African Philosophy: A Critical Discourse on Possible Global Identity Issues

Résumé

The elements, concepts and personalities involved in the generation, sustainability and dissemination of African Philosophy are significant factors in the African philosophy project such that a closer examination of these factors proffers broader insight into issues pertaining to African philosophy. The inquiries into the identities are telling in that they have grown in complexity and significance over time. This demonstrates that African philosophy is as dynamic as it is enriching in the values it showcases to the world of philosophy. The investigations into the identities reveal in effect, a growing world culture of interrelationships and the possibility of critically assessing values from different perspectives. The net reality is a diffusion of values with an extensiveness that can only be described as global. African Philosophy though with unique claims to Africanity has witnessed increasingly global participative scholarship. In achieving this dimension of reach, African Philosophy is set to run its full course in adding to the value-stores of the global audience. In the domain of idea generation and exchanges, there are no pigeon-holes as in the effort at absolute regional appropriation of the processes and products of the African philosophic enterprise. In the regional claims to philosophies, the walls of pure exclusivism and tight compartments tend to give way to global scholarly participation in the values, methodologies and conclusions reached by those regional philosophic concerns. Scholarship remains a free intellectual traffic in which the values available in particular regions are made available in other regions with the aim of maximizing value-additions from cross-cultural exchanges. In the case of Africa her wealth of understanding and value appreciation become the more enriched by her encounter with myriads of global values in the light of scientific objectivity. African Philosophy opens the door to the confluence of ideas on African perspectives. While focused on African affairs, it finds a place for Africa on the global intellectual podium and by its presence, co-creates a mega value of ideas alongside its counterparts from any other parts of the globe. The methodology applied is the critical-analytical method.