African Epistemology

This book focuses on African metaphysics and epistemology, and is an exercise in decoloniality. The authors describe their approach to "decoloniality" as an intellectual repudiation of coloniality, using the method of conversational thinking grounded in Ezumezu logic. Focusing specifically on both African metaphysics and African epistemology, the authors put forward theories formulated to stimulate fresh debates and extend the frontiers of learning in the field. They emphasize that this book is not a project in comparative philosophy, nor is it geared towards making Africa/ns the object/subjects of philosophy. Rather, the book highlights and discusses philosophical insights that have been produced from the African perspective, which the authors argue must be further developed in order to achieve decoloniality in the field of philosophy more broadly.

This volume compares the western ideas of knowledge with the African. It aims at creating a mirror through which the western knowledge culture can look at itself through an unusual and interesting angle. The culture of Sub-Saharan Africa is the substance from which we, in this book, have tried to construe an epistemological mirror.

This collection provides a thorough introduction to African philosophy, literature, religion and anthropology through twenty-five readings from key thinkers. They discuss topics such as African culture, epistemology, metaphysics and religion, political philosophy, aesthetics, and explore rationality and explanation in an African context.

This book investigates how knowledge is conceived and explored within the African context. Epistemology, or the theory of knowledge, has historically been dominated by the Western approach to the discourse of knowledge. This book however shines a much-needed spotlight on knowledge systems originating within the African continent. Bringing together key voices from across the field of African philosophy, this book explores the nature of knowledge across the continent and how they are rooted in Africans’ ontological sense of being and self. At a time when moves to decolonize curricula are gaining momentum, this book shows how understanding the specific ways of knowing that form part of the every day life of the African, will play an important part in rebalancing studies of philosophy globally. Employing critical, conceptual and rigorous analyses of the nature and essence of knowledge as understood by indigenous African societies, the book ultimately asks what could pass as an African theory of knowledge. This important guide to the connections between knowledge and being, in African philosophical thought, will be an important resource for researchers and students of philosophy and African studies.

The debate on the existence of African philosophy has taken central stage in academic circles, and academics and researchers have tussled with various aspects of this subject. This book notes that the debate on the existence of African philosophy is no longer necessary. Instead, it urges scholars to demonstrate the different philosophical genres embedded in African philosophy. As such, the book explores African metaphysical epistemology with the hope to redirect the debate on African philosophy. It articulates and systematizes metaphysical and epistemological issues in general and in particular on Africa. The book aptly shows how these issues intersect with the philosophy of life, traditional beliefs, knowledge systems and practices of ordinary Africans and the challenges they raise for scholarship in and on philosophy with relevance to Africa.

The debate on the existence of African philosophy has taken central stage in academic circles, and academics and researchers have tussled with various aspects of this subject. This book notes that the debate on the existence of African philosophy is no longer necessary. Instead, it urges scholars to demonstrate the different philosophical genres embedded in African philosophy. As such, the book explores African metaphysical epistemology with the hope to redirect the debate on African philosophy. It articulates and systematizes metaphysical and epistemological issues in general and in particular on Africa. The book aptly shows how these issues intersect with the philosophy of life, traditional beliefs, knowledge systems and practices of ordinary Africans and the challenges they raise for scholarship in and on philosophy with relevance to Africa.

There is a need for African Scholars to concentrate their efforts and thoughts in doing African philosophy by propagating and projecting the various shades of African thought. We believe that attention ought to be shifted from emphasizing western philosophy to emphasizing African philosophy both in teaching and in writing. This is because the existence of African philosophy is no longer a thing of question. It is an established fact. At most, what should be done is, at every given time any western philosopher and his/her ideas are being taught or discussed with the students or among professional philosophers effort should be geared towards showing its relevance to, significance for, or implication for African thought and vise versa. By so doing we believe that we will be moving away gradually and systematically from the crisis of relevance which faces Africans in almost every sphere of life, especially in the academics, to a situation of relevance and self-discovery. This will also foster considerably the contemporary movement towards decolonizing African thought. It is in keeping with this that this concise book "Bacon and Descartes Epistemology and African Epistemic Thought System" came into being. It is an exercise in comparative philosophy as it compares Bacon and Descartes' Epistemological postulations and that of the Africans in order to see where there is a confluence (similarity) and where there is a disparity (difference) and of course the significance of Bacon and Descartes Epistemology in African thought. There is a need for African Scholars to concentrate their efforts and thoughts in doing African philosophy by propagating and projecting the various shades of African thought. We believe that attention ought to be shifted from emphasizing western philosophy to emphasizing African philosophy both in teaching and in writing. This is because the existence of African philosophy is no longer a thing of question. It is an established fact. At most, what should be done is, at every given time any western philosopher and his/her ideas are being taught or discussed with the students or among professional philosophers effort should be geared towards showing its relevance to, significance for, or implication for African thought and vise versa. By so doing we believe that we will be moving away gradually and systematically from the crisis of relevance which faces Africans in almost every sphere of life, especially in the academics, to a situation of relevance and self-discovery. This will also foster considerably the contemporary movement towards decolonizing African thought. It is in keeping with this that this concise book "Bacon and Descartes Epistemology and African Epistemic Thought System" came into being. It is an exercise in comparative philosophy as it compares Bacon and Descartes' Epistemological postulations and that of the Africans in order to see where there is a confluence (similarity) and where there is a disparity (difference) and of course the significance of Bacon and Descartes Epistemology in African thought.