Philosophy’s deepest questions are embedded in art and religion

Evidence

The self-expression of the deepest values of a people are also found in the “iconic traditions” of its culture. Drawing from the work of Soyinka on an “iconic tradition” in Africa, Bell (1989, p. 376) argues that part of the narrative consciousness of a culture is its aesthetic consciousness, and this aesthetic consciousness is expressed though its iconic traditions. By adopting a flexible conceptualisation, Africa loses nothing but is, on the contrary, able to reclaim part of the rich oral heritage which it can explore when building its own philosophical tradition. We should never forget that the riddle of life and existence which philosophy aims to explicate is embedded in culture and expresses itself in many ways, including art and religion. And these too deserve the philosopher’s attention. — Frans Dokman, Beyond Bantu Philosophy_…, 390

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines ‘iconic traditions’ via Soyinka as the aesthetic dimension of narrative consciousness.