Africa’s neglected philosophical traditions can reshape the very definition of philosophy

Evidence

It would seem that much of what is often neglected in the discipline of African philosophy are those areas that do not fit well within the dominant conception of Western philosophy which we have inherited. The concern is that Africa cannot be able to add its own imprint on what is already accepted as philosophy and therefore contribute to mapping the field instead of simply adopting and making Africa fit in the pre-existing model. Once Africa is able to do so (that is, add its own authentic forms of articulation), there is no doubt that the philosophical fecundity inherent in its traditions will begin to manifest. — Frans Dokman, Beyond Bantu Philosophy_…, 393

Categorization

• XREF: The demand that Africa remap rather than fit the inherited model of philosophy echoes Kwasi Wiredu’s call for conceptual decolonization and parallels arguments in decolonial theory about epistemic plurality.