African Philosophy

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-ix

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2. Introduction

   • Guttorm Fløistad

   Pages 1-7

3. African “Philosophy”: Deconstructive and reconstructive challenges

   • Lucius Outlaw

   Pages 9-44

4. African philosophy: A brief personal history and current debate

   • H. Odera Oruka

   Pages 45-77

5. African philosophy in context: A reply to Hountondji’s “Que Peut la Philosophie”

   • L. Keita

   Pages 79-98

6. Myths, symbols and other life-worlds: The limits of empiricism

   • G. Munda Carew

   Pages 99-120

7. The philosophical significance of Bantu nomenclature: A shot at contemporary African philosophy

   • Didier Njirayamanda Kaphagawani

   Pages 121-152

8. The concept of mind with particular reference to the language and thought of the Akans

   • Kwasi Wiredu

   Pages 153-179

9. Alexis Kagame and African socio-linguistics

   • D. A. Masolo

   Pages 181-205

10. Old Gods, new worlds: Some recent work in the philosophy of African traditional religion

    • Kwame Akroma, Ampim Kusi Appiah

    Pages 207-234

11. The idea of art in African thought

    • K. Anyanwu

    Pages 235-260

12. Rationalism in the contemporary Arab world

    • Mourad Wahba

    Pages 261-275

13. African philosophy: Its proto-history and future history

    • W. Emmanuel Abraham

    Pages 277-296

14. Back Matter

    Pages 297-312

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This publication is a continuation of two earlier series of chroni­ cles, Philosophy of the Mid-Century (Firenze 1958/59) and Con­ temporary Philosophy (Firenze 1968), edited by Raymond Klibansky. Like the other series, these chronicles provide a survey of significant trends in contemporary philosophical discussion from 1970 to 1985. The need for such surveys has, I believe, increased rather than decreased over the last years. The philosophical scene appears, for various reasons, more complex than ever before. The continuing process of specialization in most branches, the emergence of new schools of thought, the convergence of interest (thought not neces­ sarily of opinion) of different traditions upon certain problems, the increasing attention being paid to the history of philosophy in discussions of contemporary problems, and the growing signifi­ cance for philosophical discourse of the social, political and cul­ tural situation in various regions of the world are the most impor­ tant contributory factors. Surveys of the present kind are a valu­ able source of knowledge of this complexity and may as such be an assistance in renewing the understanding of one's own philo­ sophical problems. The surveys, it is to be hoped, may also help to strengthen a world-wide Socratic element of modern philosophy, the dialogue or Kommunikationsgemeinschaft. So far, five volumes have been prepared for the new series.

• Africa
• Alexis Kagame
• Bantu
• Paulin J. Hountondji
• african philosophy
• philosophy

• University of Oslo, Norway

  Guttorm Fløistad

Policies and ethics