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This book offers a new way of doing African philosophy by building on an analysis of the way people talk. The author bases his investigation on the belief that traditional African philosophy is hidden in expressions used in ordinary language. As a result, he argues that people are engaging in a philosophical activity when they use expressions such as taboos, proverbs, idioms, riddles, and metaphors. The analysis investigates proverbs using the ordinary language approach and Speech Act theory. Next, the author looks at taboos using counterfactual logic, which studies the meaning of taboo expressions by departing from a consideration of their structure and use. He argues that the study of these figurative expressions using the counterfactual framework offers a particular understanding of African philosophy and belief systems. The study also investigates issues of meaning and rationality departing from a study on riddles, explores conceptual metaphors used in conceptualizing the notion of politics in modern African political thought, and examines language and marginalization of women and people with disabilities. The book differs from other works in African philosophy in the sense that it does not claim that Africans have a philosophy as is commonly done in most studies. Rather, it reflects and unfolds philosophical elements in ordinary language use. The book also builds African Conception of beauty and truth through the study of language.

Theory of knowledge --- Ethnology. Cultural anthropology --- Lexicology. Semantics --- African languages --- History of civilization --- Afrikaans --- Afrikaanse cultuur --- etnologie --- semantiek --- linguïstiek --- analytische filosofie --- Africa

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This book investigates ‘capitalism and freedom’—the guiding forces of many political systems—in African philosophy. It builds on classical and neoliberal capitalism rooted in private property and freedom, and argues for the presence of these elements in the traditional and modern African political systems. The author argues that while these elements are partly imported from Western capitalists, they are equally traceable in African traditional political systems. Kayange argues that African politics is marred by a conflict between embracing capitalism and freedom (individualism), on the one hand, and socialism founded on African communitarianism and communist ideas, on the other. This conflict has affected policy development and implementation, and has significantly contributed towards the socio-economic and ethical crises that are recurrent in most of the African countries.

Capitalism --- Political science --- Administration --- Civil government --- Commonwealth, The --- Government --- Political theory --- Political thought --- Politics --- Science, Political --- Social sciences --- State, The --- Political philosophy. Social philosophy --- Africa --- Philosophy, Asian. --- Political philosophy. --- Ethnology—Africa. --- Africa, Sub-Saharan—History. --- Africa—Politics and government. --- African literature. --- Non-Western Philosophy. --- Political Philosophy. --- African Culture. --- History of Sub-Saharan Africa. --- African Politics. --- African Literature. --- Black literature (African) --- Authors, African --- Political philosophy --- Asian philosophy --- Oriental philosophy --- Philosophy, Oriental --- Ethnology --- Africa. --- Politics and government. --- Philosophy.