USA Africa Dialogue Series - African Philosophy and the Creative Arts in Africa: What should they Mean to each Other and Why?

African Philosophy and the Creative Arts in Africa: What should they Mean to each Other and Why?

LAWRENCE OGBO UGWUANYI

Abstract:

One of the underemphasised aspects of African Philosophy is how creative arts in Africa should be brought to bear in the effort to advance this tradition of philosophy. My aim in this work is to address this concern. I do this by exploring the basis for a synergy between African philosophy and artistic creativity in Africa. I discuss whether there is any relationship between the two and whether both can re-enforce each other. To do this, I (A) first clarify the ideas of philosophy and art implied and applied in this work and (B) apply this to address four questions, namely, (B1) Can wisdom be loved beyond pen and paper? (B2). How philosophical can or should creative arts be? (B3) How creative can or should African philosophy be? (B4). How philosophically African can creative arts be? I draw my claim from the above questions to argue that African philosophy can promote its course by heavily expanding philosophical wisdom through creative art and exploiting the art of wisdom in Africa, which is hugely embedded in creative art. Keywords: African philosophy, creativity, creative arts, synergy, wisdom

 

JCLA

Journal of Comparative Literature and Aesthetics

 Vol.47,No.1,Spring 2024

SPECIAL ISSUE-New Perspectives in African Philosophy
In the Loving Memory of Prof. Paulin Jidenu Hountondji (1942-2024)
Guest Editor: Adoulou N. Bitang (Tel Aviv University, Israel)