The Ink of the Scholars: Reflections on Philosophy in Africa

Description

What are the issues discussed today by African philosophers? Four important topics are identified here as important objects of philosophical reflection on the African continent. One is the question of ontology in relation to African religions and aesthetics. Another is the question of time and, in particular, of prospective thinking and development. A third issue is the task of reconstructing the intellectual history of the continent through the examination of the question of orality but also by taking into account the often neglected tradition of written erudition in Islamic centres of learning. Timbuktu is certainly the most important and most famous of such intellectual centres. The fourth question concerns political philosophy: the concept of'African socialisms'is revisited and the march that led to the adoption of the'African Charter of Human and Peoples'Rights'is examined. All these important issues are also fundamental to understanding the question of African languages and translation. Cover Title page Copyright page Contents Preface Acknowledgements Introduction The Force of Living Bantu Philosophy: A Contradictory Text Ontology of Living Force Languages and Translation Proof by Aesthetics The Time we Need That Time we call African Words to Speak of Time To Foresee or to Anticipate Speech and Ink Sense of Urgency and the Passage to Writing Philosophy and Orality Meanings of Timbuktu Socialisms and Democracy The African Path to Socialism According to Nyerere Socialism, Consciencism, Spiritualism and Secularism Senghor and Humanist Socialism The Democratic Turn and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights Conclusion: Lessons from the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights Notes Bibliography Back cover