Kwasi Wiredu

Kwasi Wiredu ( born October 3, 1931) is one of the most famous philosophers of Africa. Wiredu was in Kumasi, capital of Ashanti Region in Ghana born and attended from 1948 to 1952 the Adisadel Secondary School. During this time he developed his interest in philosophy, through the introduction to the literature of Plato and Bertrand Russell. Wiredu is the author of the Akan Culture History of Thought. His work includes in addition to the ideas of his teacher from Oxford as influences by David Hume, Immanuel Kant and John Dewey. The philosophical view of the Akan of Ghana is reflected in his work. With this special Africa - reference his work regarded as a particularly relevant and unique.

  • 7.1 Works by Kwasi Wiredu
  • 7.2 works to Kwasi Wiredu

Training

He finished his education at the University of Ghana, Legon, near Accra, where he graduated in 1958. He moved to England and attended to make this bachelor's degree in philosophy from the University of Oxford. At Oxford he lived the courses of Gilbert Ryle, the supervisor of his master's thesis at. He was also cared for by his university tutor Peter Strawson and his personal tutor Stuart Hampshire. During this time he wrote his master's thesis on " Knowledge, Truth and Reason".

University appointments

After graduating in 1960 him a teaching post at the University College of North Staffordshire (now Keele University ) was offered, which he held for one year. The end of 1961 he returned to his home country to once again at the University of Ghana to take a teaching job in philosophy. Wiredu taught 23 years at the university and was in the course of time, became head of the faculty and later became a professor. Since 1987 he has been teaching professor at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

Visiting Professorships

Detail of Kwasi Wiredu visiting professorships:

  • U.C.L.A. ( 1979, 1980)
  • University of Ibadan, Nigeria ( 1984)
  • University of Richmond, Virginia ( 1985)
  • Carleton College, Minnesota ( 1986)
  • Duke University, North Carolina ( 1994, 1995, 1999, 2001)

Memberships and Associations

Between 1983 and 1998 he was a member of the Commission of Directors of the International Federation of Philosophical Societies. He is also a member of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (1985 ) and the National Humanities Center, North Carolina ( 1986). Since 1987 he has been Vice President of the Inter-African Council for Philosophy ( IACP ).

Philosophical works

Kwasi Wiredu tries in his philosophy to attain a higher level of intercultural understanding between cultures. He was raised in his opinion against the approach of the so-called " ethnic philosophy " to the African philosophy on the grounds that each culture has its own " world view " that had to be taken into account by means of practical philosophy. In his philosophical thinking Wiredu tries to highlight the intrinsic value of African tradition and present this at the same time for a dialogue of cultures. According to his understanding to cultures differ in their way the world to " understand " - every culture has its own " world view " inherently. In this context Wiredu speaks of the need for a " conceptual decolonization ". However, according to Wiredu now all based culturally - conditioned " world views " on a base, for example, the reality of the world. According to Wiredu therefore an intercultural dialogue is only possible if this the - for all concerned - " most acceptable world view underlies", which, according to Wiredu is made up of all aspects involved in " world views".

World View

Wiredu defines truth as a concept from a particular human point of view, the obtained by an instantaneous perception confirmation. People learn in a social process to understand the world, and are thereby influenced by their culture, and of the peculiarities of its own culture, as this recognizes the inner workings of the world. This evolution of the people called Wiredu one of the " mere creature " to "person". For this reason, people are connected by a prevailing culture in their own world view, according to Wiredu.

In this world view is so special about a culture, but a goal is all Together: The realization of the human condition. The differences are broken down according to Wiredu in " universals " and " particulars ", with the former - empirical, objective knowledge - form the basis of intercultural understanding and adopted by all cultures, while the latter - subjective, " metaphysical " ideas - the particularities of each form culture.

" Conceptual decolonization " ( Conceptual decolonialization )

Through the colonization of Africa many Africans were forced either structures or these have been uncritically accepted in their own culture. Wiredu illustrates this with the example of the language, by emphasizing that language transported cultural forms of thinking. Translations of forms of thinking distort the original meaning or at least adjust the view of the own structures. Similarly, let some terms - Wiredu shows this in "Cultural Universals and Particulars " and several examples - not readily translate into other languages. The oral tradition in African conceptions has hardly been noticed by Western-influenced philosophers. Wiredu therefore calls for a return to original ( original ) languages ​​in literature, science and public life. Just philosophical conceptions should always be thought out well in their own language, as current representatives of African philosophies are usually strongly influenced west. From the outside, inherited forms of thought are to be recognized, scrutinized and compared with African forms. By " conceptual decolonization " means Wiredu therefore, that the forced or uncritically assumed by colonialism languages ​​, values, ... a thorough critique are subjected and is also checked whether their own languages ​​or values ​​can not also be used to shape the present.

Consensus term

According to Wiredu, there is a fundamental interest group that connects all people. As an example from the Akan culture, he leads the image of two crocodiles, which have a common stomach, to. The animals fighting for food. Could see that it is intended for the same stomach it but the reason their dispute could not be justified by rational argument. According to Wiredu People have the ability to dialogue to overcome the only apparent opposites in their interests and thus restore harmony in a society and to preserve. The harmony now exists in the reconciliation of opposites for the common good, it is considered as a prerequisite for the welfare of all and thus the individual.

Consensus - in Sine Wiredu - is viewed as agreement. This may mean that individual members of the community do not agree with the proposal, but agree that in the interest of restoring harmony. Sense and reason for producing a consensus is thus the "reconciliation" of opposing interests in favor of a stable community.

A relatively recent example of the application of a system based on reconciliation approach is the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission ( Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC ) ) in South Africa dar. in 1995 triggered the founding was the consideration that a stabilization of the society in the present is possible only through a confrontation with the past. By amnesty for those offenders who confess fully the truth about their crimes and their crimes are politically motivated, as well as through indemnity policy towards the victims, presents the approach of the TRC is not the punishment of the offender at the center. Thus, the main concern is the creation of the basis of a common memories and a shared responsibility for the history of South Africa.

Based on his concept of consensus developed Wiredu consensus democracy, and the ethics of consensus.

Short outline of the consensus democracy Kwasi Wiredu

Wiredu, however, in its idea of ​​a consensus democracy against imported from Western countries multiparty systems, in which he refers to the African traditions of the "consensus". Wiredu claims that the multi-party system, proceed according to the principle of " winner takes all ". That is, the party that receives the majority of votes, the government provides and takes all major decisions. Thus Wiredu calls a " party -less system ", the " substantial " instead of just " formal " representation is based on the African tradition. This means no parties, but individual candidates are elected.

Short outline of the idea of ​​consensual ethics Kwasi Wiredu

Wiredu consensual ethics is closely connected with the notion of consensus, and the consensus democracy. Wiredu consensus ethics therefore calls for reconciliation, that is, for all a consent worthy of the consideration of all points of view - but at least a reasonable - to find compromise. The basis of moral action looks Wiredu in the sympathetic impartiality ( sympathetic impartiality ) and in the a priori set basic community of interest of all people. In the center of his ethics concept represents Wiredu, the concept of "reconciliation".

Criticism

A criticism of philosophy Wiredu presents his first theory of consensus democracy dar. Wiredu simplified representation of Western multi-party democracy and consensus democracy seems to be somewhat differentiated, but he shipped so that the principle of " winner takes all " in all "Western" countries. However, the multi-party systems of the so-called "Western" countries all know the principle of separation of powers and are also usually through a sophisticated system of minority representation supplemented in parliamentary committees.

A key weakness of the ethics of consensus is probably that neither Wiredu explains what is meant by the " harmony of the community," still under the " basic common interests of the people." What is harmony? Who sets the criteria for this? In what respect, the interests of individuals with those of its community? Wiredu leaves these questions unanswered. Similarly, criticism can be applied to a consensus ethics in this context that dispenses with majority decisions, as this - probably for lack of time - ultimately only apply to numerically very small community.

One of the main critics Kwasi Wiredu is Emmanuel Chukwudi Eze, a Nigerian - living in the United States - a philosopher.

Bibliography

Kwasi Wiredu is the author of numerous articles on logic, epistemology and philosophy of African as well as some of the entries in encyclopedias and anthologies. He is author or co-editor of the following works:

Works by Kwasi Wiredu

  • Philosophy and an African Culture. 1980, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-22794-1 (1982, Ghana National Book Award )
  • Person and Community: Ghanaian Philosophical Studies. [ed ] Wiredu & Kwame Gyekye (1992: New York, Council for Research in Values ​​and Philosophy) ISBN 1-56518-004-6
  • Cultural Universals and Particulars: An African Perspective. 1996, Bloomington, Indiana University Press, ISBN 0-253-21080-1
  • A Companion to African Philosophy. 2003, Oxford, Blackwell, ISBN 0-631-20751-1

Works to Kwasi Wiredu

  • Olusegun Oladipo: Philosophy and the African Experience: The Contributions of Kwasi Wiredu. 1996, Ibadan, Nigeria, Hope Publications, ISBN 978-32037-4-6
  • Olusegun Oladipo (ed. ): The Third Way in African Philosophy: Essays in Honour of Kwasi Wiredu. 2002 Ibandan, Nigeria, Hope Publications, ISBN 978-36548-7- X
  • Peter J. King: One Hundred Philosophers. 2004, New York, Barron's, ISBN 0-7641-2791-8
  • Sanya Osha: Kwasi Wiredu and Beyond: The Text, Writing and Thought in Africa. 2005, Dakar, Senegal, Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa, ISBN 2-86978-150-4
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