However, in african cultural values he also mentions the significance of purely aesthetic qualities of african art. View notes gyekye person and community in african thought. Specifically, gyekye s project is an invitation to afrocommunitarian scholars to embrace a global culture. In discussing african culture and values, we are not presupposing that all african. Italics are mine different to the famous definition of a. This orientation of african ethics takes its impulse, undoubtedly, from the humanistic outlook that characterizes traditional african life and thought. In this important and pioneering book, kwame gyekye examines postcolonial african experience from a viewpoint receptive to aspects of both traditional african cultures and western political and moral theory. Much earlier adolphe louis cureau had written of the congo. Kwame gyekye born is a ghanaian philosopherand ghekye important figure in the development of modern african philosophy. Morality for him is, simply, the observance of rules for the harmonious adjustment of the interests of the individual to those of others in society. A social structure is evolved not only to give effect to certain conceptions of human nature, but also to provide a framework. The main objective of this paper is to examine african culture and values. Before generating conclusions, described here are the moral definition of personhood subject to the premises of the normative perspective and the distinction between a person and an individual that is, considering the former. Person and community council for research in values and.
Aug 19, 2006 1 introduction in this paper i shall look at the communitarians accounts of human rights in africa as conceived by scholars writing on the african experience. A timely and powerful addition to postcolonial theory, tradition and modernity will. Kwame gyekye 1978 international philosophical quarterly 18 3. This article undertakes a critical examination of kwame gyekye s main arguments for moderate communitarianism. The african philosopher kwame gyekye explores how the akan people of. Pdf african cultural values download read online free. Gyekye stresses the functional and economic aspects of traditional african art. Even though philosophical ideas and concerns are originally inspired by and worked out in a cultural milieu, it does not necessarily follow, gyekye strongly believes, that the relevance of those ideas and insights is to be tetheed to the cultures that produced them. It must, gyekye argues, arise from african thought itself, relate to the culture out of which it grows, and provide the possibility of a continuation of a philosophy linked to culture. Kwame gyekye is a professor of philosophy at the university of ghana. Gyekye attempts an articulation of the visions of the essays contained in the book.
Mclean person and community ghanaian philosophical studies, i edited by kwasi wiredu kwame gyekye published with the support of cipshunesco the council for research in values and philosophy. Contrary to the general belief among african scholars, it contends that gyekyes. Kwame gyekye, on the other hand, opines a somewhat unified dualist view of the akan. Kwame gyekye offers a philosophical interpretation and critical analysis of the african cultural experience in modern times.
Revisiting kwame gyekye s critique of normative cultural relativism 25. This article undertakes a critical examination of kwame gyekyes main arguments for moderate communitarianism. Critically employing western political and philosophical concepts to clear, comparative advantage, gyekye addresses a wide range of concrete problems afflicting postcolonial african states, such as ethnicity and nationbuilding, the relationship of tradition to modernity. Access to society journal content varies across our titles. Although numerous studies have been made of the western educated political elite of colonial nigeria in particular, and of africa in general, very few have approached the study from a perspective that analyzes the impacts of indigenous institutions on the lives, values, and ideas of these individuals. Introduction nana aberewa is a mythological figure among the akan o f g hana w ho is believed to be full of. The village as an extension of the family, compels its citizens to strict communism, to dependence upon one another.
He suggests that this thesis better accounts for the akan and, to some extent, african social setup than what he calls radical communitarianism a thesis which he attributes especially to john mbiti and ifeanyi menkiti. If you have access to a journal via a society or association membership, please browse to your society journal, select an article to view, and follow the instructions in this box. Tradition and modernity hardcover kwame gyekye oxford. African people, in their attempt to evolve ways of life compatible with an increasingly globalized world cultural, intellectual, and political scene, face a number of unique societal. Kwame gyekye analysis of text in view of the different approaches to the problem of personhood and community in african thought, gyekye finds it necessary to clarify some commonalities and differences among the different approaches within communitarianism, thus opening the way for further debate in. Kwame gyekye, an essay on african philosophical thought.
This book is about the diachronic impact of indigenous. I shall explore their understanding of the notion of equality, and their ideas on human rights in terms of a proclaimed african communitarian ethos and proceed with a critique of these notions. In this important and pioneering book, kwame gyekye examines postcolonial african experience from a viewpoint receptive to aspects of both traditional african. Contrary to the general belief among african scholars, it contends that gyekye s. This essay explores representative africanist thought on personhood and community, highlighting especially the debate between ifeanyi menkiti and kwame gyekye on communitarianism, defined generally as relating to social organization in small, cooperative, partially collectivist communities. Throughout, gyekye challenges the notion that modernity for africa must be equated with western values and institutions, arguing instead that african modernity must be forged creatively within the furnace of africa s manysided cultural experience. Get ebooks african cultural values on pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi and audiobook for free. African cultural values and personality factors among rural and urban. Of particular interest is the akan conception of persons, a conception that informs a variety of.
View notes gyekyeperson and community in african thought. Joseph kofi antwi abstract as a contribution to the debate on african philosophy, this paper explores the value of a person in akan traditional life and thought. Pdf from llb pls1502 at university of south africa. Person and community council for research in values. Colonialism, africa, values, religion, culture, morality. Search for library items search for lists search for.
There has been a great deal of misconception about both the metaphysical and social status of the person in african thought. Restrictions pro authors only online only open access only published only filter by language configure languages here. The concept of person in an african culture and its implication for social order elvis imafidon department of philosophy, catholic major seminary of all saints, p. It is my contention that gyekye has a contribution to make towards the understanding of the social and political structures of multicultural communities in africa. Reimagining the african american family through african cultural values and structures reengages and redefines modern day conversations about the family. Pdf african cultural values and personality factors among rural. On the objective assessment of other values according to gyekye, normative cultural relativism is false because it implies the denial of the possibility of an objective. Nkrumah, kaunda and mbiti, nyerere bases his notion of equality and morality on the african humanist view of the human being. This book offers a philosophical interpretation and critical analysis of the african cultural experience in modern times. For instance, the claim that the values and principles of african morality are not founded on. Cultural heritage and contemporary change series ii, africa, volume 9 beyond cultures perceiving a common humanity ghanaian philosophical studies, iii by kwame gyekye the council for research in values and philosophy. African philosophy can be found in the various traditional and cultural schemes of the people.
Always update books hourly, if not looking, search in. Professor kwame gyekye s influence on african sociopolitical thought and western. Kwame gyekye tradition and modernity philosophical. Jan 30, 2010 yccs director, john, has given me some serious homework. Kwasi wiredu 1992, kwame gyekye 1996 and austin fagothey 1959.
Clearly, he will explain to us in this lecture what he conceives to be the vision of our human nature, our human values and our common humanity, to which he will lead us over the dividing wall of our cultural identities. Like other longestablished cultures the world over, the akan have developed a rich conceptual system complete with metaphysical, moral, and epistemological aspects. Tradition and modernity paperback kwame gyekye oxford. Kwame gyekye is the author of an essay on african philosophical thought 4. For wiredu 1992, morality in the strictest sense is universal and essential to human culture.
He maintains that, as the outstanding feature of african culture, humanism means. In their attempt to evolve ways of life appropriate to our modern world culture, says kwame gyekye, african people face a number of unique societal challenges, some stemming from the values and practices of their traditional cultures, others representing the legacy of. This book offers philosophical interpretation and critical analysis of the african cultural experience in modern times. Humanismthe doctrine that sees human needs and interests as fundamentalthus constitutes the foundation of african ethics see section 5 above. On a communitarian ethos, equality and human rights in africa. In their attempt to evolve ways of life appropriate to our modern world culture, says kwame gyekye, african people and societies face a number of challenges, some stemming from the values and practices of their traditional cultures, and others representing the legacy of. In this important and pioneering book, kwame gyekye examines postcolonial african experience from a viewpoint receptive to aspects of both. Revisiting kwame gyekyes critique of normative cultural. African people, in their attempt to evolve ways of life compatible with an increasingly globalized world cultural, intellectual, and political scene, face a number of unique societal challenges, some stemming, gyekye argues, from traditional african values and practices, others representing the legacy of.
The value of a person in akan traditional life and thought. There is no question that kwasi wiredu and kwame gyekye are one of. Throughout, gyekye challenges the notion that modernity for africa must be equated with western values and institutions, arguing instead that african modernity must be forged creatively within the furnace of africas manysided cultural experience. Module pls1502 year of publication 2002 title of publication person and community in. How moderate is kwame gyekyes moderate communitarianism. The chapter discusses the unresolved predicament of the most considerable level of connection between the society and its members that would be beneficial to both agents. Pdf african cultural values download ebook for free. Moderate communitarianism is a thesis introduced into african philosophical literature by the akan philosopher kwame gyekye. I mean to suggest instead that the practice would need to be reevaluated and the necessary refinements made to it gyekye.
A critique of gyekye s moderate communitarianism article pdf available in south african journal of philosophy 282 october 2009 with 1,397 reads how we measure reads. In their attempt to evolve ways of life appropriate to our modern world culture, african people and their society face a number of challenges. Kwame gyekye author of an essay on african philosophical. Pdf this article repudiates the dichotomy that african ethics is communitarian. It is a search for principles, models, examples from african culture that may be used in the reconstruction and restoration of african and african. The culture of the akan people of west africa dates from before the th century. In discussing african culture and values, we are not presupposing that all african societies have the same. Module pls1502 2002 person and community in african. Philosophical reflections on the african experience by. Akan philosophy of the person stanford encyclopedia of. African people, in their attempt to evolve ways of life compatible with an increasingly globalized world cultural, intellectual, and political scene, face a number of unique societal challenges, some stemming, gyekye argues, from traditional african values and practices, others representing the legacy of european colonialism.
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