The Invention of Africa: Gnosis, Philosophy and the Order of Knowledge (African Systems of Thought)

What Is The Meaning Of Africa And Being An African? What Is And What Is Not African Philosophy? Is Philosophy Part Of Africanism? These Are The Kinds Of Fundamental Questions That This Book Addresses. V.y. Mudimbe Argues That The Various Discourses Themselves Establish The Worlds Of Thought In Which People Conceive Their Identity. Western Anthropology And Missionaries Have Introduced Distortions Not Only For Outsiders But Also For Africans Trying To Understand Themselves. Mudimbe Goes Beyond The Classic Issues Of African Anthropology Or History. He Says That The Book Attempts An Archeology Of African Gnosis As A System Of Knowledge In Which Major Philosophical Questions Recently Have Arisen: First, Concerning The Form, The Content, And The Style Of Africanizing Knowledge; Second, Concerning The Status Of Traditional Systems Of Thought. He Is Directly Concerned With The Processes Of Transformation Of Different Types Of Knowledge.--book Cover. Introduction --- I. Discourse Of Power And Knowledge Of Otherness --- Ii. Questions Of Method --- Iii. The Power Of Speech --- Iv. E.w. Blyden's Legacy And Questions --- V. The Patience Of Philosophy --- Conclusion: The Geography Of A Discourse. V.y. Mudimbe. Includes Index. Bibliography: P. 205-232. Frontmatter INTRODUCTION (page ix) I. Discourse of Power and Knowledge of Otherness (page 1) II. Questions of Method (page 24) III. The Power of Speech (page 44) IV. E.W. Blyden's Legacy and Questions (page 98) V. The Patience of Philosophy (page 135) Conclusion: The Geography of a Discourse (page 187) APPENDIX. ETHIOPIAN SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE (page 201) BIBLIOGRAPHY (page 205) INDEX (page 233)