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Question

*Using Louis-Dominique Biakolo Komo’s “THE HERMENEUTICAL PARADIGM

IN AFRICAN PHILOSOPHY: Genesis, Evolution and issues” (2017)*,

*1. Examine the claim that Hermeneutics, particularly African hermeneutics raise
fundamental questions about the relationship between philosophy and culture
(3-5pages)*

*2. Discuss Theophilus Okere’s rejection of ethno-philosophical approach to the

question of the existence of African philosophy and explain why Okere postulates
that hermeneutics mediates between philosophy and culture (3-5page
The Hermeneutical paradigm that delves into the uniqueness of African
Philosophy and African culture is such that has different meanings . This is so
because philosophy is essentially the interpretation of how we view our culture as
Africans, to make sense of our worldviews as Africans. As Africans there has
always been African philosophy, we just did not know for certain what it is called.
In one of the Trends in African Philosophy called Sage Philosophy; reputable
elders who live in a particular community give advices and use their rational
capacity to solve problems in the community. African culture has always had
embedded philosophical thoughts . However, we will engage in the cultural
aspect of Africa, and not on the philosophy part. It will look absurd to say that
some human beings who have their own cultures and languages do not have the
capacity to think and reason at all.

According to Gadamer, Hermeneutics is essentially a concept based on

comprehension and interpretation and is seen to mean culture. This is why it is
impossible for African Intellectuals to accept the non- existence of African
philosophy by an examination of the philosophical elements embedded in African
cultures through the origination of meaning and symbols relying on African
languages and cultures which includes myths, proverbs, rituals e.t.c. , it was
obvious with this that African people could reason and also philosophize.

Now, Hermeneutics, specifically African Hermeneutics raises the inescapable

question of the relationship between philosophy and culture. Is it possible for
philosophy to exist in a specific cultural and historical context or framework or
does it mean that Philosophy is simply reducible to Culture? And also on the
other hand, if philosophical thought bus conceptual and universal, can one easily
conclude that African philosophy exists without an African cultural background?.
Now, what is the genuine relationship between philosophy and culture more
specifically to African philosophy and African cultures.
Moving on, Ethnophilosophy is the concept that is used to attribute the deduction
of a collective African philosophy from a specific African culture. On this matter,
Father Placid Tempele started as the pioneer of this philosophical tendency. In
his Bantu Philosophy, he attempts with an analysis of the Baluba culture, to
explore Bantu Philosophy. He reduces this to the key concept of vital force.
According to him, the Bantu people represented by the Baluba consider force as
the primary "being" while the western people refer "being" to "what is", while the
Bantu regard "being" as "Force that is". Tempels explains that the concept of
force as the genuine being is the core belief of Bantu Philosophy, and all the
Bantu have accepted it with questioning the concept. It is easy to deduce that
according to Tempels, African Philosophy is a collective worldviews. That is, all of
the collective representations inherent to African cultures especially the Baluba
Culture.

Meanwhile, Tempels tried to draw a connection between African philosophy

emerging from African culture, has been taken up by various scholars including
Alexis Kagame. He made an attempt to reject Tempel's Bantu Philosophy
because according to him, force is not an ideal that is only pursued by the Bantu
people, also Alexis Kagame explains that Tempel's approach of African
philosophy is a collective worldviews that is shared by those who belong to the
same culture. He uses the Kinyarwanda which is an African language as a case
study . According to Kagame, he believes every language has inherent
philosophical principles that often determine the thoughts of the people who
speak the language. Also, he considers Aristotle's project of placing universal
categories of thought as an unrealised one, they are seen in the Greek
Language. Kagame's analysis leads him to examine Bantu Ontology.

To Kagame, in his discussion on the linguistic context of Kinyarwanda, Kagame

posits that the Bantu people believe man is made a being and not a mixture of
mind and body, also, according to Bantu Philosophy, man is not a reasonable
animal. That is, man is a special being and things are so opposed to man, while
every any bears a name that explains his personal fate. These principles
explained in Kinyarwanda language is what Kagame now calls Bantu Philosophy.
However, one can now see that African Philosophy according to Tempels and
Kagame, it is a collective process present in African cultures or languages.

The general worldviews that is inherent to African culture can not be described to
be the starting point of an African Philosophy, but instead is African Philosophy
on its own. More so, aside Kagame and Tempels , many other African Thinkers
are also convinced and surprised that African philosophy and African culture
means the same thing. John Mbiti who talked on the conception of time , different
from the future which justifies African religions. Also, Basile Gouda speaks on his
Negro-African philosophy of existence spoke more in Senghor's theses about
the intuition or non analytic- instrumental rationality of Africans. Jean Calvin
Calvin Bahoken with his African Metaphysical glade, highlights the Christian
background of African cultures. All these different perspectives already has
created confusion not only in philosophy and culture, in fact, what poses a certain
ambiguity is ethniphilosophy.

Can we say that ethnophilosophers found the solution to the link between
philosophy and culture?. Even though ethnophilosophers tried to present the
strong link between philosophy and culture, but, they on the other hand, they
were not able to define philosophy as a personal reflection or interpretation of
culture, because they refer philosophy as a common idea. If Ethniphilosophers
have failed in their attempt to draw a connection between African philosophy that
emerged from African cultures, can we say their project is meaningless? Can we
not just reconsider this relationship between African philosophy and African
cultures ?

Before we begin to talk of African Hermeneutics paradigm, the ethniphilosophical

approach ought to coke first in view. Also, It was the goal of African philosophers
was to use Hermeneutics to ensure they articulate and introduce a genuine
African philosophy within the boundaries of African cultures even without
avoiding philosophical tradition. To further understand and explore more about
this, we can find it in the works of African philosophers like Theophilus Okere,
Benoit Okolo Okonda Nkombe Oleko, and Tsenay Serequeberhan. These works
of these African philosophers also made themselves unique by the fact that they
are rooted in the Western Hermeneutical tradition, especially the German and
French traditions.

In conclusion, In summary African hermeneutics provides a framework, for

exploring the connection between philosophy and culture. By shedding light on
how philosophical ideas are shaped by context and emphasizing the significance
of interpretation within that context, it offers a fresh perspective on the diverse
and enriching traditions of African intellectual thought. African hermeneutics
challenges the idea of a philosophy encourages a more inclusive and holistic
approach, to philosophical inquiry. Moreover it prompts us to reconsider how we
approach knowledge production by highlighting its nature and recognizing the
value of lived experiences.
Theophilus Okere. His rejection of ethniphilosophical approach to solve the question of
the existence of an African philosophy. He asserts that philosophy is not a general
worldview that everyone agrees on. While criticising Kagame, that Language and
thoughts totally different that a philosophy can be taken from a language. Without
following the path of ethnophilosophers, he regarded philosophy as an individual
enterprise application and not a general one, but a radical questioning of the collective
understanding of what philosophy means among African thinkers. And also, he asserts
that it is culture that determines philosophy as there is also need for a middle line
between philosophy and culture, because for Okere, Hermeneutics is the middle line
between philosophy and culture.

Furthermore, Okere explains that Hermeneutics is not not a philosophical trend or

school of thought. Also, Hermeneutics is a necessary condition for the existence of
philosophy because philosophy is also Hermeneutics. Philosophy can not birthed
except it comes from a cultural background and also depend on it, because culture is
the raw material for the making of any philosophy. Philosophy does not come alone.
Even though philosophy is rooted in a specific culture, this does not mean Phil is too be
confused with religion, worldviews and myths. Essentially, culture provides the
foreground for philosophy and also provide the horizon of interpretation. For Okere to
buttress his points for using Hermeneutics to study African philosophy, he used German
and French Hermeneutical traditions of people like Gadamer, Heidegger,and Ricker.
They all said something to say concerning Hermeneutics.

The ethno-philosophical method sees African philosophy as a collective worldview of

African cultures. However, Okere argues that this approach oversimplifies and
overlooks the diversity and uniqueness of individual philosophical traditions within
Africa.

On the other hand, Okere highlights the importance of hermeneutics as a concept that
can help bridge the gap between philosophy and culture in Africa. Hermeneutics is all
about interpretation and recognizing the significance of cultural context in shaping
philosophical ideas.

According to Okere, by using hermeneutics as a framework, we can better understand

African philosophy by delving into the interpretive methods deeply rooted in African
cultures. This approach brings attention to the cultural concerns, values, and influences
that shape philosophical ideas, making our understanding of African thought more
dynamic and comprehensive.

Okere's rejection of the ethno-philosophical approach and his emphasis on

hermeneutics aims to avoid oversimplification and essentialism in understanding African
philosophy. He acknowledges the intricacies and complexities inherent in different
cultural traditions and encourages a more nuanced interpretation of African
philosophical thoughts. By recognizing the mediating role of hermeneutics, Okere
advocates for an inclusive, contextually sensitive approach to African philosophy.

To sum it up, Okere's rejection of the ethno-philosophical approach and his emphasis on
hermeneutics as a mediating concept between philosophy and culture in Africa
underlines the importance of understanding African philosophy within its cultural
context. Through hermeneutics, we can appreciate the diverse and unique philosophical
traditions in Africa and move away from oversimplifications and generalizations. This
approach enriches our understanding of African thought and contributes to a broader
discourse

Certainly! Here is a broader discussion on John I. Okere's criticism of the

ethno-philosophical approach in African philosophy:

Paragraph 1: Okere's criticism of the ethno-philosophical approach challenges the

tendency to homogenize and stereotype African philosophy based on a limited set of
cultural characteristics. He argues that this approach overlooks the vast diversity and
richness of philosophical traditions across different ethnic groups in Africa. Instead of
assuming a uniform African philosophy, Okere emphasizes the need to recognize and
appreciate the unique philosophical ideas and perspectives that emerge from various
African cultures.

One of the key points in Okere's criticism is his rejection of reductionism. He cautions
against reducing African philosophy solely to its cultural background or categorizing it
based on a generic "African" worldview. By doing so, Okere argues that we risk
oversimplifying and misrepresenting the complex intellectual traditions that exist within
Africa. He advocates for a more nuanced understanding that acknowledges the
multiplicity of African philosophical thought.

Another aspect of Okere's criticism lies in his focus on hermeneutics. He emphasizes

the importance of interpretation and understanding the cultural contexts of philosophical
ideas. Rather than relying on fixed, predetermined assumptions, Okere suggests that
we engage critically with African philosophical texts and practices, taking into account
the symbolic, linguistic, and historical dimensions. This hermeneutical approach allows
for a more comprehensive and contextually grounded understanding of African
philosophy.

Okere's criticism also challenges the Eurocentric dominance in philosophy. He

questions the tendency to evaluate African philosophy using Western philosophical
frameworks and argues for the recognition of African philosophy's distinct
epistemological and ontological foundations. Okere highlights the need for cross-cultural
dialogue, where African philosophical ideas are engaged with on their own terms,
fostering a more inclusive and pluralistic approach to philosophical inquiry.

Also, Okere's criticism of the ethno-philosophical approach in African philosophy calls

for a more nuanced and contextually informed understanding. His emphasis on rejecting
reductionism, employing hermeneutics, and challenging Eurocentrism opens up space
for a more diverse and inclusive discourse on African philosophy. By embracing his
critiques, scholars and thinkers can engage more respectfully and critically with the
complexity and richness of African philosophical traditions..

To sum it up, Okere's rejection of the ethno-philosophical approach and his emphasis on
hermeneutics as a mediating concept between philosophy and culture in Africa
underlines the importance of understanding African philosophy within its cultural
context. Through hermeneutics, we can appreciate the diverse and unique philosophical
traditions in Africa and move away from oversimplifications and generalizations. This
approach enriches our understanding of African thought and contributes to a broader
discourse