Abstract: This volume provides the key to a deepened discourse on philosophy in Africa. Available literature and academic practice in African philosophy since the 1960s have largely featured discourses in the areas of origin, general meaning and nature of the discipline, with little attention given to specialized areas. By contrast, this book examines a noticeable shifting focus from such general concerns to more specific subject-matter, in such areas as epistemology, moral philosophy, metaphysics, aesthetics, and social and political philosophy in the light of the African experience. The volume includes specific discourses from expert contributors on the nature, history and scope of African ethics and metaphysics, while also discussing particular themes in African epistemology, philosophy of education, existentialism and political philosophy. Researchers seeking for new perspective on African philosophy will find this work thought-provoking, instructive and informative

Abstract: Acknowledgements -- Notes on Contributors -- 1. Introduction: The Shifting Focus of Philosophy in Africa -- 2. 1. Revisiting the Terms of African Philosophy. C.B.N. Ogbogbo -- 3. 2. Metaphysics in Africa: Traditional and Modern Discussions. Wilfred Lajul -- 4. 3. Critical Notes on the Metaphysics of Metallurgy in an African Culture. Omotade Adegbindin -- 5. 4. An Overview of African Ethics. Thaddeus Metz -- 6. 5. Transnational Ethics, Justice and Anyiam-Osigwe’s Philosophy of the Family. Ronald Olufemi Badru -- 7. 6. Towards an African Moral Theory. Thaddeus Metz -- 8. 7. An African Theory of Knowledge. Anselm K. Jimoh -- 9. 8. Epistemic Insight from an African Way of Knowing. Peter A. Ikhane -- 10. 9. The Imperative of Epistemic Decolonization in Contemporary Africa. Abosede Priscilla Ipadeola -- 11. 10. A Gendered Interrogation of Virtue Ascription in an African Thought System. Isaac E. Ukpokolo -- 12. 11. Women Agency and the Re-negotiation of Gender Depiction in an African Media Space. Benjamin Timi Olujohungbe -- 13. 12. The Imperative of Developing African Eco-philosophy. Kevin Behrens -- 14. 13. The Nature of African Aesthetics. Mathew A. Izibili -- 15. 14. Philosophy and Existence in an African Condition. Anthony Akinwale -- 16. 15.Human Life and the Question of Meaning in African Existentialism. Monday Lewis Igbafen -- 17. 16. Western Specifications, African Approximations: Time, Color and Existential Attitudes. Elvis Imafidon -- 18. 17. Probable Limits of Particularism in African Existential Discourse. Wale Olajide -- 19. 18. Philosophy in Africa and the Challenge of Development. Peter A. Ikhane -- 20. 19. Political Philosophy and the African Experience. Joseph Osei -- 21. 20. Concepts of Justice in Africa: Past and Present. Anke Graness -- 22. 21. African Worldview and the Question of Democratic Substance. Christopher O. Agulanna & Peter Osimiri -- 23. 22. Philosophy: Interrogating the Public Space and Culture. O. B. Lawuyi -- Selected Bibliography -- Index

Abstract: Acknowledgments -- Contents -- Notes on Contributors -- 1: Introduction: The Shifting Focus of Philosophy in Africa -- 2: Revisiting the Terms of African Philosophy -- Introduction -- Nature of the Poverty -- Recalibrating the Discipline -- Conclusion -- 3: African Metaphysics: Traditional and Modern Discussions -- Introduction -- The Meaning of African Metaphysics -- The Nature of African Metaphysics -- The Scope of African Metaphysics -- Traditional African Metaphysics -- The Concept of Being -- African Ontology -- African Cosmology -- God in African Cosmology -- The African Concept of the Person -- The Person as Relational -- The Person as Dualistic -- The Person as Triadic -- The Person and Destiny -- Modern African Metaphysics -- Science Versus Mythological Metaphysics -- African Metaphysics as a Cul de Sac Preventing Innovation -- Ubuntu-African Metaphysics in Economics -- Destiny in African Metaphysics -- Pan-African Metaphysical Epistemology -- West African, East African and South African Conceptions of a Person -- The West African Conception of a Person -- The East and South African Conception of a Person -- Conclusion -- Bibliography -- 4: Critical Notes on the Metaphysics of Metallurgy in an African Culture -- Introduction -- Metaphysics of Metallurgy in Yorùbá (African) Belief -- Bibliography -- 5: An Overview of African Ethics -- Introduction -- Nature and History of the Profession -- Normative Ethics: Good and Bad Character -- Normative Ethics: Right and Wrong Action -- Applied Ethics -- Metaethics -- Bibliography -- 6: Transnational Ethics, Justice and Anyiam-­Osigwe's Philosophy of the Family -- Introduction and Issue Statement -- Conceptual Prologue -- Skewed Global Human Relations and the Debate Between Proponents and Opponents of Transnational Justice -- The Proponents of Transnational Justice and Their Theses -- The Opponents of Transnational Justice and Their Theses -- Applying Anyiam-Osigwe's African Philosophy of the Family: An Argument from Transnational Ethics to Transnational Justice -- Conclusion -- Bibliography -- 7: Toward an African Moral Theory (Revised Edition) -- Clarification of the Project -- Ubuntu as a Moral Theory -- Developing the Favoured Account -- Conclusion: Topics for Future Work -- 8: An African Theory of Knowledge -- Introduction -- The African Cultural and Ontological Reality -- The Nature of African Epistemology -- An African Theory of Knowledge -- The African Homo-cultural Theory of Justification of Knowledge -- Conclusion -- Bibliography -- 9: Epistemic Insight from an African Way of Knowing -- Introduction -- Ignorance and an African Epistemological Framework -- An African Way of Knowing -- Conclusion -- 10: The Imperative of Epistemic Decolonization in Contemporary Africa -- Introduction -- The African Colonial Experience and Emergence of a New Epistemological Order -- Eurocentrism and the Politics of Epistemological Tyranny -- Care Epistemology: A Panacea for the Epistemic Colonization Crisis in Contemporary Africa -- Conclusion -- Bibliography -- 11: A Gendered Interrogation of Virtue Ascription in an African Thought System -- Background -- Areté: Virtue as Excellence -- Western Orientation and Virtue Ascription -- Gender Disparity in the Judeo-Christian World: Grounding Western Gender Discourse -- Philo (13 B.C.-54 A.D.) -- Moses Ben Maimonides -- Gender Binaries in Africa -- Owanlen: A Gerontocratic Gender Preserve -- Bibliography -- 12: Women's Agency and the Re-negotiation of Gender Depiction in an African Media Space -- Background -- Gender Depiction in Popular Media -- Artificial Forms, Adjustments and Role Identification -- The Idea of Agency -- Media Literacy and Rational Women's Agency -- Bibliography -- 13: The Imperative of Developing African Eco-philosophy -- Introduction -- The Need for Eco-philosophy -- The Need for Philosophy to Address the Threat to Humanity Entailed by the Ecological Crisis -- African Thought Has Much to Contribute to Eco-philosophy -- Appealing to Existing Values and Beliefs Is More Likely to Elicit Buy-in -- Conclusion -- Bibliography -- 14: The Nature of African Aesthetics -- Introduction -- Elements of African Aesthetics: Art, Beauty and Nature -- Intentionality in African Art -- The Expression of Beauty in African Aesthetics -- African Aesthetic Judgment -- Conclusion -- 15: Philosophy and Existence in an African Condition -- Love of Wisdom -- Life and Dictatorship in an Era of Democracy -- The Human Question and the Quest of the Lover of Wisdom -- To Build a Nation Is to Seek Happiness Together -- 16: Human Life and the Question of Meaning in African Existentialism -- Introduction -- African Understanding of the Meaningfulness and Meaninglessness of Human Existence -- The African Conception of Death and Its Implications for Human Existence -- Conclusion -- 17: Western Specifications, African Approximations: Time, Colour and Existential Attitudes -- Introduction -- Time, Colour and Existential Attitudes in the West -- Time, Colour and Existential Attitudes in Africa -- Conclusion -- 18: Probable Limits of Particularism in African Existential Discourse -- Introduction -- The Problem -- God and the Traditional African -- Conclusion -- 19: Philosophy and the Challenge of Development in Africa -- Tracking the Concept of "Development" -- A Look at Strategies for Development in Africa -- Philosophy in Africa and the Challenge of Development -- Concluding Remarks -- References -- 20: Political Philosophy in the African Context -- Discussion of Actual or Hypothetical Objections -- Is Political Philosophy by Africans Possible? -- Can Political Philosophy Be Contextualized? -- Contextualization in the Political Philosophy of Plato -- Contextualization in the Political Philosophy of Aristotle and Other Western Philosophers and Their Critics -- Contextualization in John Rawls' Theory of Justice as Fairness and Robert Nozick's Theory of Justice as Entitlement -- Conclusion -- 21: Concepts of Justice in Africa: Past and Present -- Introduction -- Ma'at-Justice in Ancient Egypt: Justice as a Cosmological Order -- Indigenous Ideas of Justice and Legal Practice in Africa: Corrective Justice -- Ubuntu -- The Gacaca Courts in Rwanda -- Concepts of Justice in Modern African Philosophy: Distributive Justice -- Henry Odera Oruka's Concept of Global Justice -- Teodros Kiros and the Question, May Food Be a Commodity? -- Conclusion -- Bibliography -- 22: African Worldview and the Question of Democratic Substance -- Introduction -- Conceptual Analysis -- The African Worldview -- African Worldview and Democratic Values -- Competitive Succession -- Popular Consent and Participation -- Constraints on the Abuse of Power -- Consensus-building -- Towards a True African Democracy -- Conclusion -- 23: Philosophy: Interrogating the Public Space and Culture -- Introduction -- Discourse(s) on the Nigerian Public Space -- Culture, Philosophy and Public Discourse -- Why Do Nigerians Complain? -- Conclusion -- Bibliography -- 24: Mandela's Legacy for Political Philosophy in Africa -- Introduction -- What Is Karl Popper's Theory of Evolutionary Epistemology? -- The Problem of Apartheid as Mandela Saw It -- The Evolution of Mandela's Political Philosophy -- Stage I: The Evolution from Nonviolent Nationalist Resistance to Radical Nationalist Resistance -- The Transition to Radical Resistance -- Stage II: The Evolution from Radical Nationalism to Marxist Socialism/Communism -- Stage III: Evolution from Scientific Socialism/Communism to (Ubuntu Ethics-Based) Liberal Democracy -- Conclusion -- Index