Tempels wrote Bantu Philosophy specifically for a Western audience using approximate translations.

Evidence

Tempels divided his work into two sections. The first is an analysis of Bantu philosophy, and the second explains the method he used. In the first section he pointed out that he was writing specifically for those from the West. This explains why he made ample use of Western philosophical terminology widely known at the time, though he also recognised that not every terminology could be translated accordingly. It is enough to recall the concept of vital force, which he finally translated as the primary energy. This is also why he rightly insisted that the words he used give an approximate idea of the concept. — Frans Dokman, Beyond Bantu Philosophy_…, 225

Categorization

• QUESTION: Does Tempels’s admitted imprecision in translating ‘vital force’ as ‘primary energy’ undermine or strengthen his later critics’ objections?