The concept of person in an african culture and its implication for social order elvis imafidon. B 1087 apapa, lagos state, nigeria introduction discourses on democracy and human rights are polemically complex and pervasive in contemporary politicking. Like other longestablished cultures the world over, the akan have developed a rich conceptual system complete with metaphysical, moral, and epistemological aspects. A critique of cultural universals and particulars in kwasi wiredu s philosophy fayemi, ademola kazeem lagos state university abstract. May learn how and when to remove this template message. Cultural universals and particulars by kwasi wiredu, 9780253210807, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. On cultural universals and particulars debating african philosophy. Kwasi wiredu tries in these essays to define and demonstrate a role for contemporary african philosophers that is distinctive but by no means parochial. Wiredus discussion of the idea of cultural universals is programmatic. Akan philosophy of the person stanford encyclopedia of. Two prominent participants in the discussion of this problem are kwasi wiredu and odera oruka.
This, arguably, is another variant of decolonization. Cambridge, etc cambridge university press, volume 45 issue 2. Download cultural universals and particulars ebook in pdf, epub, mobi. Wiredu, kwasi 1996a cultural universals and particulars. An african perspectivebloomington, indiana university press. Kwasi wiredu tries in these essays to define and demonstrate a role for contemporary african philosophers which is distinctive but by no means parochial. Kwasi wiredu philosophy and an african culture pdf kwasi wiredu. The eminent ghanaian philosopher kwasi wiredu confronts the. Ghanaian philosopher kwasi wiredu confronts the paradox that while western cultures recoil from claims of universality, previously colonized peoples, seeking to redefine their identities, insist on cultural particularities. Apr 08, 2020 universals and particulars of wiredu wiredu rise argument agaist relativism in its various form like cognitive ethical and cultural and shows how the possibility and actula existence of universal on coceptual cognitive and ethical grounds.
An african perspective african systems of thought 9780253210807. Apr 10, 2020 kwasi wiredu, philosophy and african culture philpapers an african reading of karl marx marxist theory and discourse generally pjilosophy many african intellectuals with a platform on which to conduct many sociopolitical struggles. Pdf cultural universals and particulars in the philosophy. The paper is an attempt to revisit and examine the recondite issue of cultural universals and particulars, taking into consideration wireduan philosophical account. Kwasi wiredu 1931 kwasi wiredu is a philosopher from ghana, who has for decades been involved with a project he terms conceptual decolonization in contemporary african systems of thought. Kwasi wiredu, for example, opines a pentachotomistic view of a person in the akan culture, the descriptive or ontological basis of personhood, its constituents, according to wiredu are okra the life principle and source of human dignity an d destiny, sunsum the personality or.
Masologhanaian philosopher kwasi wiredu confronts the paradox that while western cultures recoil from claims of universality, previously colonized peoples, seeking to redefine their identities, insist on cultural particularities. This paper seeks to advance the horizon of kwasi wiredus philosophical defense of the compatibility of cultural universals and particulars. The idea of african epistemology is based on their. In order to understand what the akan think, i will compare and contrast all three.
In this article, i present a critical exposition of wiredus consensual democracy and defend it against liberal democracy on the one hand, and criticisms levelled against it on the other hand. Through critical exposition, the paper appraises some of the inconsistencies and contradictory notions implicit in. Kwasi wiredu and the problems of conceptual decolonization 159 forms of. Wirth and others published cultural universals and particulars. This proved politically fatal to some of them, though others. Wiredu asserts that universals, rightly conceived on the basis of our common biological identity, are not incompatible. Kwasi wiredu pdf on defining african wiredu forthcoming african philosophy. In pursuing further wiredu s thesis on cultural universals, the present paper critically examines. He was a fierce advocate of african nationalism, who sought to liberate and unite africa. Wiredu was born in kumasi, gold coast presentday ghana, in 1931, and attended adisadel college from 1948 to 1952. Pdf cultural universals and particulars in the philosophy of kwasi. The paper strengthens further the basic tenets of kwasi wiredus philosophical defense of the compatibility of cultural universals and particulars. For wiredu, the akan believe that a person is made of okra, sunsum, mogya, and a body nidapua.
Could there be a truly african philosophy that goes beyond traditional folk thought. Universals and particulars of wiredu wiredu rise argument agaist relativism in its various form like cognitive ethical and cultural and shows how the possibility and actula existence of universal on coceptual cognitive and ethical grounds. Jan 01, 1996 cultural universals and particulars book. Article information, pdf download for reflections on cultural diversity, open epub for. The book presents some of the best nontechnical work of a distinguished african philosopher. Cultural universals and particulars book pdf download. I also offer some modifications to wiredus theory in a bid to render it more suitable for practice in africa. Wiredus discussion of culturally defined values and. Reflections on cultural diversity kwasi wiredu, 2005. Kwasi wiredu is currently distinguished university professor of philosophy at the department of philosophy in the university of south florida, tampa, where he has taught since 1987. Kwasi wiredu is the author of cultural universals and particulars 3. Kwasi wiredu author of cultural universals and particulars.
Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Decolonization, multilingualism, and african languages in the making of african philosophy entrevista con kwasi wiredu ingles kwasi wiredu and the problems of conceptual decolonization por sanya osha ingles. Indiana university press 1996 abstract the eminent ghanaian philosopher kwasi wiredu confronts the paradox that while western cultures recoil from claims of universality, previously colonized peoples, seeking to redefine their identities, insist on cultural. Cultural universals and particulars by kwasi wiredu. Ghanaian philosopher kwasi wiredu confronts the paradox that while western cultures recoil from claims of universality, previously colonized peoples. Kwasi wiredu and some other philosophers have, on the other hand, come up with a different concept of the foundation of african morality. This paper seeks to advance the horizon of kwasi wiredu s philosophical defense of the compatibility of cultural universals and particulars. Wiredu asserts that universals, rightly conceived on the basis of our common biological identity, are not. Towards decolonizing african philosophy and religion por kwasi wiredu ingles language matters. Indiana university press, bloomington 1996, isbn 0253210801. Hence his careful and yet critical reading of kwasi wiredus cultural universals and particulars, for which, there is, on the one hand, a need for universality and on the other, an assertion of particularity, the two carefully tied together. Toward decolonizing african philosophy and religion.
Kwasi wiredu entry by sonya osha in the internet encyclopedia of philosophy. Wiredu reflects on language, biological identity, interintra cultural communication, as well as epistemic and moral fundamentals as cultural universals. The culture of the akan people of west africa dates from before the th century. An african model introduction to and discussion of wiredu s philosophy. The concept of person to which kaunda referred has a particular significance within the african cultural context. Kwasi wiredu the eminent ghanaian philosopher kwasi wiredu confronts the paradox that while western cultures recoil from claims of universality, previously colonized peoples, seeking to redefine their identities. In pursuing further wiredus thesis on cultural universals, the present paper critically examines. Cultural universals and particulars also available for read online in mobile and kindle. Through investigation of the akan ethnographic literature, i have developed a third view. Kwasi wiredu tries in these essays to define and demonstrate a role for contemporary african philosophers which is. He shows how they can assimilate the advances of analytical philosophy and apply them to the general social and intellectual changes associated with modernisation and the transition to new. According to kwasi wiredu, there are two approaches to the concept of man in akan nay. Pdf this paper seeks to advance the horizon of kwasi wiredus philosophical defense of the compatibility of cultural universals and. Cultural universals and particulars in kwasi wiredus philosophy 273 on the basis of this, we seek to ma ke a case for causality as another possible cultural universal that defies any cultural.
The eminent ghanaian philosopher kwasi wiredu confronts the paradox that while western cultures recoil from claims of universality, previously colonized peoples, seeking to redefine. A critique of cultural universals and particulars in kwasi wiredus philosophy fayemi, ademola kazeem lagos state university abstract. Cultural universals and particulars in kwasi wiredu s philosophy 273 on the basis of this, we seek to ma ke a case for causality as another possible cultural universal that defies any cultural. The eminent ghanaian philosopher kwasi wiredu confronts the paradox that while western cultures recoil from claims of universality, previously colonized peoples, seeking to redefine their identities, insist on cultural particularities. By conceptual decolonization, wiredu advocates a reexamination of current african epistemic formations in order to accomplish two aims. Kwasi wiredu is currently considered a single author. Cultural universals and particulars in the philosophy of. The paper is an attempt to revisit and examine the recondite issue of cultural universals and particulars, taking into. He was born in ghana and studied philosophy at the university of ghana b. A companion to african philosophy edited by kwasi wiredu. Universals and particulars of wiredu wiredu rise argument agaist relativism in its various form like cognitive ethical and cultural and shows how the possibility and actula existence of universal on coceptual. It was during this period that he discovered philosophy, through plato which weaned him from his interest in practical psychology and bertrand russell. Wiredu reflects on language, biological identity, interintra cultural communication, as well as. The nature of opposition in kwasi wiredus democracy by consensus.
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