A Complete History of African Philosophy

This book is Japan's first research book on African philosophy.

First, it introduces philosophers from the ancient Greek and Roman periods to the modern era. For example, the ancient Augustine was an African born into a Berber family, and his philosophy is impossible without Egyptian elements. In the 17th century, during the same era as Descartes, outstanding philosophers such as Zera Yacob and Walda Heywat emerged in Ethiopia. Yacob conducted a thorough critique of religion that surpassed his Western contemporaries. In the 18th century, Anton Wilhelm Amo was active in Germany and presented a pioneering theory of organicism.

As Western colonization progressed, 19th-century philosophers such as Blyden, Crummell, and Horton sharply criticized the violence of Western civilization. They argued that African civilization would liberate the spiritual elements of humanity and build peace in the world. Despite suffering from oppression and discrimination, they never let go of their orientation toward contributing to humanity. Furthermore, African philosophy finds its medium of expression not only in philosophy books in the narrow sense, but also in poetry, oral literature, dialogue, and even music and dance. There is no other philosophy in the world that values improvisation and communication to this extent. African art is itself an expression of political thought, and James Brown and Bob Marley are its successors.

Modern African philosophers present new ethical perspectives while forging traditional concepts. These include humanity as compassion for others (Ubuntu), a moral and judicial view that aims for compensation and relationship restoration through "reconciliation" rather than punishment or exclusion, and democratic decision-making methods through thorough dialogue (Palaver). It is well known that the late Wangari Maathai of Kenya, who won the Nobel Peace Prize, was impressed by the Japanese word "mottainai" and made it a slogan for environmental protection. African philosophy resonates with Japanese thinking in some ways. By coming into contact with African philosophy, perhaps the parts of ourselves that have been hidden until now will be stirred. I would like anyone interested in Africa to read this book.

A Complete History of African Philosophy

Tetsuya Kono

Chikuma Shinsho

480 pages, 1,430 yen (tax included)

*Affiliations and titles are those at the time of publication.