About conceptual issues The Western theoretical impetus to just war theorizing in African philosophy The evolutionary trends in just war thinking in African philosophy Philosophers on Africa and just war thinking and practice from African philosophy Summary and conclusion References 21 Animals and the Environment Kai Horsthemke Ethics and religion on the African continent Traditional African perceptions and current practices: The hierarchy of beings, taboos and totemism Ubuntu/botho/hunhu, ukama, ohanife and African environmentalism Environmental justice, biocentrism and ecocentrism A ‘truly African paradigm of knowledge’? Towards a non-anthropocentric African ethic? References 22 African Distributive Justice Christopher Simon Wareham The subject matter of distributive justice To what ends should we distribute? Who is to benefit from distributive decisions? How should we arrive at distributive decisions? Conclusion Notes References 23 Reconciliation and Retribution in the Context of Africa Cyril-Mary P. Olatunji and Mojalefa Koenane Introduction Retribution and reconciliation Concluding remarks References 24 Human Rights in Modern African Philosophy Katrin Flikschuh The historical ascendance of human rights Human rights and human persons Human rights and African statehood Conclusion Notes References 25 Euthanasia in African Ethics Simon M. Makwinja Introduction The concept of euthanasia The African value system Personhood in the African value system Euthanasia in African ethics Conclusion References 26 Assessing Same-sex Relations from an African Communitarian Perspective Dennis Masaka Introduction ‘African-ness’ of same-sex relations Communitarian thinking and individual rights Same-sex relations in a communitarian context Concluding remarks Notes References 27 African Ethics for Psychotherapy A Contemporary Discussion Gideon A. J. van Dyk Introduction Erosion of African ethics Ubuntu, the foundation of African ethics African ethics is distinctive African ethics for psychotherapy links to professional ethics for Africa Ubuntu therapy: An illustration of an integrated psychotherapeutic model for contemporary Africa Conclusion References 28 Ethics and African Philosophy of Education Moeketsi Letseka Introduction Clarification of terms and concepts African philosophy of education and indigenous African education Conclusion References 29 Digital Communalism Towards a Social Media Ethics from an African Perspective Maduka Enyimba and Aribiah Attoe Introduction Digitalization: Ethical problems Digital communalism: What it is Employing digital communalism Conclusion Notes References Index