午夜剧场

This book is Japan's first research publication on African philosophy.

First, it introduces philosophers from the ancient Greek and Roman periods to the modern era. For example, Augustine of Hippo was an African born into a Berber family, and his philosophy is inconceivable without Egyptian elements. In the 17th century, contemporary with Descartes, outstanding philosophers such as Zera Yacob and Walda Heywat emerged in Ethiopia. Yacob conducted a thorough critique of religion that surpassed his Western contemporaries. In the 18th century, Anton Wilhelm Amo was active in Germany and presented a pioneering theory of organicism.

As Western colonization progressed, 19th-century philosophers such as Blyden, Crummell, and Horton sharply criticized the violence of Western civilization. They argued that African civilization would liberate the spiritual elements of humanity and build peace in the world. Despite suffering from oppression and discrimination, they never let go of their orientation toward contributing to humanity. Furthermore, African philosophy finds its medium of expression not only in philosophical texts in the narrow sense, but also in poetry, oral literature, dialogue, and even music and dance. No other philosophy in the world places such importance on improvisation and communication. African art is itself an expression of political thought, and figures like James Brown and Bob Marley are its successors.

Modern African philosophers present new ethical perspectives while refining traditional concepts. These include humanity as compassion for others (Ubuntu), moral and judicial views that aim for compensation and relationship restoration through "reconciliation" rather than punishment or exclusion, and democratic decision-making methods through thorough dialogue (Palaver). It is well known that the late Wangari Maathai of Kenya, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was impressed by the Japanese word "mottainai" and made it a slogan for environmental protection. African philosophy resonates somewhere with Japanese ways of thinking. By engaging with African philosophy, perhaps the parts of ourselves that have been hidden until now will be stirred. I would like anyone with an interest in Africa to read this book.

Tetsuya Kono

Chikuma Shinsho

480 pages, 1,430 yen (tax included)

*Affiliations and titles are as of the time of publication.