Consciousness and the Question of Self: An African Philosophical Perspective
Revista de Filosofía December 15, 2025 Festus Ogonegbu, Grace Ogelenya
African philosophical discourse presents a distinctive perspective on consciousness and selfhood that challenges Western dualistic frameworks. This paper examines how the Bantu concept of vital force (élan vital) provides a foundation for understanding consciousness as relational rather than individually contained. Drawing on Placide Tempels' pioneering work and contemporary African...