A Short History of African Philosophy

by Barry Hallen

Book Overview

In this accessible book, Barry Hallen discusses the major ideas, figures, and schools of thought in African philosophy. While drawing out critical issues in the formation of African philosophy, Hallen focuses on the recent scholarship, current issues, and relevant debates that have made African philosophy an important key to understanding the rich and complex cultural heritage of Africa. Hallen builds upon Africa's connections with Western philosophical...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0253215315
• ISBN13: 9780253215314
• Release Date: June 2002
• Publisher: Indiana University Press
• Length: 133 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.2" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Good Introductory Text

A Short History of Africa in Philosophy is a good introduction to African philosophy for novices and suitable as a textbook accompaniment to primary sources for courses. The book is organized topically by the major areas of emphasis of philosophers, e.g. rationality as culturally universal, ethnophilosophy and philosophic sagacity, phenomenology and hermeneutics, etc. (These areas also double as chapters.) It does several things well. It is comprehensive surveying nearly every significant contemporary African philosopher. For that comprehensiveness it trades depth covering each philosopher in about 2-3 pages. It provides adequate introductions to technical concepts (e.g. hermeneutics and ordinary language analysis) and Western philosophers (e.g. Quine, Gadamer and Heidegger) needed to understand the approaches of African philosophers. Its last chapter serves as a brief introduction to other histories and anthologies in African philosophy. It also throws in web site addresses (some of which were no longer active when I tried them in June 2004). A more valuable starting point for learning more is its bibliography.Why did I give this book four stars instead of five? First, I thought the book could have used more depth when summarizing philosophers' views. There are only 104 pages of content covering philosophers' ideas. Even if he added just one more page per thinker, there probably would only be about 135 pages of content. Second, I would have preferred a more chronological approach. It is more difficult to see the relations between the ideas of successive generations (and we are dealing at least with the revolutionary generation and their children) given its current organization. There is also very little historical or situational context (outside of the realm of philosophical ideas) for the philosophers. Hallen's Short History chronicles well modern African philosophers, their approaches and methods. A better introduction to the substantive content is found in Richard Bell's Understanding African Philosophy. A more detailed history (for those with some familiarity with the field or a second book to read after Hallen's) is D.A. Masolo's African Philosophy in Search of Identity.Since this book cannot be searched, I have included African philosophers covered below.Contemporary African Philosophers (in order of appearance): Kwasi Wiredu, Kwame Gyekye, Segun Gbadegesin, J. Olubi Sodipo, Barry Hallen, Godwin Sogolo, M. Akin Makinde, V.Y. Mudimbe, Kwame Anthony Appiah, Paulin Hountondji, H. Odera Oruka, Theophilus Okere, Okonda Okolo, Tsenaym Serequeberhan, Lewis Gordon, Lucius Outlaw, Robert Bernasconi, Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, Amilcar Cabral, Oladipo Fashina, Olufemi Taiwo, Ernest Wamba-dia-Wamba, Paget Henry, Oyeronke Oyewumi, Ifi Amadiume and Nkiru Nzegwu.Earlier Thinkers (in order of appearance): Cheik anta Diop, Phah-hotep, Za'ar Ya'aqob, Anton Wilhelm Amo, Placide Tempels, Marcel Griaule, W.E. Abraham, John Mbiti and Robert