CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN PHILOSOPHY - Possible
Exam Questions
N.B: This course is simply all about
“IDENTIFY”. Except you are asked to explain (which is very rare) simply
“IDENTIFY” as has been done below. These are some questions which usually do
repeat themselves year after year. So, study them well. However, pay attention
to your lecturer and find out if he might be going in a different direction
this time. But if not, GOODLUCK!
1. Identify the nature of African philosophy.
i.
The nature of African philosophy is found
in the African philosophical tradition
ii.
The nature of African philosophy is
rooted in the context of African culture, history and experience
iii.
The nature of African philosophy is more
metaphysical and spiritual
iv.
The nature of African philosophy is more
of co-existence with nature, rather than conquest of it
v.
The nature of African philosophy is found
in its basic assumptions about reality
vi.
The nature of African philosophy shows
that reality is beyond space and time
vii.
The nature of African philosophy
understands things holistically rather than atomistically
2. Identify the responses to the question of
African philosophy
i.
Pan-Africanism
ii.
Negritude
3. Identify the nature of the relationship
existing between mind and body in African philosophy and western philosophy.
§ The
nature of the relationship in African philosophy is “symbiotic”
§ The
nature of the relationship in western philosophy is “causal”
4. Identify three reasons for and two
against the theory of Egyptian origin of philosophy and African philosophy.
§ 3 reasons for are;
i.
The nature of Egyptian philosophy, which
is African philosophy, is metaphysical and spiritual
ii.
Egypt has black identity
iii.
There are similarities between the
Egyptian mystery system and the Greek philosophical writings, which shows that
the Greeks derived their philosophy from the Egyptian prototype
§ 2 reasons against are;
i.
Philosophy began when people started to
analyse and criticize the existing worldview
ii.
The Greeks brought philosophy to
perfection, even if it had its origin in Egypt
5.
Identify
the theorists and theories in which the nature of African metaphysics is best
explicated.
i.
Placid Tempel – theory of vital forces
ii.
John Mbiti – theory of African concept of
time
iii.
Olubi Sodipo – theory of mystical
causality
iv.
Dagogo Idoniboye – theory of spiritism
v.
Godwin Azenabor – theory of holistic
ontology
6.
Identify
five of the problems in African philosophy
i.
Problem of definition
ii.
Problem of undocumented knowledge/written
tradition
iii.
Problem of language
iv.
Problem of logic and the critical
question
v.
Problem of history and origin of African
philosophy
vi.
Problem of methodology
vii.
Problem of tradition of African
philosophy
7.
If
we must modernise and reconstruct the African culture, we must, according to
Kwesi Wiredu, avoid three evils. Identify these evils.
i.
Anachronism
ii.
Authoritarianism
iii.
Supernaturalism
8.
Idoniboye’s
theory of spiritism has important consequences for the understanding of African
reality. Identify these consequences.
i.
It provides a more plausible theory with
regards to the mind-body problem, with its pluralism and insistence on a
reality composed of innumerable constituents.
ii.
It explains a symbolic relationship of
the mind-body questions.
iii.
It makes successful, a more meaningful
and intelligible explanation of a theory which can now accommodate other
traditional African beliefs like witchcraft, cultism and so on.
9.
According
to D.E. Idoniboye in his mind-body theory of spiritism, the mind is capable of
being in two states; identify them.
i.
The unembodied state
ii.
The disembodied state
10.
D.E. Idoniboye’s mind-body theory of
spiritism credits the mind with two parts; identify them.
i.
The active principle
ii.
The quiescent counterpart
11.
NTU
in Bantu philosophy is ontologically-categorically ordered into four particular
forces. Identify them.
i.
Muntu
ii.
Kintu
iii.
Hantu
iv.
Kuntu
12.
Identify
four reasons why NTU in Bantu philosophy is said not to be the same as the
concept of God.
i.
NTU is a process rather than an entity
ii.
NTU does not stand apart from other
beings
iii.
NTU is not a being that is over and above
all things that exist
iv.
NTU is only that “point from which
creation flows”, it makes things be
13.
Identify the meaning of the following terms in
African philosophy;
i.
The
principle of synchronicity
This is a mental attitude which takes full account of that
peculiar interdependence of objective events among themselves, as well as with
the psychic state of the observer or observee.
ii.
“The
personalistic theory of causality” or “moral causality”
This is the same thing as moral causality, which regards “Ehi” – man’s personal God and
determinant of fate, as the moral causal factor in an African metaphysical
thinking.
14.
Identify three reasons why the nature of
the relationship between mind and body in African philosophy is said to be
symbiotic
i.
The soul and body live together, although
both the mind and body are separate, distinct entities, capable of independent
existence
ii.
The benefits shared between both the soul
and body are mutual
iii.
When the body is physically incapable of
giving sustenance to the mind, the mind departs the body finally, as in death
15.
Identify the four ontological pairs in Uchi
metaphysics or the four mind-body
relationships in African perspective
i.
The mind-body relationship
ii.
The body-mind relationship
iii.
The body-body relationship
iv.
The mind-mind relationship
16.
The Esan elders believe that the essence or
reality over and above nature has two aspects. Identify them.
i.
The spiritual
ii.
The material
17.
Identify the relationship between the mind and
body as expressed by Plato.
§ The
relationship between the mind and body as expressed by Plato is that of a “master-servant” relationship
18.
Identify the nature of the mind according to
Descartes and Plato.
§ The
nature of the mind according to Descartes is “consciousness”
§ The
nature of the mind according to Plato is that “it is not perceptible”
19.
Identify the theory propounded by Descartes as
a solution to the mind-body problem.
§ The
pineal gland theory
20.
Attempts to get over the difficulty of
Descartes dualism led to some other mind-body theories. Identify five of them.
i.
Monism
ii.
Occasionalism
iii.
Interactionism
iv.
Epiphenomenalism
v.
Parallelism
21.
Identify four reasons why African philosophy
is better defined via a metaphysical concept
i.
Philosophy is rich in metaphysics
ii.
Metaphysics has been generally accepted
as the core and fundamental area of philosophy
iii.
African philosophy is spiritual
iv.
Metaphysics is a deductive system; other
areas of philosophy flow from it
22.
According to kwesi wiredu, identify three
levels or senses of African philosophy.
i.
Traditional African philosophy un-written
ii.
Traditional African philosophy written
iii.
Contemporary African philosophy
23.
Identify what makes a philosophy ancient?
§ A
philosophy is ancient, if it is based on the anchorage of thoughts in long time
past
24.
Identify what makes a philosophy African?
§ A
philosophy is African, if it is centered within the existential life and
orientation of the Africans
25.
Characterise life forces or identify the
characteristics of life forces.
i.
Reality is charged with life forces or
spirits which are in hierarchical order
ii.
There is a constant interaction and
ontological relationship among life forces
iii.
Superior forces can directly influence
the lower ones while lower ones have only indirect influence on the superior
forces
iv.
Life forces are active and can be good or
evil, friendly or hostile, benevolent or malevolent
v.
Secret, unknown or unforeseen forces can
intervene in the course of events, even in those consciously planned
vi.
Life forces can be strengthened or
weakened, increased or decreased
26.
Identify
the basis for African humanism.
·
African humanism is based on two
premisses;
i.
It is founded exclusively on the
consideration of the African human well being
ii.
Human fellowship and communion is the
most important of human needs; hence, interdependence rather than individualism
is cherished
27.
Identify the areas of comparison (essential
differences) between African and Western humanism.
i.
African humanism does not take analysis
as its central focus, unlike in the west
ii.
African humanism prizes holism of
experience for the creation of social values, rather than atomism in the west
iii.
The sources of inspiration and influences
differ between African and western humanism
iv.
African humanism possesses the urge to
co-exist with man, nature and the world but western humanism seeks to conquer
these
v.
There is a difference in the existential
base between African and western humanism
