Human nature/identity : the ubuntu world view and beyond
| dc.creator | Gichure, Christine Prof. | |
| dc.date | 11/21/2013 | |
| dc.date | Thu, 21 Nov 2013 | |
| dc.date | Thu, 21 Nov 2013 12:57:07 | |
| dc.date | Thu, 21 Nov 2013 12:57:07 | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2015-03-18T11:29:11Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2015-03-18T11:29:11Z | |
| dc.description | Seminar paper presented at the Catholic University of America, November 2010. | |
| dc.description | This paper is about the understanding of human nature and identity in the African context called Ubuntu. In the Introduction I explain the meaning of Ubuntu worldview. Following this I present the notion of Nature, and Human Nature, as can be culled from the mythologies of origin of the Bantu people of Eastern Africa. Kenya has been particularly chosen because ‘the philosopher must begin her reflections with her own life experience’. My experience is Kenyan. The fourth attempts to identify commonalities and divergences between the African, Ubuntu understanding of human nature and those of classic and contemporary realism in Philosophical Anthropology in the belief that “a‘philosophy of man’ is something altogether distinct from an expression of merely personal standpointor value system”.1Hence Seneca’s saying: “The truth is no one’s property”2. I conclude by highlighting the need for common ground regarding the essentials of human nature for any possible moral discourse within the whole idea of the common good, human dignity, and the respect of human rights.For the framework of the paper I follow two Ganda sayings. The first one says:No culture is so poor that it cannot teach anything positive to other cultures. Put in KiGanda: Omuggo oguli ewa mulirwano, tegutta musota guli mu nju yo,3 literally translated as: “A stick in your neighbor’s house can never kill asnake in your house”. The second saying encourages openness and says: ‘no culture is so perfect that it cannot learn from other cultures’ “Amagezi muliro, bwe guzikira ewuwo ogunona ewa munno, literally translated as:“Wisdom is like fire, when it is extinguished in your home, you get it from the neighbor” 4 | |
| dc.description.abstract | This paper is about the understanding of human nature and identity in the African context called Ubuntu. In the Introduction I explain the meaning of Ubuntu worldview. Following this I present the notion of Nature, and Human Nature, as can be culled from the mythologies of origin of the Bantu people of Eastern Africa. Kenya has been particularly chosen because ‘the philosopher must begin her reflections with her own life experience’. My experience is Kenyan. The fourth attempts to identify commonalities and divergences between the African, Ubuntu understanding of human nature and those of classic and contemporary realism in Philosophical Anthropology in the belief that “a‘philosophy of man’ is something altogether distinct from an expression of merely personal standpointor value system”.1Hence Seneca’s saying: “The truth is no one’s property”2. I conclude by highlighting the need for common ground regarding the essentials of human nature for any possible moral discourse within the whole idea of the common good, human dignity, and the respect of human rights.For the framework of the paper I follow two Ganda sayings. The first one says:No culture is so poor that it cannot teach anything positive to other cultures. Put in KiGanda: Omuggo oguli ewa mulirwano, tegutta musota guli mu nju yo,3 literally translated as: “A stick in your neighbor’s house can never kill asnake in your house”. The second saying encourages openness and says: ‘no culture is so perfect that it cannot learn from other cultures’ “Amagezi muliro, bwe guzikira ewuwo ogunona ewa munno, literally translated as:“Wisdom is like fire, when it is extinguished in your home, you get it from the neighbor” | |
| dc.format | Number of Pages:121- 152 p. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11071/3758 | |
| dc.language | eng | |
| dc.rights | By agreeing with and accepting this license, I (the author(s), copyright owner or nominated agent) agree to the conditions, as stated below, for deposit of the item (referred to as .the Work.) in the digital repository maintained by Strathmore University, or any other repository authorized for use by Strathmore University. Non-exclusive Rights Rights granted to the digital repository through this agreement are entirely non-exclusive. I understand that depositing the Work in the repository does not affect my rights to publish the Work elsewhere, either in present or future versions. I agree that Strathmore University may electronically store, copy or translate the Work to any approved medium or format for the purpose of future preservation and accessibility. Strathmore University is not under any obligation to reproduce or display the Work in the same formats or resolutions in which it was originally deposited. SU Digital Repository I understand that work deposited in the digital repository will be accessible to a wide variety of people and institutions, including automated agents and search engines via the World Wide Web. I understand that once the Work is deposited, metadata may be incorporated into public access catalogues. I agree as follows: 1.That I am the author or have the authority of the author/s to make this agreement and do hereby give Strathmore University the right to make the Work available in the way described above. 2.That I have exercised reasonable care to ensure that the Work is original, and to the best of my knowledge, does not breach any laws including those relating to defamation, libel and copyright. 3.That I have, in instances where the intellectual property of other authors or copyright holders is included in the Work, gained explicit permission for the inclusion of that material in the Work, and in the electronic form of the Work as accessed through the open access digital repository, or that I have identified that material for which adequate permission has not been obtained and which will be inaccessible via the digital repository. 4.That Strathmore University does not hold any obligation to take legal action on behalf of the Depositor, or other rights holders, in the event of a breach of intellectual property rights, or any other right, in the material deposited. 5.That if, as a result of my having knowingly or recklessly given a false statement at points 1, 2 or 3 above, the University suffers loss, I will make good that loss and indemnify Strathmore University for all action, suits, proceedings, claims, demands and costs occasioned by the University in consequence of my false statement. | |
| dc.subject | Human nature | |
| dc.subject | human identity | |
| dc.subject | Ubuntu | |
| dc.title | Human nature/identity : the ubuntu world view and beyond | |
| dc.type | Conference Paper |
Files
Original bundle
1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
- Name:
- Human nature.pdf
- Size:
- 264.42 KB
- Format:
- Adobe Portable Document Format
- Description:
- Seminar paper