An Africa purposed living philosophy.
The Centre for philosophy in Africa was launched in 2019 by listening to calls of our time that a different proposition for Africa-purposed ways of thinking and being within academic curricula, research and intellectual activities. This involved seizing opportunities availed by 2016 events of fees must fall, and the subsequent rupture in the discipline of philosophy in South Africa in 2017 as it asked questions about its own nature.
The proposition of an Africa-purposed living philosophy foregrounds the imperative given to African contemporary scholarship; to continually formulate and not to translate. That says, it should discourage the tendency to confine thought on Africa with simple transliterations of definitions, methods and other expedient theories by means of lingual equivalences.
Africa-purposed ways of thinking and being, appeals to a creative and continuously/active practice of connecting with one’s immediate reality, informed by a deep appreciation of Africa’s history, with courage to bring incisive concepts visualisation of possible futures by actively seeking to re-enter differently. That is to say, giving new impetus to the work of revitalizing and inventing concepts –both indigenous and new – with the capacity for courageous opening of thought aiming at maximum comprehension of contemporary problems on Africa, differently.
This task of maximizing comprehension of contemproary African problems sperficically aims to provoke bold prospective thought and practice on questions of a habitable and sustainable Africa, across disciplinary fields. At an age when perilous migration out of the continent among African youth has increasingly become the only desirable option to achieve a diginfied life, an Africa purposed living philosophy situates itself in the immediate society and communities of practice motivated by intentional mutual innovation of concepts, vocabulary which fields can bring to heuristics, frameworks by which African problems can be grasped deeply, and tangibles solutions sought to enable habitable and sustainable life
Africa purposed living philosophy also encourages individual contemporary practice of reflection and ethical action in fitting the lifestyle of a sage. One is then tasked with developing a kanon which articulates a worldview that can be emulated. This kanon can be condensed into pithy maxims proverbs and fit for purpose concepts that are easy to recall and repeat. The greatest task here is one of dialogical self-examination and critique, which entails practical self-transformative and therapeutic exercises to guide one in the art of living, while directing attention outward towards others for the sake of forming mutually beneficial didactic relationships.
Why a living philosophy for Africa?
Because we affirm that an African, like any other human being engages thinking as a life event among other meaningful acts, and therefore has capacity to continually confront the self when encountering compelling changes in their world, the centre for Philosophy in Africa seeks to advance a living philosophy as one that:
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Refers to an intentional philosophical practice in contemporary Africa of which disposes towards continual/active activist-intellectual modes of learning and teaching, through a systematic, courageous and experimental questioning as a way of life, imbedded, in ethical practice
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In everyday practice, a living philosophy attentively petitions Africa-purposed ways of thinking and being, by re-inviting honest confrontations, aimed continual calibration of treatments and meanings of the “what” of Africa, Africans and Africanity in the world, in our time.
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A living philosophy firmly acknowledges the irreplaceable role and responsibility of the immediate surrounding society and communities of practice as living active organs along with which the University engages in process of experimentation and co-creation of concepts and terms aimed deepening systematic thought process for maximum access of Africa in its time. This co-creation revisits creative sources, vocabularies and idiom passed through these organs.
A living philosophy in academic processes of knowledge at Nelson Mandela university
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Intentional active philosophical mode of deepening systematic experimental thought process within the ongoing transformation dialogues across Nelson Mandela University, - in as concerns continual entanglements with content of curricula inside immediate realities, re-visiting the place and role of knowledge of science, the humanities and social science.