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Africa's Quest for a Philosophy of Decolonization (Value Inquiry Book Series 153)

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As a senior philosophy major, I had the opportunity to study Dr. Kebede's work "Africa's Quest for a philosophy of Decolonization" in our African Philosophy seminar, which was also taught by Dr. Kebede, here at the University of Dayton. The format of the seminar was the following: We students were to read and study a chapter from Africa's Quest and Dr. Kebede would then lecture on it for the first half of class; in the second half we would critically evaluate the various philosophical positions as explicated by the professor and his book. After we had completed this vigorous yet very enjoyable seminar, it was clear to me, and, I am sure, as well as to the other students, that Dr. Kebede left no points unexamined, no rock unturned during our arduous journey, one that all good philosophical discourse must endure.

From the outset, it is obvious that Dr. Kebede put an enormous amount of thought and effort into this work; not only does he deal with African Philosophy in a critical and fundamental way, he moves from the fundamental to give life to a vast and interconnected web of philosophies. Dr. Kebede's work is comprehensive in that he utilizes many if not all major branches of philosophy to give a complete view of the issues. Here I will briefly summarize the chapters that we spent the most time on, chapters one through six.

In chapter one, Dr. Kebede begins with the West's first contact with Africa. When the Europeans arrived, they could not comprehend the African or his world. In fact, so called scholars such as Levy-Bruhl thought that Africans had minds that were pre-logical. Dr. Kebede tactfully exposes the contradictions in Levy-Bruhl's view and changes from defense to offense as he explains post-modernist views of Western society. Dr. Kebede questions Western rationality and its insistence on its own normative force. Foreshadowing proceeding chapters, Dr. Kebede asks whether such a rational view of the world is the view that should be taken by humanity; also, the first chapter serves as a launching point for the rest because it gives the foundation for the different ways that Africans reacted to the West. Although a few believe that traditional Africa had philosophy, Dr. Kebede makes clear that many scholars believe that African philosophy was developed as a result of the European colonial intervention.

In chapter two, Dr. Kebede starts with a discussion of a Belgian missionary's book "la Philosophie bantoue" (Bantu Philosophy). Written in 1945, Dr. Kebede explains the anti-colonial significance of this work along with its problematic consequences. In "la Philosophie bantoue", Tempels formulates from his missionary work a psychological account of how one comes to religious beliefs. This account is universal and holds for everyone; immediately, Tempels denies Levi-Bruhl's characterization of the African. Tempels explains that the Bantu in fact have philosophy even though it is not scientific; Africans have their own ontology that rejects any scientific advances. For the Bantu, being is force-by their own ontology they were prevented from acting on objects because they did not believe that one could manipulate them as the West had conceived. In a recurring theme, Tempels rejects that Europeans are superior to Africans in any evolutionary way. Dr. Kebede argues that Tempels' view mirrors Rousseau's in that the "primitive" is in a more moral, natural and happier state than the Europeans. Although Temples' thesis does dispel notions of African inferiority, his arguments for an African philosophy are inadequate as shown by a discussion of Hountondji in chapter four.

In chapter three, Dr. Kebede explains a position called Ethnophilosophy, which is devoted to African otherness. The most influential trend in Ethnophilosophy is negritude and its main proponent is Leopold Sedar Senghor. Senghor points out that Africans are different than Europeans because of certain biological adjustments as a result of their respective environments. The African, because of the warm environment in which he lives, has a greater capacity for the emotive, while the cold environment of Northern Europe rendered the Europeans more aggressive. Out of these contexts, the African and the European have different developed capabilities, yet essentially share all potential ones as humans. Senghor believes that a synthesis of man will complete humanity which is the ultimate human goal-both the European and the African are equally valuable. At the end of the chapter, Dr. Kebede includes a very interesting discussion of Mbiti's position of "religion as an ontological phenomenon".

In chapter four, Kebede explains Hountondji's rejection of pre-colonial African philosophy. By rejecting the notion that African's had philosophy, Hountondji is rejecting the otherness of Africans. He thinks that treating sections of humanity as inherently different will inevitable result in the ranking of these groups. Hountondji rejects Tempels in that he defines philosophy as critical, individual and systematic reflection that must involve a scientific aspect. Hountondji maintains that Bantu Philosophy is collected belief and is only the philosophy of Tempels. Instead, he advocates using African history and tradition to help form a modern African society with a philosophic spirit. Dr. Kebede also discusses the views of Frantz Fanon who used Hegel's dialectic to come up with a theory of violence. Fanon thought that only when the Africans were willing to use violence against the colonizers and die would they gain recognition as equals from their oppressors and gain their freedom.

Chapter five gives the view of those that advocate particularism while rejecting Ethnophilosophy. Cheikh Anta Diop, Dr. Kebede writes, believes that Senghor is selling Africans short. Diop says that Egypt was black, that it gave birth to philosophy and that the Greeks stole it from them. Subsequently, throughout history, the Europeans denied that Africans ever invented anything because of their own narcissism and false pride which forced Africans to internalize the colonial discourse. Dr. Kebede explains that critiques of Diop include the inability to scientifically prove the race of the Egyptians, as well as the accusation of reverse racism.

In the sixth chapter, Dr. Kebede gives a philosophical explication of how the West used the past or the original source (of their societies) to spring ahead in the future on a path of progress and meaning. Dr. Kebede argues that the past is an important part of cultural change, and that the internalization of the colonial discourse causes Africans to consider their past worthless and change for them becomes impossible. Only a pluralistic understanding of history will allow for the banishing of "the model" and allow cultures to appreciate their history and progress from it.

Finally, there are four more chapters that expand upon and give new application to the above discourses. Having worked with the book's author in raising questions and discussing the book and having been so impressed with both the book and the seminar, I conclude by highly recommending Dr. Kebede's "Africa's Quest for a Philosophy of Decolonization".

This text is easily one of the best in current reviews and analyses of African philosophy. I agree with an earlier reviewer, that if you can only read one text in the field, this is the one to read. It would make an excellent text to use in undergraduate course were it not, like most Rodopi texts, so very expensive. As a teacher of African philosophy, i regret that I cannot justify asking my students to buy a text that costs so much. They could learn so very much from it.

Messay Kebede skillfully and creatively explores the ways in which African Philosophy has developed as a result of the colonial discourse, as well as the terms, conditions, responsibilities, and risks that it faces in the present as it attempts to forge its own path into the future. While academically and scholarly sound, it too pays close attention to the ethical and political implications of such a study as it pertains to a continent that is faced with both a troubled past (from within and from without) and the need to develop its own identity in this postmodern world. The text is a fabulous read in its ability to be both challenging and enjoyable.