The debate over African philosophy asks who is entitled to write it

Evidence

By African philosophy I mean a collection of writings and, to be precise, a collection of written texts made by Africans who qualify as philosophical by themselves. I want to point out, however, that such a definition does not imply any form of assertion of principle. The meaning of the qualifying term “philosophical” does not justify the issues discussed, let alone the pretension of having a right to such a qualification. I am only taking into consideration the fact that the authors themselves gave to “philosophy” that qualification, and always refer correctly to this term. — Frans Dokman, Beyond Bantu Philosophy_…, 278 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

Category: Definitional Content

Related

• Hountondji defines African philosophy procedurally by authorship rather than by content (similarity 0.93)
• Hountondji defines African philosophy as written texts by Africans (similarity 0.92)
• No African philosopher willingly accepts the label ethnophilosopher. (similarity 0.87)
• African philosophy has been defined more by negation than by positive formulation (similarity 0.87)
• The criteria defining philosophy today are biased toward Western construals. (similarity 0.87)
• African scholars collectively refute the colonial denial of African philosophy. (similarity 0.86)
• African philosophy is both universal inquiry and continentally rooted cultural reflection (similarity 0.86)
• Western-biased criteria define what counts as philosophy worldwide (similarity 0.86)
• Bantu Philosophy stays canonical despite doubts about its philosophical status. (similarity 0.85)
• African philosophy is formulated collectively rather than by named individuals (similarity 0.84)
• Bantu Philosophy endures because it spoke to Africans despite its flaws. (similarity 0.84)
• African philosophy must reshape the very idea of philosophy, not fit a Western template (similarity 0.84)
• African philosophy debates still define themselves in relation to Tempels (similarity 0.84)
• The question of who authored Bantu Philosophy resists a single answer. (similarity 0.84)
• Africa’s neglected philosophical traditions can reshape the very definition of philosophy (similarity 0.84)

Broader Connections

• Hountondji defines African philosophy as written texts by Africans #expands (0.70) — Frans Dokman, Beyond Bantu Philosophy_…, 278
• Ethnophilosophy debates are tied to colonial ideology and contested concepts of philosophy #expands (0.60)