Bantu ontology is holistic and unified through vital force, transcending Western dualisms

Evidence

This ontology is related to both a spiritual as well as a material world, and these could be discerned, but they are not separate. The Bantu philosophy is a holistic way of thinking, starting from the idea that all life experiences are being determined by the totality of vital force. The holistic paradigm goes beyond typical Western dichotomies, such as spirit and matter, transcendent and immanent, visible and invisible. Characteristic of Bantu philosophical concepts is an ontology vitally connected to a Supreme Being, ancestor spirits, living beings, animals, plants and matter. They all exist in a universe of vital force, whose origin is religious. As Tempels stated: “Force is the nature of being, force is being, being is force” (Tempels, 1969, p. 51). — Frans Dokman, Beyond Bantu Philosophy_…, 812

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines the core of Bantu vital force ontology as holistic, transcending Western spirit/matter dichotomies.
• XREF: The holistic paradigm and critique of Western dichotomies resonates with African philosophy debates found in relevant literature. — connects to: Bantu vital forces form a hierarchy from God down through ancestors to animals; Claiming force equals being makes the Bantu ontology a mere tautology; Bantu ontology is grounded in vital force rather than Being — Frans Dokman, Beyond Bantu Philosophy_…, 526 (+3 more)
• DEEPTHINKING: This is the load-bearing core concept of the whole book - the vital force ontology that all Bantu/Ubuntu philosophy rests on.
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Frans Dokman, Beyond Bantu Philosophy_…, 812

Broader Connections

• Bantu ontology is grounded in vital force rather than Being #expands (0.80) — Frans Dokman, Beyond Bantu Philosophy_…, 526
• Praising Bantu ontology masks the destruction of Bantu society by segregation. #complicates (0.60) — Frantz Fanon, Constance Farrington, Black skin, white masks, 652
• Western ontology and African vitalogy can engage in reciprocal dialogue #qualifies (0.50)
• African Vitalogy is African thinking analogous to but distinct from Western philosophy #expands (0.40)