Short History of African Philosophy, Second Edition

Barry Hallen is Professor of Philosophy at Morehouse College and Associate in the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard University. He is author of The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful: Discourse about Values in Yoruba Culture (IUP, 2000).

"Hallen (Morehouse College) provides a general survey of African philosophy that is both informative and accessible to nonspecialist philosophers and philosophy students. Focusing mainly on 20th-century thinkers and grouping them in chapters according to their general philosophical approaches, the volume is indeed a short history, but a valuable overview nonetheless. In this new edition (1st, CH, Feb'03, 40-3328), Hallen updates his treatment of several writers and adds discussions of Senghor and Nzegwu, making this an improved but not substantially altered text. (Hallen also briefly expands his treatment of North Africa; one wishes he might have done the same for southern Africa as well.) The biggest change is the expansion of the bibliography from 16 to 36 pages, making it one of the most comprehensive available. While not a replacement for a good anthology of African philosophical texts, Hallen's survey (in either the first or second edition) should be a part of any good philosophy collection. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-level undergraduates and above. — Choice"—C. D. Kay, Wofford College, April 2010"This expanded and updated edition of Hallen's work will be a valuable asset as a highly accessible reference, not only for the undergraduate student, but also for graduates and researchers."—Journal of Africa"A Short History of African Philosophy is a good read for both the neophyte and the seasoned scholar; it is a helpful guide and beginning for anyone with an interest in African philosophy."—Dialogue"The purpose of Hallen's book is to provide professional philosophers, students, and intellectually interested laypersons with both a synopsis and analysis of the field of African philosophy, a scholarly field that is still widely ignored in the philosophical profession and still widely unknown in the public realm. He succeeds quite well in this enterprise. Vol. 43, no. 2, 2010"—Intl. Jrnl. of African Historical Studies"Hallen's writing is consistently clear and accessible to a general reader, and his knowledge of the subject is wide-ranging, making this an excellent introduction to the vibrant and complex melange that falls withing the category of African philosophy.#71 Winter 2009/2010"—Mikel Burley, University of Leeds"While avowedly a short conspectus, the book as a whole is dynamized by a number of recurring debates which make their appearance in most of the chapters, giving the work an internal coherence belying its brevity and simplicity."—Leeds African Studies Bulletin"Provides an excellent orientation to the various approaches and issues which have emerged throughout the history of African philosophy."—International Studies in Philosophy"With this small book, Barry Hallen has opened up the field of African philosophy to the general public, without turning professionals off."—Philosophy in Review"Hallen has provided an immeasurable service to students and scholars of Africana thought by lucidly and concisely chronicling the history, development, and current issues in African philosophies."—Choice, named Outstanding Academic Book"A great virtue of the brief volume is its method of dividing African philosophy into manageable and provocative categories. . . . Hallen has a gift for knowing what to pick and what to exclude."—H-Net Reviews

• Introduction1. The Historical Perspective2. Twentieth-Century Origins3. Rationality as Culturally Universal4. Rationality as Culturally Relative5. Ethnophilosophy and Philosophical Sagacity6. Phenomenology and Hermeneutics7. Socialism and Marxism8. Philosophy and Culture9. Histories, Anthologies, Introductions to African Philosophy, Journals, and WebsitesConclusion BibliographyIndex