Kwasi Wiredu (3 October 1931 – 6 January 2022) was a renowned Ghanaian African philosopher. His work contributed to conceptual decolonisation of African thought.[1]
At Oxford University, Wiredu was taught by Gilbert Ryle (his thesis supervisor), Peter Strawson (his College tutor), and Stuart Hampshire (his special tutor), and wrote a thesis on "Knowledge, Truth, and Reason". Upon graduating in 1960 he was appointed to a teaching post at the University College of North Staffordshire (now the University of Keele), where he stayed for a year. He returned to Ghana, where he accepted a post teaching philosophy for his old university. He remained at the University of Ghana for twenty-three years, during which time he became first Head of Department and then Professor. From 1987 until he retired, he was an Emeritus Professor at the University of South Florida in Tampa.
One of Wiredu's concerns when defining "African Philosophy" was keeping colonialised African philosophy in a separate category from precolonised Africa.[5] Wiredu (1998) proposes that the African philosopher has a unique opportunity to re-examine many of the assumptions of Western philosophers by subjecting them to an interrogation based on African languages. Let's say hypothetically an African was born and raised in China. Their thoughts and philosophy will be biased to the culture of the language. Not only will they naturally philosophise in that language, but also shape their life around that language.[6]
Wiredu opposed the "ethnophilosophical" and "philosophical sagacity" approaches to African philosophy, arguing that all cultures have their distinctive folk-beliefs and world-views, but that these must be distinguished from the practice of philosophising.[7] It is not that "folk philosophy" cannot play a part in genuine philosophy; on the contrary, he has acknowledged his own debt to his own (Akan) culture's history of thought. Rather, he argues that genuine philosophy demands the application to such thought of critical analysis and rigorous argument.[8]
One of Wiredu's most prominent discussions revolves around the Akan concept of personhood. He believes this traditional framework hosts a two part conception of a person. First, and most intuitive to Western conceptions of persons, is the ontological dimension. This includes one's biological constitution. Further, Wiredu states that the second dimension, the normative conception of personhood, is based on one's ability to will freely. One's ability to will freely is dependent on one's ethical considerations. One can be said to have free will if one has a high regard to ethical responsibilities. This then designates a person to become a person. One is not born a person but becomes one through events and experiences that lead one to act ethically. This differs from the Western conception of personhood in that people, in traditional Akan thought, are not born as willed beings. Wiredu also is certain that African tradition is not "purely theoretical because he shows how certain aspects of African political thought may be applied to the practical resolution of some of Africa's most pressing problems."[9]
His influences include, apart from his tutors at Oxford, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, the pragmatistJohn Dewey, and the epistemological, metaphysical, and ethical resources of the Akan culture. The result is philosophy that is at once universally relevant and essentially African.
Wiredu, in his work, enlightened many people on the philosophy and religion of Africa. Not only did he summarise and outline their beliefs in many of his works but he also challenged outsiders predispositions to African beliefs. He wished to shed light and understanding to their belief systems and what they believe to be true and physical. He expressed his thoughts and ideas in The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Religion on African Religions.[10]
Bibliography
Books
Philosophy and an African Culture (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1980). ISBN0-521-22794-1 (this won him the 1982 Ghana National Book Award)
Cultural Universals and Particulars: An African Perspective (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1996). ISBN0-253-21080-1
Person and Community: Ghanaian Philosophical Studies [Ed] Wiredu & Kwame Gyekye (New York: Council for Research in Values and Philosophy, 1992). ISBN1-56518-004-6
A Companion to African Philosophy (Oxford: Blackwell, 2003). ISBN0-631-20751-1
Articles
"Democracy and Consensus in African Traditional Politics", Polylog.
"An Oral Philosophy of Personhood: Comments on Philosophy and Orality"[11]
Prof. Wiredu's web page at the University of South Florida
Peter J. King, One Hundred Philosophers (New York, Barrons, 2004). ISBN0-7641-2791-8
References
^ ab"Wiredu, Kwasi". Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
^"USF :: Department of Philosophy". philosophy.usf.edu. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
^Kodjo-Grandvaux, Séverine (11 January 2022). "Mort de Kwasi Wiredu, figure majeure de la philosophie africaine". Le Monde. (in French)
^Osha, Sanya (18 January 2022). "Kwasi Wiredu cleared the way for modern African philosophy". The Conversation. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
^Jeffers, Chike (August–September 2011). "Kwasi Wiredu et la question du nationalisme culturel". Critique (771–772): 639–649. doi:10.3917/criti.771.0639 – via CAIRN.
^Osha, Sanya (1999). "KWASI WIREDU AND THE PROBLEMS OF CONCEPTUAL DECOLONIZATION" (PDF). Quest: Revue Africaine de Philosophie. XIII (I–II): 157–64.
^Reginald M.J. Oduor, “African Philosophy, and Non-human Animals” (interview with Anteneh Roba and Rainer Ebert)
^"African Philosophy". African Studies Center Leiden. 15 March 2003. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
^Meister, Chad; Copan, Paul (2012). The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of religion (Second ed.). Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. pp. 30–38. ISBN9780415782951.
^Wiredu, Kwasi (Spring 2009). "An Oral Philosophy of Personhood: Comments on Philosophy and Orality". Research in African Literatures. 40 (1): 8–18. doi:10.2979/RAL.2009.40.1.8. JSTOR 30131182. S2CID 170858179.
Kwasi Wiredu's Ethics of Consensus. An African Model – introduction to and discussion of Wiredu's philosophy
"African Sage Philosophy" entry by Gail M. Presbey in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Chukwuebuka Ibeh, "Renowned Ghanaian Philosopher Kwasi Wiredu Passes on at 90", Brittle Paper, 19 January 2022.
January 07, 2023
kwasi, wiredu, october, 1931, january, 2022, renowned, ghanaian, african, philosopher, work, contributed, conceptual, decolonisation, african, thought, born, 1931, october, 1931kumasi, gold, coastdied6, january, 2022, 2022, aged, united, statesphilosophy, care. Kwasi Wiredu 3 October 1931 6 January 2022 was a renowned Ghanaian African philosopher His work contributed to conceptual decolonisation of African thought 1 Kwasi WireduBorn 1931 10 03 3 October 1931Kumasi Gold CoastDied6 January 2022 2022 01 06 aged 90 United StatesPhilosophy careerEducationUniversity of Ghana University of Oxford Bphil Era20th century philosophy21st century philosophyRegionAfrican philosophyInstitutionsAs faculty member GhanaSouth FloridaThesisKnowledge Truth and Reason 1960 Main interestsAfrican philosophyInfluences PlatoDavid HumeKantRussellGilbert RyleJohn DeweyInfluenced Motsamai Molefe Contents 1 Life and career 2 Philosophical work 3 Bibliography 3 1 Books 3 2 Articles 4 Secondary literature 5 See also 6 Sources 7 References 8 External linksLife and career EditWiredu was born in Kumasi Gold Coast present day Ghana in 1931 and attended Adisadel College from 1948 to 1952 It was during this period that he discovered philosophy through Plato which weaned him from his interest in Practical Psychology and Bertrand Russell He gained a place at the University of Ghana Legon After graduating in 1958 he went to University College Oxford to read for the B Phil 1 2 At Oxford University Wiredu was taught by Gilbert Ryle his thesis supervisor Peter Strawson his College tutor and Stuart Hampshire his special tutor and wrote a thesis on Knowledge Truth and Reason Upon graduating in 1960 he was appointed to a teaching post at the University College of North Staffordshire now the University of Keele where he stayed for a year He returned to Ghana where he accepted a post teaching philosophy for his old university He remained at the University of Ghana for twenty three years during which time he became first Head of Department and then Professor From 1987 until he retired he was an Emeritus Professor at the University of South Florida in Tampa Wiredu held a number of visiting professorships University of California Los Angeles California 1979 1980 University of Ibadan Nigeria 1984 University of Richmond Virginia 1985 Carleton College Minnesota 1986 Duke University North Carolina 1994 1995 1999 2001 He was a member of the Committee of Directors of the International Federation of Philosophical Societies from 1983 to 1998 He was also a fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars 1985 and the National Humanities Center North Carolina 1986 He was Vice President of the Inter African Council for Philosophy Wiredu died on 6 January 2022 in the United States at the age of 90 3 4 Philosophical work EditOne of Wiredu s concerns when defining African Philosophy was keeping colonialised African philosophy in a separate category from precolonised Africa 5 Wiredu 1998 proposes that the African philosopher has a unique opportunity to re examine many of the assumptions of Western philosophers by subjecting them to an interrogation based on African languages Let s say hypothetically an African was born and raised in China Their thoughts and philosophy will be biased to the culture of the language Not only will they naturally philosophise in that language but also shape their life around that language 6 Wiredu opposed the ethnophilosophical and philosophical sagacity approaches to African philosophy arguing that all cultures have their distinctive folk beliefs and world views but that these must be distinguished from the practice of philosophising 7 It is not that folk philosophy cannot play a part in genuine philosophy on the contrary he has acknowledged his own debt to his own Akan culture s history of thought Rather he argues that genuine philosophy demands the application to such thought of critical analysis and rigorous argument 8 One of Wiredu s most prominent discussions revolves around the Akan concept of personhood He believes this traditional framework hosts a two part conception of a person First and most intuitive to Western conceptions of persons is the ontological dimension This includes one s biological constitution Further Wiredu states that the second dimension the normative conception of personhood is based on one s ability to will freely One s ability to will freely is dependent on one s ethical considerations One can be said to have free will if one has a high regard to ethical responsibilities This then designates a person to become a person One is not born a person but becomes one through events and experiences that lead one to act ethically This differs from the Western conception of personhood in that people in traditional Akan thought are not born as willed beings Wiredu also is certain that African tradition is not purely theoretical because he shows how certain aspects of African political thought may be applied to the practical resolution of some of Africa s most pressing problems 9 His influences include apart from his tutors at Oxford David Hume Immanuel Kant the pragmatist John Dewey and the epistemological metaphysical and ethical resources of the Akan culture The result is philosophy that is at once universally relevant and essentially African Wiredu in his work enlightened many people on the philosophy and religion of Africa Not only did he summarise and outline their beliefs in many of his works but he also challenged outsiders predispositions to African beliefs He wished to shed light and understanding to their belief systems and what they believe to be true and physical He expressed his thoughts and ideas in The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Religion on African Religions 10 Bibliography EditBooks Edit Philosophy and an African Culture Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1980 ISBN 0 521 22794 1 this won him the 1982 Ghana National Book Award Cultural Universals and Particulars An African Perspective Bloomington Indiana University Press 1996 ISBN 0 253 21080 1 Person and Community Ghanaian Philosophical Studies Ed Wiredu amp Kwame Gyekye New York Council for Research in Values and Philosophy 1992 ISBN 1 56518 004 6 A Companion to African Philosophy Oxford Blackwell 2003 ISBN 0 631 20751 1Articles Edit Democracy and Consensus in African Traditional Politics Polylog An Oral Philosophy of Personhood Comments on Philosophy and Orality 11 Toward Decolonizing African Philosophy and Religion African Studies Quarterly Volume 1 Issue 4 1998 12 Secondary literature EditOsha S Kwasi Wiredu and Beyond The Text Writing and Thought in Africa Dakar Codesria 2005 Hallen B Kwasi Wiredu and Beyond The Text Writing and Thought in Africa African Studies Review vol 49 no 3 2006 p 175 176 Molefe M A critique of Kwasi Wiredu s humanism and impartiality Acta Academica vol 48 no 1 2016 p 91 110 See also EditAfricana philosophySources EditProf Wiredu s web page at the University of South Florida Peter J King One Hundred Philosophers New York Barrons 2004 ISBN 0 7641 2791 8References Edit a b Wiredu Kwasi Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy Retrieved 20 March 2021 USF Department of Philosophy philosophy usf edu Retrieved 20 March 2021 Kodjo Grandvaux Severine 11 January 2022 Mort de Kwasi Wiredu figure majeure de la philosophie africaine Le Monde in French Osha Sanya 18 January 2022 Kwasi Wiredu cleared the way for modern African philosophy The Conversation Retrieved 19 January 2022 Jeffers Chike August September 2011 Kwasi Wiredu et la question du nationalisme culturel Critique 771 772 639 649 doi 10 3917 criti 771 0639 via CAIRN Wiredu Kwasi 1998 Toward Decolonizing African Philosophy and Religion PDF African Studies Quarterly 1 4 17 Osha Sanya 1999 KWASI WIREDU AND THE PROBLEMS OF CONCEPTUAL DECOLONIZATION PDF Quest Revue Africaine de Philosophie XIII I II 157 64 Reginald M J Oduor African Philosophy and Non human Animals interview with Anteneh Roba and Rainer Ebert African Philosophy African Studies Center Leiden 15 March 2003 Retrieved 16 July 2014 Meister Chad Copan Paul 2012 The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of religion Second ed Abingdon Oxon Routledge pp 30 38 ISBN 9780415782951 Wiredu Kwasi Spring 2009 An Oral Philosophy of Personhood Comments on Philosophy and Orality Research in African Literatures 40 1 8 18 doi 10 2979 RAL 2009 40 1 8 JSTOR 30131182 S2CID 170858179 Oduor Reginald M J African Philosophy and Non human Animals a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help External links Edit Kwasi Wiredu entry by Sanya Osha in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy Faculty page at University of South Florida Kwasi Wiredu s Ethics of Consensus An African Model introduction to and discussion of Wiredu s philosophy African Sage Philosophy entry by Gail M Presbey in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy Chukwuebuka Ibeh Renowned Ghanaian Philosopher Kwasi Wiredu Passes on at 90 Brittle Paper 19 January 2022 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kwasi Wiredu amp oldid 1102755052, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
