This interdisciplinary course offers a global exploration of African philosophy through the lens of mythospeculation, which combines mythological imagination with speculative reasoning. This approach allows us to examine how African thought systems address contemporary global challenges. Drawing on African cosmologies, oral traditions, and philosophical narratives, students will critically analyze how African communities understand human nature, identity, and meaning-making in the context of precolonial and colonial legacies, globalization, and cultural revival. The course incorporates perspectives from both African and Western thinkers, such as Robert Bellah and Eric Voegelin, to develop a framework that connects mythos (narrative imagination) and logos (rational inquiry). Students will engage with scientific, historical, and evolutionary evidence to explore how African philosophy contributes to discussions on climate justice, digital ethics, migration, and epistemic sovereignty. Key themes include: African philosophy as a response to colonial and postcolonial disruption; The role of mythospeculation in shaping African futures; The psychosocial and spiritual dimensions of African consciousness and revitalization; Intersections of African philosophy with technology, ecology, and global ethics; Comparative analysis of African and Western philosophical paradigms; Decolonial critiques of knowledge systems and cultural frameworks.
4 units · Letter or Credit/No Credit · GER: WAY-A-II
This interdisciplinary course offers a global exploration of African philosophy through the lens of mythospeculation, which combines mythological imagination with speculative reasoning. This approach allows us to examine how African thought systems address contemporary global challenges. Drawing on African cosmologies, oral traditions, and philosophical narratives, students will critically analyze how African communities understand human nature, identity, and meaning-making in the context of precolonial and colonial legacies, globalization, and cultural revival. The course incorporates perspectives from both African and Western thinkers, such as Robert Bellah and Eric Voegelin, to develop a framework that connects mythos (narrative imagination) and logos (rational inquiry). Students will engage with scientific, historical, and evolutionary evidence to explore how African philosophy contributes to discussions on climate justice, digital ethics, migration, and epistemic sovereignty. Key themes include: African philosophy as a response to colonial and postcolonial disruption; The role of mythospeculation in shaping African futures; The psychosocial and spiritual dimensions of African consciousness and revitalization; Intersections of African philosophy with technology, ecology, and global ethics; Comparative analysis of African and Western philosophical paradigms; Decolonial critiques of knowledge systems and cultural frameworks.
Offered in Autumn 2025, Winter 2026 at Stanford University.