Ubuntu and Western Monotheism: An Axiological Investigation (Routledge Studies in the Philosophy of Religion)

This book offers a unique comparative study of ubuntu, a dominant ethical theory in African philosophy, and western monotheism. It is the first book to bring ubuntu to bear on the axiology of theism debate in contemporary analytic philosophy of religion. A large motivating force behind this book is to explore the extent to which there is intersubjective ethical agreement and disagreement between ubuntu and Western worldviews like monotheism and naturalism. First, the author assesses the various arguments for anti-theism and pro-theism on the assumption that ubuntu is true. Ubuntu’s communitarian focus might be so different from the Western tradition that it completely changes how we evaluate theism and atheism. Second, the author assesses the advantages and disadvantages of the truth of ubuntu for the world. Third and finally, he assesses the axiological status of faith for both monotheism and ubuntu. __Ubuntu and Western Monotheism__ will be of interest to scholars and advanced students specializing in philosophy of religion, African religion and philosophy, and religious ethics. Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Contents Acknowledgements Preface Chapter Summaries How to Read this Book A Note on Style PART I: Setting the Stage 1. Introduction to the Comparative Project 1.1. Introduction 1.2. The Comparative Project 1.2.1. The Current Comparison: Western Monotheism and Atheism 1.2.2. Understanding the Current Comparison 1.2.3. Axiological Judgements Versus Rational Preference 1.2.4. Expanding the Contrast Class: The Axiology of Ubuntu 1.3. The Axiology of Theism: The Current Debate 1.4. Motivating the Project: Intersubjective Ethical Disagreement 1.5. What Is African Philosophy? 1.6. Conclusion 2. What Is Ubuntu? 2.1. Introduction 2.2. Preliminaries 2.2.1. Language 2.2.2. Religious Versus Non-Religious Conceptions 2.3. Personhood Accounts of Ubuntu 2.3.1. Personhood as an Evaluative Term 2.3.2. Community as Intrinsically Valuable 2.3.3. Community as Instrumentally Valuable 2.3.4. Concluding Thoughts on Personhood Conceptions of Ubuntu 2.4. Cosmopolitan Accounts of Ubuntu 2.5. Relational Accounts of Ubuntu 2.5.1. Metz and Friendliness 2.5.2. Metz on Identity 2.5.3. Metz on Solidarity 2.5.4. Identity and Solidarity Together 2.5.5. The Capacity for Ubuntu 2.5.5. Friendliness and Impartiality/Partiality 2.5.6. Friendliness and Principles of Right Action 2.6. The Concept of Ubuntu Going Forward 2.7. Conclusion PART II: Ubuntu and the Axiology of Theism 3. Ubuntu and Anti-Theism 3.1. Introduction 3.2. Meaning in Life 3.2.1. The Meaningful Life Argument 3.2.2. Evaluation of the Meaningful Life Argument from Ubuntu 3.3. Privacy 3.3.1. The Privacy Argument Narrow Personal for Anti-Theism 3.3.2. Evaluation of the Narrow Personal Privacy Argument on Ubuntu 3.3.3. The Privacy Argument for Wide Personal Anti-Theism 3.3.4. Evaluation of the Wide Personal Anti-Theism Privacy Argument for Anti-Theism on Ubuntu 3.3.5. The Value of Privacy 3.4. Dignity 3.4.1. The Dignity Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Theism 3.4.2. Evaluation of the Dignity Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Theism on Ubuntu 3.4.3. Ubuntu and the Wide Personal Dignity Argument for Anti-Theism 3.5. Sacrifice 3.5.1. The Genuine Sacrifice Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Theism 3.5.2. Evaluation of the Genuine Sacrifice Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Theism on Ubuntu 3.6. Understanding 3.6.1. The Understanding Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Theism 3.6.2. Evaluation of the Understanding Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Theism on Ubuntu 3.6.3. Ubuntu and the Understanding Argument for Wide Personal Anti-Theism 3.7. Why Atheist Worlds Are Necessarily the Best 3.7.1. The Superior Atheist Worlds Argument for Anti-Theism 3.7.2. Evaluation of the Superior Atheist Worlds Argument for Anti-Theism on Ubuntu 3.8. Intrinsic Versus Relational Goods 3.9. Conclusion 4. Ubuntu and Pro-Theism 4.1. Introduction 4.2. Infinite Intrinsic Value 4.2.1. The Infinite Value Argument for Narrow Impersonal Pro-Theism 4.2.2. Evaluation of the Infinite Value Argument for Narrow Impersonal Pro-Theism on Ubuntu 4.2.3. Intrinsic Value and Vitality 4.2.4. Intrinsic Value and the Capacity for Friendliness 4.2.5. Intrinsic Value and Personhood 4.2.6. The Infinite Value Argument for Wide Impersonal and Personal Pro-Theism 4.2.7. Evaluation of the Infinite Value Argument for Wide Impersonal and Personal Pro-Theism on Ubuntu 4.3. No Gratuitous Evil 4.3.1. The Argument from No Gratuitous Evil for Pro-Theism 4.3.2. Evaluation of the Argument from No Gratuitous Evil for Pro-Theism on Ubuntu 4.4. Morally Good Agents 4.4.1. The Morally Good Agents Argument for Pro-Theism 4.4.2. Evaluation of the Morally Good Agents Argument for Pro-Theism on Ubuntu 4.5. Cosmic Justice 4.5.1. The Cosmic Justice Argument for Wide Personal Pro-Theism 4.5.2. Evaluation of the Cosmic Justice Argument for Wide Personal Pro-Theism on Ubuntu 4.6. Afterlife 4.6.1. The Afterlife Argument for Wide Personal Pro-Theism 4.6.2. Evaluation of the Afterlife Argument for Wide Personal Pro-Theism on Ubuntu 4.7. Relationship with God 4.7.1. The Relationship with God Argument for Pro-Theism 4.7.2. Evaluation of the Relationship with God Argument for Pro-Theism on Ubuntu 4.8. Intrinsic Versus Relational Goods 4.9. Conclusion PART III: The Axiology of Ubuntu 5. The Disadvantages of Ubuntu 5.1. Introduction 5.2. Sacrificing Justice for Reconciliation 5.2.1. The Justice Argument for Anti-Ubuntu 5.2.2. Evaluation of the Justice Argument for Anti-Ubuntu 5.3. Sacrificing Individuality for Community 5.3.1. The Individuality Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Ubuntu 5.3.2. The Individuality Argument for Wide Personal Anti-Ubuntu 5.3.3. The Individuality Argument for Wide ‘All Persons’ Personal Anti-Ubuntu 5.3.4. Evaluation of the Individuality Arguments for Anti-Ubuntu 5.3.5. Why Think that Liberalism Is True? 5.3.6. Legitimate Individual Life Pursuits can’t (Truly) Conflict with the Community 5.3.7. Community as Instrumentally Valuable 5.3.8. Community and Individuality Have Equal Moral Standing 5.3.9. Friendliness Towards Oneself 5.4. Sacrificing Economic Prosperity 5.4.1. The Economic Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Ubuntu 5.4.2. The Economic Argument for Wide Personal Anti-Ubuntu 5.4.3. Evaluation of Economic Arguments for Anti-Ubuntu 5.4.4. Economics and Counterfactuals 5.4.5. Competing Accounts of Flourishing 5.5. Inappropriate Appeals to Authority and Tradition 5.5.1. The Authority Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Ubuntu 5.5.2. The Authority Argument for Wide Personal Anti-Ubuntu 5.5.3. Evaluation of the Authority Arguments 5.5.4. Moral Considerations Always Outweigh Epistemic Considerations 5.5.5. Ubuntu Does Allow Challenges to Authority and Tradition 5.6. Ubuntu Relies Too Much on Human Actions 5.6.1. The Reliance Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Ubuntu 5.6.2. Reliance on Humans and Disadvantages 5.6.3. The Reliance Argument for Wide Personal Anti-Ubuntu 5.6.4. Evaluation of the Reliance Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Theism 5.7. Intrinsic Versus Relational Goods 5.8. Supernatural Ubuntu and Naturalistic Ubuntu 5.9. Conclusion 6. The Advantages of Ubuntu 6.1. Introduction 6.2. Reconciliation 6.2.1. The Reconciliation Argument for Pro-Ubuntu 6.2.2. Evaluation of the Reconciliation Argument for Pro-Ubuntu 6.3. Shared Identity 6.3.1. The Shared Identity Argument for Narrow Personal Pro-Ubuntu 6.3.2. Evaluation of the Shared Identity Argument for Narrow Personal Ubuntu 6.4. Solidarity 6.4.1. The Solidarity Argument for Narrow Personal Pro-Ubuntu 6.4.2. Evaluation of the Solidarity Argument for Narrow Personal Pro-Ubuntu 6.5. Friendliness 6.6. Consensus-Based Decision-Making 6.6.1. The Consensus-Based Decision-Making Argument for Pro-Ubuntu 6.6.2. Evaluation of the Consensus-Based Decision-Making Argument for Pro-Ubuntu 6.7. Intrinsic Goods Versus Relational Goods 6.8. Conclusion 7. The Axiology of Theism and Differences Between Supernatural Ubuntu and Secular Ubuntu 7.1. Introduction 7.2. Supernatural Ubuntu and Western Monotheism 7.3. Traditional African Religion 7.3.1. God 7.3.2. The Spirit World 7.3.3. The Universe 7.3.4. Ancestors and the Afterlife 7.3.5. Morality 7.4. Arguments for Pro-Theism and Supernatural Ubuntu 7.4.1. Cosmic Justice 7.4.2. Afterlife 7.4.3. Relationship with God 7.4.4. Sub-Conclusion: Pro-Theism and Supernatural Ubuntu 7.5. Arguments for Anti-Theism and Supernatural 7.5.1. Privacy 7.5.2. Dignity 7.5.3. Genuine Sacrifice 7.5.4. Understanding 7.5.5. Sub-Conclusion: Anti-Theism and Supernatural Ubuntu 7.6. Secular Ubuntu and Western Atheism 7.7. Conclusion 8. The Axiology of Traditional African Religion 8.1. Introduction 8.2. Arguments for Anti-Tradition African Religion 8.2.1. Witchcraft and Magic 8.2.2. Objections to the Witchcraft Argument for Anti-Traditional African Religion 8.2.3. The Scope of the Witchcraft Argument for Anti-Traditional African Religion 8.2.4. Life Force 8.2.5. Expanding the Scope of the Life Force Argument 8.2.6. Objections to the Life Force Argument 8.2.7. Fate 8.2.8. Expanding the Scope of the Argument from Fate 8.2.9. Sub-Conclusion for Anti-Traditional African Religion 8.3. Arguments for Pro-Traditional African Religion 8.3.1. Post-Mortem Family Relationships 8.3.2. Traditional Medicine 8.3.3. Rejecting the Traditional Medicine Argument 8.4. Conclusion 9. The Advantages of Traditional African Religion in Atheist Worlds 9.1. Introduction 9.2. Experience of Goods Versus Goods Obtaining 9.3. The Current Debate: Are Atheists Worlds Necessarily the Best? 9.3.1. Kahane’s Argument for Superior Atheist Worlds 9.3.2. Defence of Premise (3) 9.3.3. Problems with Kahane’s Argument 9.4. The Axiology of Theism, Traditional African Religion, and Kahane’s Argument for Superior Atheist Worlds 9.4.1. Cosmic Justice 9.4.2. Afterlife 9.5. The Unique Advantages of Traditional African Religion and Kahane’s Argument for Superior Atheist Worlds 9.5.1. Post-Mortem Family Relationships 9.5.2. Traditional Medicine 9.6. Conclusion PART IV: Ubuntu and Axiological Explorations Beyond Monotheism 10. Ubuntu and the Axiology of Ultimism 10.1. Introduction 10.2. What Is Ultimism? 10.2.1. Evolutionary Religion 10.2.2. Ultimism 10.2.3. Religious Inquiry and Taking Risks 10.3. Ubuntu and Anti-Ultimism 10.3.1. The Meaningful Life Argument 10.3.2. The Privacy Argument 10.3.3. The Dignity Argument 10.3.4. The Sacrifice Argument 10.3.5. The Complete Understanding Argument 10.3.6. Sub-conclusion: Ubuntu and Anti-Ultimism 10.4. Ubuntu and Pro-Ultimism 10.4.1. The Infinite Value Argument 10.4.2. The Argument from No Gratuitous Evil 10.4.3. The Morally Good Agents Argument 10.4.4. The Cosmic Justice Argument 10.4.5. The Afterlife Argument 10.4.6. The Relationship with God Argument 10.4.7. Sub-conclusion: Ubuntu and Pro-Ultimism 10.5. The Problem-Solving Argument for Pro-Ultimism 10.5.1. The Problem-Solving Argument for Pro-Ultimism 10.5.2. Evaluation of the Problem-Solving Argument for Pro-Ultimism 10.6. Conclusion 11. Ubuntu and the Axiology of Pantheism 11.1. Introduction 11.2. What Is Pantheism? 11.3. Pantheism and the Categories of Axiological 11.4. Ubuntu and Anti-Pantheism 11.4.1. The Meaningful Life Argument 11.4.2. The Privacy Argument 11.4.3. The Dignity Argument 11.4.4. The Sacrifice Argument 11.4.5. The Complete Understanding Argument 11.4.6. Sub-conclusion: Ubuntu and Anti-Pantheism 11.5. Ubuntu and Pro-Pantheism 11.5.1. The Infinite Value Argument 11.5.2. The Argument from No Gratuitous Evil 11.5.3. The Morally Good Agents Argument 11.5.4. The Cosmic Justice Argument 11.5.5. The Afterlife Argument 11.5.6. The Relationship with God Argument 11.5.7. Sub-conclusion: Ubuntu and Pro-Pantheism 11.6. The Inconsistent with Reality Argument for Anti-Pantheism 11.6.1. The Inconsistent with Reality Argument 11.6.2. Evaluation of the Inconsistent with Reality Argument 11.7. Conclusion 12. Conclusion: The Future of Global Axiological Investigations 12.1. Introduction 12.2. Main Conclusions 12.3. Summing It Up 12.4. Intersubjective Disagreement and the Future Index "This book offers a unique comparative study of ubuntu, a dominant ethical theory in African philosophy, and western monotheism. It is the first book to bring ubuntu to bear on the axiology of theism debate in contemporary analytic philosophy of religion. A large motivating force behind this book is to explore the extent to which there is intersubjective ethical agreement and disagreement between ubuntu and Western worldviews like monotheism and naturalism. First, the author assesses the various arguments for anti-theism and pro-theism on the assumption that ubuntu is true. Ubuntu's communitarian focus might be so different from the Western tradition that it completely changes how we evaluate theism and atheism. Second, the author assesses the advantages and disadvantages of the truth of ubuntu for the world. Third and finally, he assesses the axiological status of faith for both monotheism and ubuntu. Ubuntu and Western Monotheism will be of interest to scholars and advanced students specializing in philosophy of religion, African religion and philosophy, and religious ethics"-- Provided by publisher