Listening to Ourselves: A Multilingual Anthology of African Philosophy

Chike Jeffers

SUNY Press, Sep 1, 2013 - Philosophy - 214 pages

Contemporary African philosophy in indigenous African languages and English translation.

A groundbreaking contribution to the discipline of philosophy, this volume presents a collection of philosophical essays written in indigenous African languages by professional African philosophers with English translations on the facing pages demonstrating the linguistic and conceptual resources of African languages for a distinctly African philosophy. Hailing from five different countries and writing in six different languages, the seven authors featured include some of the most prominent African philosophers of our time. They address a range of topics, including the nature of truth, different ways of conceiving time, the linguistic status of proverbs, how naming practices work, gender equality and inequality in traditional society, the relationship between language and thought, and the extent to which morality is universal or culturally variable.

Contents

• Waxtaan diggante Soxna ak càmmiñam Ngóór: 2
• A Conversation Between Soxna and Her Friend Ngóór: 3
• The Ethiopian Conception of Time and Modernity: 14
• The Ethiopian Conception of Time and Modernity: 15
• Kaka Puonj mar Ngero Chalo Kendo Kaka Ngero Opogore gi Pimo Wach: 36
• On the Nature of Proverbs and How They Differ from Propositions: 37
• Ango Man e Nying? Okange Angwen Mag Nyinge e Oganda Luo: 52
• Whats in a Name? Four Levels of Naming among the Luo People: 53
• Atumia Ciana Mbũri Mĩgũnda: 90
• Women Children Goats Land: 91
• Okwu na Uche: 124
• Word and Mind: 125
• Papa ne Bɔne: 158
• Good and Evil: 159
• Contributors: 177
• Index: 183

About the author

Chike Jeffers is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Dalhousie University in Halifax.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Listening to Ourselves: A Multilingual Anthology of African Philosophy; SUNY series in Living Indigenous Philosophies
• Editor: Chike Jeffers
• Contributor: Ngugi wa Thiong o
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: SUNY Press, 2013
• ISBN: 1438447434, 9781438447438
• Length: 214 pages
• Subjects: Philosophy / General; Philosophy / History & Surveys / Modern