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Emmanuel Aloyce Fortunatus.

Matsepane Morare.

APH 110.

February 18, 2023.

Egypt: Ancient History of African Philosophy.

"Egypt: Ancient History of African Philosophy." Written by Theophile Obenga asserts

that it is an abstract idea that Africa has never had philosophy or civilization. Obenga argues that

the long and fascinating history of the Ancient Egypt Kingdom located in the Nile valley from

about 3400BC to 342BC proves that African philosophy existed, contrary to Hegel's ideas that

"Africa is not a historical part of the world; it has no movement or development to exhibit" (qtd.

in Obenga 33). Obenga maintains that like any other philosophy in the world, ancient Egyptian

philosophy relied on systematic reflective thinking, which helped Ancient Egyptians to explore

the reality, truth, and values that guide Human life. Thus, philosophy in ancient Egypt was a

combination of all activities that led people to the pursuit of knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual

excellence (33).

Regarding the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom, Obenga gives examples of various

vocabularies found in the ancient Egyptian language and their expression in hieroglyphic

writings, which affirm the existence of philosophical activities. For example, the word Seba

(expressed as a star in Hieroglyphic writings) means "to teach." On the other hand, Seba implies

"opening the door to the mind of a child to bring in light as from the star"(33). According to

Obenga, the semiotic structures in hieroglyphic writings were the best method for ancient

Egyptians to construct precise patterns in thinking (34). In addition, Obenga claims that since
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hieroglyphic writings carry wisdom and knowledge thus, ancient Egyptian philosophy is

manifested in them. The use of hieroglyphic writings and Coptic signs reached its full

development around 32000 BC and remained fundamentally unchanged for 3,000 years"

(Obenga 37).

Obenga expounds on the dynamic character of Egyptian thinking on the existence and the

universe. He argues that ancient Egyptians understood the dynamics of the universe and regarded

it as an endless boundary in its totality. Ancient Egyptians refer to the Nun (Primordial water)

and Ra (The sun) to explain the universe’s origin and evolution. They considered the Nun as the

power that existed prior to everything, while Ra is the power that starts the existence of all

beings and is the source of life and rationality. These two Egyptian cosmological theories show

that Africans had a way of thinking and explaining phenomena that affirm the existence of

philosophy in Africa (38-40).

Using Descartes' remark, Obenga argues that “it is unjustified to believe that Africans are

deficient in the logic of point-device reasoning" (40). The philosophy of ancient Egypt and

perhaps of the whole of Africa used logic to develop thoughts, ideas, and mathematical concepts

like geometry, proving logical coherence in the thinking process in African philosophy. On the

other hand, ancient Egyptian philosophy explored the question of being and the essence of the

cosmos and humans. Ancient Egyptian philosophy used the cosmological theory of Nun and Ra

to give an account of the creation as Evolution and physical discharge from the Divine power,

whereby the world was first an idea conceived in the heart of the Divine and then revealed in

reality by the word of the tongue "The utterance of the thought in the form of a divine let it be

done brought forth the world" (44). This theory of creation is more ancient than the story of

creation in the bible.

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On the issue of Spirituality and morals, Obenga argues that through philosophy,

Egyptians synthesized their reasoning capacity with the psychology of nature to explain and

understand various spiritual phenomena such as death, life after death, virtues and vices, and the

problem of evil. Thus, Obenga argues that the earliest chapter in the moral development of

human society is to be found in Egypt" (44-45). He also expounds on the concept of Maat, as the

fundamental philosophical principle in ancient Egyptian philosophy. Maat is symbolized as the

goddess of earth and heaven and a mistress of all gods. Thus, Egyptians personified Maat with

the concept of truth, reality, harmony, law, morality, justice, and all other aspects of life in

ancient Egypt (47).

In conclusion, Obenga argues that it is absurd to disconnect ancient Egypt and Africa

from this body of knowledge and philosophy since ancient Egyptian philosophy played a vital

role in the development of philosophy and civilization in Africa and other parts the world (49).

Work Cited.

Obenga, Theophile. “Egypt: Ancient History of African Philosophy.” A Companion to African

Philosophy. Edited by Kwai Wiredu, Blackwell Publishing, 2004, pp. 31-49.