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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


Puni tekst: francuski pdf 398 Kb

str. 23-40

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Puni tekst: engleski pdf 398 Kb

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Puni tekst: njemački pdf 398 Kb

str. 23-40

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Puni tekst: hrvatski pdf 398 Kb

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Sažetak

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.

Ključne riječi

oral tradition; African communalism; traditional knowledge; epistemic dependence; epistemic communalism; ethnophilosophy; reliance on elders

Hrčak ID:

219840

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/219840

Datum izdavanja:

6.11.2018.

Podaci na drugim jezicima: francuski njemački hrvatski

Posjeta: 4.054 *