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| AUTHOR: | Richard H. Bell |
| CATEGORY: | Book |
| MANUFACTURER: | Routledge |
| ISBN: | 0415939372 |
| TYPE: | Africa, Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General, History & Surveys - Modern, Philosophy, Philosophy, African, Social Science, Sociology, African studies, Non-Western philosophy |
| MEDIA: | Paperback |
| # OF MEDIA: | 1 |
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Customer Reviews of Understanding African Philosophy: A Cross-cultural Approach to Classical and Contemporary Issues
Engaging Introduction to African Moral/Political Philosophy Borrowing from Wittgenstein, Bell begins by asserting that the primary purpose of philosophy is to help us "see something as it is." This claim undergirds the organization of the work. The first section (chapter 1) draws heavily on Ludwig Wittgenstein and Peter Winch to help the reader develop a cross-cultural interpretative framework to help the reader focuses on the concepts and ideas of African philosophers rather than obscure them with their own cultural baggage. The second section (chapters 2 and 3) is a survey of modern African philosophy focused on major schools of thought, e.g. ethnophilosophy, negritude, African socialism and "professional philosophy." The next section (chapters 4 to 6) is essentially applied moral philosophy. Bell uses contemporary problems, e.g. widespread poverty and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, to tease out the ideas and approaches of philosophers, (literary) writers and sometimes statesmen. The last chapter attempts to show the ways in which a notion of narrative in African philosophy can move beyond the philosophical text and embrace literature, music and orality (or orature).
Bell clearly intends for the work to be used in introductory philosophy courses and includes a preface with suggested anthologies of African philosophy and suggested uses for classes. However, his work deals primarily with moral philosophy and secondarily with political philosophy. There is little direct treatment of metaphysics, systems of African thought or epistemology. (Epistemology is certainly alluded to in his discussions of the starting points for philosophy.)
It is a short, interesting read from a writer who is not shy about inserting his own opinions in the work. For the general reader, it is likely to be much more engaging than Hallen's Short History. However, I think I learned more about the individual philosophers' approaches from Hallen. (BTW, for those who like to write in books, this edition has large margins.)