Philosophy is the study of fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence specifically when considered as an academic thing or discipline. African philosophy often deals with metaphysics which is a branch of philosophy that deals with the study of nature such as being, substance, cause, identity time, and space (Ugwuanyi 513-522). Epistemology is a branch of philosophy that deals with the methods, origin, nature and limits of human knowledge or it is a concern with theories of knowledge.
African metaphysics explain the way of life interaction, perceptions and how things come to existences within the reality of the African societies (Tabensky 285-295). Being is one of the central components in the African metaphysics and different communities are in the African society believed in a supernatural being. They believe that the Being exist in a hierarchical manner starting from God coming down to ancestors in that order (Ugwuanyi 513-522). There also personality as a component in the African society which is defined as the qualities or the attributes that make an individual distinct or different from other people. In the African society is not seen as a self-identity but it is believed that an individual is a controlled by the spirits which speak through the person soul (Tabensky 285-295). The components of causality in African society there is a belief that nothing does happen without a cause and when an event occur or happen to an individual many questions arises such why has this event occurred? Why did it happen only to him/her? What will it cause to us? People often believes that for a good or bad to happen to an individual there could be some power behind the cause of the event (Ugwuanyi 513-522).
The components of African knowledge pose contributions to epistemology by giving various suggestions on knowledge of the individuals. Individuals within the society are taught according to the belief in the supernatural being that exists in a certain order or hierarchy (Tabensky 285-295). Causality people are taught to believe that things happen with forces behind them and they should not be considered as literal happenings within the society (Tabensky 285-295). The society also shares the knowledge that personality comes from the soul of an individual and not self-determined or one's own qualities within the society.
Work Cited
Ugwuanyi, Lawrence Ogbo. "The Question Of Happiness In African Philosophy". South African Journal of Philosophy 33.4 (2014): 513-522. Web.
Tabensky, Pedro Alexis. "The Postcolonial Heart Of African Philosophy". South African Journal of Philosophy 27.4 (2008): 285-295. Web.
