discuss critically oruka’s four trends of african philosophy in your view
which trends characterizes african philosophy properly and why
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University of South Africa (Unisa)
PLS1502 - Introduction To African Philosophy (PLS1502)
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Discuss critically Oruka’s four trends of African philosophy. In your view,
which trends characterizes African philosophy properly and why?
ANSWER:
Introduction
This essay attempts to critically discuss Henry Odera Oruka’s four trends of African
philosophy. In doing so, it shall attempt to structure the discourse on African philosophy by
categorising Oruka’s four trends as follows. (1) ethnophilosophy; (2) philosophic sagacity
(sage philosophy); (3) nationalist-ideological philosophy; and (4) professional philosophy.
Scholars such as Hountondji, Wiredu and Bodunrin suggest the answer to an authentic
African philosophy lies in the method of writing and presenting African philosophy, by
following an analytic or scientific method thus taking Western Philosophy as the “yardstick”
against which to do African philosophy, or do we simply study, analyse and interpret the
thoughts, myths, proverbs and cultures of Africans as suggested by Anyanwu, Imbo and
Mbiti.
These definitions clearly illustrate the philosophical divide between the universalists and
African traditionalists, and it is against this back drop that Oruka identified a thought on
what African philosophy is or could be through his famous trends which will be discussed.
Ethnophilosophy:
It is based on the presupposition that African philosophy and European philosophy are
each of a fundamentally different nature. European philosophy is characterized by logic
and individuality on the contrary African philosophy is communal and based on emotion
and intuition. It deals much with the beliefs found in African cultures, which is identified
with the folk philosophy as manifest in tales, customs, poems, taboos, songs, dances,
religions, etc. One of the greatest inadequacies of ethnophilosophy is that it is derived
from the uncritical aspects of African philosophy. Where the critical parts are works of
individual man, and women, philosophers, poets, etcetera, and the uncritical parts
constitutes of beliefs and activities found in religion, legend, folk tales, customs,
superstition, etc.
Sage philosophy / Philosophic Sagacity:
These are the ideas of African sages on selected philosophical issues. These are the
thoughts of sages, individual men and women who live in the traditional society, are versed
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