Chapter 14 - African Philosophy of Education

Philosophical Foundations and Conceptual Frameworks

• Philosophical investigation is treated not merely as a contemplation of abstract problems but as a rigorous examination of a specific set of texts, whether written or oral. This approach, influenced by Stanley Cavell, views African philosophy of education as a corpus of texts that can be analyzed for their status and value.

• Texts within African philosophy constitute specific genres or paradigms, falling broadly into categories such as traditional 'ethnophilosophy' (cultural philosophy) and communitarian 'rational, culture-dependent' philosophy.

• There is no singular African philosophy of education; rather, diverse intellectual thinking patterns exist, informed by cultural practices and the logic underlying those practices.

Genres of African Philosophy

• Négritude: Primary theorists include W.E.B. DuBois, Léopold Senghor, and Lucius Outlaw.

  • DuBois posits that 'race'—defined by a common ancestry, tradition, religion, and language—determines the interconnectedness and aspirations of human beings.

  • A 'Negro' philosophy aims to invoke a common racial identity among African-Americans to subvert prejudice and inequality across material, intellectual, and spiritual dimensions.

  • Négritude serves as a defense against discrimination and the human predicament of inequality.

• African American Philosophy: Léopold Senghor expanded Négritude to cultivate dialogue among all Africans regardless of race.

  • The aim is to deprecate Western stereotypes portraying Africans as 'uncivilized'.

  • This genre defends African cultural expression, emphasizing the apprehension of reality intuitively through the senses rather than solely through discursive reasoning.

• Africana Philosophy: Proposed by Lucius Outlaw, this term clarifies philosophy practiced by people on the African continent, African Americans, and 'Africanists'.

  • 'Africanists' typically live in the diaspora and recognize the authenticity of African experiences, using written and oral narratives to oppose racism and ethnocentrism.

  • Africana philosophy involves gathering various traditions, literatures, and practices to catalog the contributions of African peoples to human civilization.

Categorizations by Henry Odera Oruka and Kwasi Wiredu

• Four Trends of African Philosophy (Oruka):

  • Ethno-philosophy: Focuses on indigenous African thought and practices.

  • Philosophic Sagacity: Emphasizes critical independent reasoning and judgment by wise individuals or sages.

  • Nationalist-Ideological Philosophy: Stresses the cultivation of humanity within society.

  • Professional Philosophy: Centers on reasoned philosophical discourse.

• The Concept of the Educated Person (Wiredu):

  • Wiredu argues that an educated person must possess reasonable knowledge of their culture and environment and demonstrate the ability to construct defensible arguments.

  • In the Akan language, an educated person is called $wapo$, meaning one who is refined, polished, lucid, and logical.

  • A $wapo$ is reasonable, uses appropriate proverbs, and listens carefully to others.

Communitarian Humanism and Rationality in African Thought

• Kwame Gyekye and Akan Culture: Gyekye identifies African philosophy of education with communitarian humanism, using terms such as:

  • $ayamyie$ (generosity)

  • $aboboye$ (truthfulness)

  • $nea\,ede\,asomdwee$ (dignity and respect)

• Akan Proverbs Illustrating Communitarianism:

  • 'When a person descends from heaven, he [or she] descends into a human society.'

  • 'A man [woman] must depend for his [her] well-being on his fellow man [woman].'

  • 'The person who helps you carry your load does not develop a hump.'

• Culture-Dependent Rationality: Gyekye argues that rationality is dependent on culture. It involves using less formal rules of communicative engagement to avoid alienating others. Reasons for cultural practices are expressed in ways that emphasize reconciliation and harmony.

• Case Study: East African Reconciliation: Sages in East Africa often use cultural and religious beliefs—such as the idea that peaceful life is tied to God's acceptance—to encourage perpetrators of violence to reconcile. Though these reasons may seem illogical to outsiders, they are effective within the cultural framework for resolving ethnic conflict.

The Scientific vs. Ethnophilosophical Debate

• Paulin Hountondji's Critique: Hountondji associates African philosophy with an enlightenment discourse privileging rational argumentation and exact science.

  • He criticizes ethnophilosophy for its bias toward oral tradition and its tendency to breed uncritical adherence to ancestral views.

  • Authentic philosophy must use principles of justification unconstrained by narratives or lived experiences.

• Conscious Rationality: Despite his critiques, Hountondji makes a case for 'conscious rationality'—a form of reasoning that emerges from dialogical engagement to address socio-economic issues like poverty and hunger.

• Synthesis of Views: Contrary to a strict separation, it is argued that rational argumentation and dialogical engagement cannot dismiss oral traditions. Listening to the views of sages, even if they seem irrational, provides an opportunity for response and prevents the exclusion of perspectives.

Ubuntu and Democratic Justice

• Linguistic Variations of Ubuntu: The concept exists across the continent under various names:

  • $umundu$ and $umuntu$ (Kikuyu/Kimeru, Kenya)

  • $bumuntu$ (kiSukuma/kiHaya, Tanzania)

  • $vumuntu$ (shiTsonga/shiTswa, Mozambique)

  • $bomoto$ (Bobangi, Democratic Republic of Congo)

  • $gimuntu$ (kiKongo, Angola)

• Philosophical Dimensions: Ubuntu is a form of communitarianism characterized by virtues such as caring, sharing, hospitality, forgiveness, and compassion.

  • As a philosophical concept, it is based on respect for persons regardless of circumstances and the enhancement of human well-being (human flourishing).

  • It is summed up by the expressions: $Umuntu\,ngumuntu\,ngabantu$ (isiXhosa/isiZulu) or $Motho\,ke\,motho\,ka\,batho\,ba\,bang$ (Sesotho), meaning 'A person is a person through other persons.'

• Politico-Ideological Dimensions: Ubuntu advocates for peace, social harmony, and socio-political consensus. It suggests that sharing power and resources equitably is the only way to produce lasting peace on the continent.

• Case Study: The Green Belt Movement: Led by Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai, this movement exercised Ubuntu by helping communities plant trees to improve livelihoods and promote justice and environmental protection.

Addressing Injustice through Ubuntu

• Violations in Darfur, Sudan: Rivalries between the Janjaweed and Zangawa communities result in the rape of women and destruction of homes. Reclaiming Ubuntu would require respecting the dignity of women as persons.

• Kenyan Ethnic Conflict: The $2007$ elections saw violence between the PNU (Kikuyus/Merus) and ODM (Luos/Kalenjins). Ubuntu has the potential to curb such violent actions and encourage responsibility.

• Political Dictatorship: Leaders like Jean Bedel Bokassa, Idi Amin, and Mobutu Sese Seko used military power and ethnic hatred to maintain control. Ubuntu shifts the focus toward sharing resources and communal governance.

• Positive Governance: Leaders like Nelson Mandela, Julius Nyerere, Seretse Khama, Léopold Senghor, Ahmad Ben Bella, and Joaquim Chissano promoted peace, reconciliation, and human dignity through dialogue.

Implications for Teaching and Learning

• Shift from Master Texts: Students should not view prescribed texts as final authorities but should be open to interpreting, analyzing, and looking beyond them.

• Transactional and Organic Learning: Drawing from John Dewey, teaching is seen as a transaction where educators and students reason together and give intelligible accounts of their thoughts.

• Pedagogical Ubuntu: Educators must connect with learners as active participants. This involves:

  • Nurturing classrooms to pulsate with multiple conceptions of humanity (Maxine Greene's 'wide-awakeness').

  • Establishing communities of learning that remain open to the unexpected.

  • Using inclusive pedagogical relations that 'summon to speech' all participants, ensuring no one is marginalized (Jacques Rancière).

• Social Problem-Solving: Education should open students to transformative action, teaching them to attend to the marginalized (women, children, and victims of dictators) and to act with dignity and compassion in the face of human adversity (Seyla Benhabib).

Critical Evaluations and Defences

• Skepticism of the Unique Status: Critics like Horsthemke and Enslin question if there is a uniquely African philosophy of education or if it is merely ideology rooted in customs and oral literature.

• Methodological Defence: Proponents argue that African philosophy of education is founded on universal rationalism and critical argumentation.

  • Kwasi Wiredu emphasizes coherent justification.

  • S. Gbadegesin focuses on critical argumentation.

  • Hallen and Sodipo, along with Appiah, support an analytical form of argumentation.

• Goals of Argumentation: These discourses aim to achieve clarity, negotiation, deliberation, and reconciliation while recognizing differences among people.

Questions and Discussion

• Why is African philosophy of education seen as a practice? It is viewed as a practice because it involves specific ways of thinking and acting in the world, focused on human engagement and the interpretation of social realities.

• Does African philosophy of education have the potential to cultivate deliberation? Yes, by emphasizing dialogical engagement, the sharing of diverse reasons, and the recognition of others' humanity, it fosters a deliberative environment.

• Does ubuntu take into account a plurality of difference? Ubuntu recognizes people for who they are and takes cognisance of their differences, aiming for harmony through the recognition of both commonalities and diverse backgrounds.