Contemporary African Philosophers: A Critical Appraisal

While contemporary African philosophy is clearly the work of modern African philosophers, this work also took interest in traditional African philosophy as an aspect of African philosophy being unveiled by contemporary African thinkers. These modern thinkers are the midwives helping to deliver traditional African philosophy into written discourse. Cotemporary African Philosophy: A Critical Appraisal examines the life histories, publications and philosophical contributions of modern African thinkers to African philosophy. Among the many, this work identifies twenty-four African philosophers who have made significant contributions to discourses on African philosophy. An appraisal of each of these authors reveals that their writings place them in one or more of the main dimensions of African philosophy earlier identified by the late Henry Odera Oruka. These African philosophers have contributed in varying degrees to our understanding of themes like enthnophilosophy, hermeneutical philosophy, professional philosophy, philosophical sagacity, national ideological philosophy, and African literary philosophy.