African thought can rescue Western philosophy

How practice can breathe life into philosophy

Western philosophy is often abstract and disconnected from the real ethical problems we face today. Emmanuel Chiwetalu Ossai and Lloyd Strickland argue that the African philosophy of ubuntu, with its emphasis on community, interconnectedness, and practical application of ethical principles, offers a compelling alternative.

 

Western philosophy has long faced questions about its relevance, and even about its self-indulgence. It is not hard to see why. Some philosophical questions seem trivial and esoteric, of little interest except to a handful of other philosophers (think: do holes exist?). Philosophical theories are often op

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