African philosophy

What is the course about?

In this course, students will be instructed on African philosophy. The idea of African philosophy has been described by some as representing a variant of the projects that focus on Africa and an idea of a return to the source which aim at retrieving fundamental truths about the nature of Africans as philosophical, ethical, political, and even rational beings. What we shall do in this course is to attempt to engage in some discourses in African philosophy. The choice of this subject matter is informed by the long-standing discussions in African philosophy, the facts of the power of colonial disruption, and the intellectual projects and behaviour of the African people. We shall look at the representative body of works that encourage intellectual discussions. By so doing we might be able to arrive at a safe understanding of what the discourses are: 1) regarding the modern intellectual entrenchment of discourses, 2) the debates within these discourses, 3) engage in discourses such as communitarianism, personhood, ubuntu, decolonization, both intellectually and pragmatically.

Course tutor Ovett Nwosimiri has a PhD in Philosophy. His research areas are in philosophy and ethics, particularly African philosophy, African epistemology, applied ethics, and philosophy of race. He has an interest in other philosophical areas and interdisciplinary research that bridges the gap between philosophy and technology (AI). He is a Research Associate at the African Centre for Epistemology and Philosophy of Science, University of Johannesburg.

What will we cover?

· Nature and trends in African philosophy (here, we will glance through Placide Tempels’ book Bantu Philosophy. This book is a foundational text in African Philosophy. It is the reactions to this book that gave birth to the four major trends or schools in African Philosophy, namely ethnophilosophy, philosophical sagacity, nationalist/ideological philosophy, and professional philosophy.

· Communitarianism

· Personhood.

· African ethics and ubuntu.

· Decolonizing of knowledge.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

· To have a good knowledge of the nature and trends in African philosophy and some discourses in African philosophy.

· Be able to engage in a critical conversation and intellectual discussion on African philosophy.

· Engage in the various debates in support and against the debate on communitarianism and personhood, African ethics, ubuntu, and decolonisation of knowledge.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

The purpose of this introductory course is to prepare students for either their first exposure to African philosophy or critical discourse analysis. Therefore, all that is needed is a receptive mind, the ability to think critically, engage with the materials for intellectual discussions, and be prepared to consider and pay attention to the views and positions of other students that are totally different from yours.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

Various topics will be introduced in each session. Some of the assigned readings will be presented in PowerPoint format at each session. To better grasp the materials, a critical and intellectual discussion is encouraged during these sessions. Students are encouraged to search the internet for extra readings in addition to the assigned texts.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

A pen and paper may be useful for jotting down ideas, and a prior read of the materials is encouraged.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

Please check City Lit's website for up-to-date information about upcoming courses.