African epistemology-a comparative analysis to western epistemology.

by Kagiso Kwenda

 One cannot ever  overlook the boldness and philosophical simplicity that Heidegger lead to a well of philosophical  insight and intellectual adventure when he posed the question(s) which were seeking answers to our basic understanding of being. he posed :
“the question of the meaning of being must be formulated. If it is a -or even the fundamental question ,such questioning needs the suitable transparency. Every  questioning is a seeking. Every seeking  takes  its direction beforehand from what is sought. Questioning  is a knowing search for beings in their thatness and whatness”(Heidegger:1996:5)
The phrasing of his language – which is seeking new ways of questioning old ideas  -and the abstraction of language derived from ordinary usage of language offers  a very fresh tool(s) and a different approach. What must be not  misunderstand is that  he is also in search of knowledge and he does so through  the rest of the book. which I can confirm that it's very challenging even to those who are willing to toil and turn in pain over it. We are still far in even  engaging in our main topic  or even in Heidegger questions, we will start by posing  questions; what is valid knowledge from the view  of western science? What methodologies does western science employ in obtaining knowledge ?
By posing this question and answering them it will clarify our argument and make our affirmation that valid knowledge is not that of empirically based,objective western science. From an African philosophy   viewpoint  or what in this essay will adopt  from  V.Y Mudimbe is that African thought system are to be taken as gnosis(Mudimbe:1988:9): “... the notion of African philosophy refers to contributions of Africans practicing philosophy within the defined framework of the discipline and its historical tradition (Horton, 1976; Hountondji, 1977). It is only metaphorically, or, at best, from a historicist perspective, that one would extend the notion of philosophy to African traditional systems of thought, considering them as dynamic processes in which concrete experiences are integrated into an order of concepts and discourses (Ladrière, 1979:14-15). 1 have thus preferred to speak of African gnosis. J. Fabian used the notion of gnosis in his analysis of a charismatic movement (1969). In this book, the wider frame seems better suited to the range of problems addressed, all of which are based on a preliminary question: to what extent can one speak of an African knowledge, and in what sense? Etymologically, gnosis is related to gnosko, which in the ancient Greek means "to know." (ibid)

Contrasting  it to what is asserted  to be what is valid western  knowledge ?by also taking into account the historical background which underpins were this processes of obtaining knowledge stems from; it is a task here we are not in pursuit of . We will engage in methodologies which are namely empiricism and  objectivity ,which make up a fraction of how western science is based on and how knowledge is validated to the historical background they stem from;but history is a  result of social movements and  so the two are indivisible from each other(scott & mungwini:1995:108-132). In my claim that valid knowledge is not empiricaly based,objective western science; I am  also making a bold statement that there is no value free science since the  alternative is knowledge that has a historical background and cultural difference which is self evident ,nevertheless this should not be confused to an under-mining of western science ,this should be taken as a different 'epistemology' to what is current and a way knowledge is attained. This can be proven that an alternative 'epistemology' can co-exist with other epistemologies which existed or will spring forth in the future or are taken from other cultures and synthesized to better suite the practices of  the culture which absorbed this new knowledge. If we take Mathematics as a system of knowledge , we can see that  different epistemologies are used in solving the same problem ;so this can be said that different epistemologies are used with their different procedure in coming to the same form of knowledge for example topology can be used to solve  whether a function is discontinuous or not so as well as calculus of a single variable(Manetti:2005:1-9); different epistemologies arrive  at the same solution form. My assertion does not say this new philosophy is mathematics. My assertion is that mathematics and philosophy are a prior in their purity(Gowers:2002:1-156). The  heuristic nature of mathematics has enabled it  being ahead most of the knowledge ponds of the world, from ancient Egypt to our modern day(Gowers:2002:1-156).

 Mathematics is still the same were ever you are in the world if you look at a circle and try finding out why its shaped like this and give a algorithmic solution on the how its in this shape ,that's mathematics and this accounts to its differing 'epistemologies' (Gowers:2002:1-156). And need not to be objective. “ A judgement or belief is held to be objective when it is reached by means of a certain sort of process -one that does not involve factors that bias or disturb or that lead away from  the truth(Nozsick2001:287,303)” (Scott&Mungwini:1995:14). This is a contradiction since western society comes with their on prejudices, how can objectivity be reached were the tools used are inherently prejudice to certain section of its own society and marginalise and undermine other 'epistemologies' which challenge their foundation(scott&mungwinipg:1995: 106-132).Western science itself is an institution and very well undermine its own neutrality in coming to science;I would agree with Hugh(Scott&Mungwini:1995:16).

Empiricism collapses on its on weight or rather its data ;the difficulty that persist in science is empirical adequacy were it leaves room for probability and makes it hard for precise prediction to happen, it also hinders on the dreams of positivist on relying on verifiability-were its fluctuation is unstable for experience to correspond to theory and be verified. (Scott&Mungwini:1995:20-38) Feyerabend pluralist view of philosophy as a human invention, influence by human desire to express themselves and one of mens achievement and will continue being that; is  what I'm in agreement with. Philosophy can be shackled from its chain of bondage, to a world of diverse creativity and an expansion of knowledge(Scott&Mungwini:1995:90-106). I will conclude by going back to the question heidgger posed in the beginning of this essay, that every question asked will take us somewhere different but that is not stationery since that starting point is also a place arrived at. So human nature and the form we seek will always hurl us to thatnes and whatness; which also is seeking answers.


Manetti,M.2005.Topology. Switzerland:Springer international publishing.
Gowers,T.(ed).2002. The princeton companion to mathematics. USA:Princeton University Press
 Heidegger,M.1996. Being and time(translation by Joan Stambaugh) Albany:State University of New York
Mudimbe,V.Y.1988. The invention of Africa: Gnosis, Philosophy,the order of knowledge London:Indiana University Press
Mungwini,M,Scott,C.D.1995. Philosophy of science : study guide Pretoria: University of South Afric