Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102
Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures
Polycarp Ikuenobe
; Kent State University, Department of Philosophy, P. O. Box 5190, Kent, OH 44242–0001, USA
Full text: french pdf 398 Kb
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cite
APA 6th Edition
Ikuenobe, P. (2018). Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures. Synthesis philosophica, 33 (1), 23-40. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102
MLA 8th Edition
Ikuenobe, Polycarp. "Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures." Synthesis philosophica, vol. 33, no. 1, 2018, pp. 23-40. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
Chicago 17th Edition
Ikuenobe, Polycarp. "Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures." Synthesis philosophica 33, no. 1 (2018): 23-40. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102
Harvard
Ikuenobe, P. (2018). 'Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures', Synthesis philosophica, 33(1), pp. 23-40. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102
Vancouver
Ikuenobe P. Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures. Synthesis philosophica [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2024 December 18];33(1):23-40. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102
IEEE
P. Ikuenobe, "Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures", Synthesis philosophica, vol.33, no. 1, pp. 23-40, 2018. [Online]. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102
Full text: english pdf 398 Kb
page 23-40
downloads: 601
cite
APA 6th Edition
Ikuenobe, P. (2018). Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures. Synthesis philosophica, 33 (1), 23-40. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102
MLA 8th Edition
Ikuenobe, Polycarp. "Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures." Synthesis philosophica, vol. 33, no. 1, 2018, pp. 23-40. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
Chicago 17th Edition
Ikuenobe, Polycarp. "Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures." Synthesis philosophica 33, no. 1 (2018): 23-40. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102
Harvard
Ikuenobe, P. (2018). 'Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures', Synthesis philosophica, 33(1), pp. 23-40. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102
Vancouver
Ikuenobe P. Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures. Synthesis philosophica [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2024 December 18];33(1):23-40. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102
IEEE
P. Ikuenobe, "Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures", Synthesis philosophica, vol.33, no. 1, pp. 23-40, 2018. [Online]. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102
Full text: german pdf 398 Kb
page 23-40
downloads: 449
cite
APA 6th Edition
Ikuenobe, P. (2018). Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures. Synthesis philosophica, 33 (1), 23-40. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102
MLA 8th Edition
Ikuenobe, Polycarp. "Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures." Synthesis philosophica, vol. 33, no. 1, 2018, pp. 23-40. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
Chicago 17th Edition
Ikuenobe, Polycarp. "Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures." Synthesis philosophica 33, no. 1 (2018): 23-40. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102
Harvard
Ikuenobe, P. (2018). 'Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures', Synthesis philosophica, 33(1), pp. 23-40. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102
Vancouver
Ikuenobe P. Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures. Synthesis philosophica [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2024 December 18];33(1):23-40. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102
IEEE
P. Ikuenobe, "Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures", Synthesis philosophica, vol.33, no. 1, pp. 23-40, 2018. [Online]. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102
Full text: croatian pdf 398 Kb
page 23-40
downloads: 1.830
cite
APA 6th Edition
Ikuenobe, P. (2018). Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures. Synthesis philosophica, 33 (1), 23-40. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102
MLA 8th Edition
Ikuenobe, Polycarp. "Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures." Synthesis philosophica, vol. 33, no. 1, 2018, pp. 23-40. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
Chicago 17th Edition
Ikuenobe, Polycarp. "Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures." Synthesis philosophica 33, no. 1 (2018): 23-40. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102
Harvard
Ikuenobe, P. (2018). 'Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures', Synthesis philosophica, 33(1), pp. 23-40. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102
Vancouver
Ikuenobe P. Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures. Synthesis philosophica [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2024 December 18];33(1):23-40. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102
IEEE
P. Ikuenobe, "Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures", Synthesis philosophica, vol.33, no. 1, pp. 23-40, 2018. [Online]. https://doi.org/10.21464/sp33102
Abstract
This paper examines the nature and legitimacy of oral tradition as a method of acquiring, archiving, retrieving, and transmitting knowledge, beliefs, values, and practices in traditional African communal cultures. I argue that oral tradition, which involves parables, proverbs, myths, art, and folklore, also involves relying on elders as the repositories of knowledge and tradition. I argue that this reliance can be justified based on the principles of epistemic trust, epistemic dependence, and epistemic communalism. The notion of epistemic communalism, which involves epistemic division of labour and epistemic comparative advantage, requires a multidisciplinary holistic approach to knowledge in Africa. This communal method of acquiring knowledge indicates how people accept beliefs and justify their acceptance of beliefs as members of an organically integrated community. This underscores the need for mutual dependence among philosophy and other disciplines such as history, anthropology, literature, and science as the source and basis for African knowledge.
Keywords
oral tradition; African communalism; traditional knowledge; epistemic dependence; epistemic communalism; ethnophilosophy; reliance on elders
Hrčak ID:
219840
URI
https://hrcak.srce.hr/219840
Publication date:
6.11.2018.
Article data in other languages:
french
german
croatian
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