I Am Because You Are: The African Philosophy of Ubuntu
Ubuntu teaches us that 'A person is a person through others'. But what exactly is this African philosophy? What does it mean? And what can we learn from this concept? Find out all you need to know during this ‘pressure-cooker-lecture’. (English / SG-Certificate*)
Time: 13:00 - 14:15 hrs.
Admission is free, no registration required, but be in time: limited number of seats available.
I think, therefore I am
Rene Descartes is often called the first modern philosopher, and his famous saying, “I think, therefore I am,” laid the groundwork for how we in the west conceptualize our sense of self. But Ubuntu is an entirely different way to think about personal identity.
I am because you are
The African Philosophy of Ubuntu has been around for centuries, it was largely popularized in Southern Africa by Nelson Mandela, who gave the concept the international reach it has achieved today. It emphasizes the significance of our community and shared humanity and teaches us that 'A person is a person through others'. Many view the philosophy as a counterweight to the culture of individualism in our contemporary world.
Speaker
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Wakanyi Hoffman
Wakanyi is the leader of the African folktales project.Wakanyi Hoffman is a storyteller, author, keynote speaker specialized in Ubuntu philosophy, a scholar of indigenous knowledge, and narrative weaver of wisdom in AI. Wakanyi is the leader of the African folktales project. She is currently an academic fellow at The New Institute in Hamburg as part of the program on 'Conceptions of Human Flourishing.'
All You Need to Know About…
This is a lecture in the series ‘All you need to know about…’, introductory lectures on essential topics and inspirational thinkers. After these 60-minute expert presentations, you can confidently engage in a conversation about the topic discussed. Do you have one of your favorite professors in mind to get him/her to talk about one of the essential topics in his/her field of expertise? Please let us know!
More information
This lecture is organized by Studium Generale in cooperation with study association ASAT, the African student association of Tilburg.
Contact: Annelieke Koster (Studium Generale).
* For students, this lecture may count towards the SG-Certificate. Check the SG-Certificate website for all the terms and conditions.
