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E-raamat: Ubuntu and Western Monotheism: An Axiological Investigation [Taylor & Francis e-raamat]

(LCC International University, Lithuania)
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"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 advantagesand 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"--

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.



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.

Acknowledgements xvii
Preface xix
Chapter Summaries xxi
How to Read this Book xxv
A Note on Style xxvi
PART I Setting the Stage
1 Introduction to the Comparative Project
3(12)
1.1 Introduction
3(1)
1.2 The Comparative Project
4(2)
1.2.1 The Current Comparison: Western Monotheism and Atheism
4(1)
1.2.2 Understanding the Current Comparison
5(1)
1.2.3 Axiological Judgements Versus Rational Preference
6(1)
1.2.4 Expanding the Contrast Class: The Axiology of Ubuntu
6(1)
1.3 The Axiology of Theism: The Current Debate
6(2)
1.4 Motivating the Project: Intersubjective Ethical Disagreement
8(2)
1.5 What Is African Philosophy?
10(2)
1.6 Conclusion
12(3)
2 What Is Ubuntu?
15(22)
2.1 Introduction
15(1)
2.2 Preliminaries
16(1)
2.2.1 Language
16(1)
2.2.2 Religious Versus Non-Religious Conceptions
16(1)
2.3 Personhood Accounts of Ubuntu
17(6)
2.3.1 Personhood as an Evaluative Term
18(3)
2.3.2 Community as Intrinsically Valuable
21(1)
2.3.3 Community as Instrumentally Valuable
22(1)
2.3.4 Concluding Thoughts on Personhood Conceptions of Ubuntu
22(1)
2.4 Cosmopolitan Accounts of Ubuntu
23(1)
2.5 Relational Accounts of Ubuntu
24(4)
2.5.1 Metz and Friendliness
24(1)
2.5.2 Metz on Identity
25(1)
2.5.3 Metz on Solidarity
25(1)
2.5.4 Identity and Solidarity Together
26(1)
2.5.5 The Capacity for Ubuntu
26(1)
2.5.5 Friendliness and Impartiality/Partiality
27(1)
2.5.6 Friendliness and Principles of Right Action
28(1)
2.6 The Concept of Ubuntu Going Forward
28(1)
2.7 Conclusion
29(8)
PART II Ubuntu and the Axiology of Theism
3 Ubuntu and Anti-Theism
37(20)
3.1 Introduction
37(1)
3.2 Meaning in Life
37(3)
3.2.1 The Meaningful Life Argument
37(2)
3.2.2 Evaluation of the Meaningful Life Argument from Ubuntu
39(1)
3.3 Privacy
40(4)
3.3.1 The Privacy Argument Narrow Personal for Anti-Theism
40(1)
3.3.2 Evaluation of the Narrow Personal Privacy Argument on Ubuntu
41(1)
3.3.3 The Privacy Argument for Wide Personal Anti-Theism
42(1)
3.3.4 Evaluation of the Wide Personal Anti-Theism Privacy Argument for Anti-Theism on Ubuntu
43(1)
3.3.5 The Value of Privacy
43(1)
3.4 Dignity
44(2)
3.4.1 The Dignity Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Theism
44(1)
3.4.2 Evaluation of the Dignity Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Theism on Ubuntu
45(1)
3.4.3 Ubuntu and the Wide Personal Dignity Argument for Anti-Theism
46(1)
3.5 Sacrifice
46(2)
3.5.1 The Genuine Sacrifice Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Theism
46(1)
3.5.2 Evaluation of the Genuine Sacrifice Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Theism on Ubuntu
47(1)
3.6 Understanding
48(3)
3.6.1 The Understanding Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Theism
48(1)
3.6.2 Evaluation of the Understanding Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Theism on Ubuntu
49(2)
3.6.3 Ubuntu and the Understanding Argument for Wide Personal Anti-Theism
51(1)
3.7 Why Atheist Worlds Are Necessarily the Best
51(1)
3.7.1 The Superior Atheist Worlds Argument for Anti-Theism
51(1)
3.7.2 Evaluation of the Superior Atheist Worlds Argument for Anti-Theism on Ubuntu
52(1)
3.8 Intrinsic Versus Relational Goods
52(1)
3.9 Conclusion
53(4)
4 Ubuntu and Pro-Theism
57(16)
4.1 Introduction
57(1)
4.2 Infinite Intrinsic Value
57(5)
4.2.1 The Infinite Value Argument for Narrow Impersonal Pro-Theism
57(1)
4.2.2 Evaluation of the Infinite Value Argument for Narrow Impersonal Pro-Theism on Ubuntu
58(1)
4.2.3 Intrinsic Value and Vitality
59(1)
4.2.4 Intrinsic Value and the Capacity for Friendliness
60(1)
4.2.5 Intrinsic Value and Personhood
60(1)
4.2.6 The Infinite Value Argument for Wide Impersonal and Personal Pro-Theism
61(1)
4.2.7 Evaluation of the Infinite Value Argument for Wide Impersonal and Personal Pro-Theism on Ubuntu
61(1)
4.3 No Gratuitous Evil
62(1)
4.3.1 The Argument from No Gratuitous Evil for Pro-Theism
62(1)
4.3.2 Evaluation of the Argument from No Gratuitous Evil for Pro-Theism on Ubuntu
63(1)
4.4 Morally Good Agents
63(1)
4.4.1 The Morally Good Agents Argument for Pro-Theism
63(1)
4.4.2 Evaluation of the Morally Good Agents Argument for Pro-Theism on Ubuntu
64(1)
4.5 Cosmic Justice
64(1)
4.5.1 The Cosmic Justice Argument for Wide Personal Pro-Theism
65(1)
4.5.2 Evaluation of the Cosmic Justice Argument for Wide Personal Pro-Theism on Ubuntu
65(1)
4.6 Afterlife
65(2)
4.6.1 The Afterlife Argument for Wide Personal Pro-Theism
65(1)
4.6.2 Evaluation of the Afterlife Argument for Wide Personal Pro-Theism on Ubuntu
66(1)
4.7 Relationship with God
67(1)
4.7.1 The Relationship with God Argument for Pro-Theism
67(1)
4.7.2 Evaluation of the Relationship with God Argument for Pro-Theism on Ubuntu
68(1)
4.8 Intrinsic Versus Relational Goods
68(1)
4.9 Conclusion
68(5)
PART III The Axiology of Ubuntu
5 The Disadvantages of Ubuntu
73(28)
5.1 Introduction
73(1)
5.2 Sacrificing Justice for Reconciliation
74(2)
5.2.1 The Justice Argument for Anti-Ubuntu
74(1)
5.2.2 Evaluation of the Justice Argument for Anti-Ubuntu
75(1)
5.3 Sacrificing Individuality for Community
76(9)
5.3.1 The Individuality Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Ubuntu
76(2)
5.3.2 The Individuality Argument for Wide Personal Anti-Ubuntu
78(2)
5.3.3 The Individuality Argument for Wide `All Persons' Personal Anti-Ubuntu
80(1)
5.3.4 Evaluation of the Individuality Arguments for Anti-Ubuntu
81(1)
5.3.5 Why Think that Liberalism Is True?
81(1)
5.3.6 Legitimate Individual Life Pursuits can't (Truly) Conflict with the Community
81(1)
5.3.7 Community as Instrumentally Valuable
82(1)
5.3.8 Community and Individuality Have Equal Moral Standing
83(1)
5.3.9 Friendliness Towards Oneself
84(1)
5.4 Sacrificing Economic Prosperity
85(3)
5.4.1 The Economic Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Ubuntu
85(2)
5.4.2 The Economic Argument for Wide Personal Anti-Ubuntu
87(1)
5.4.3 Evaluation of Economic Arguments for Anti-Ubuntu
87(1)
5.4.4 Economics and Counterfactuals
87(1)
5.4.5 Competing Accounts of Flourishing
88(1)
5.5 Inappropriate Appeals to Authority and Tradition
88(5)
5.5.1 The Authority Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Ubuntu
89(1)
5.5.2 The Authority Argument for Wide Personal Anti-Ubuntu
90(1)
5.5.3 Evaluation of the Authority Arguments
91(1)
5.5.4 Moral Considerations Always Outweigh Epistemic Considerations
91(1)
5.5.5 Ubuntu Does Allow Challenges to Authority and Tradition
92(1)
5.6 Ubuntu Relies Too Much on Human Actions
93(4)
5.6.1 The Reliance Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Ubuntu
93(2)
5.6.2 Reliance on Humans and Disadvantages
95(1)
5.6.3 The Reliance Argument for Wide Personal Anti-Ubuntu
96(1)
5.6.4 Evaluation of the Reliance Argument for Narrow Personal Anti-Theism
97(1)
5.7 Intrinsic Versus Relational Goods
97(1)
5.8 Supernatural Ubuntu and Naturalistic Ubuntu
98(1)
5.9 Conclusion
98(3)
6 The Advantages of Ubuntu
101(15)
6.1 Introduction
101(1)
6.2 Reconciliation
101(2)
6.2.1 The Reconciliation Argument for Pro-Ubuntu
102(1)
6.2.2 Evaluation of the Reconciliation Argument for Pro-Ubuntu
103(1)
6.3 Shared Identity
103(3)
6.3.1 The Shared Identity Argument for Narrow Personal Pro-Ubuntu
104(1)
6.3.2 Evaluation of the Shared Identity Argument for Narrow Personal Ubuntu
105(1)
6.4 Solidarity
106(1)
6.4.1 The Solidarity Argument for Narrow Personal Pro-Ubuntu
106(1)
6.4.2 Evaluation of the Solidarity Argument for Narrow Personal Pro-Ubuntu
107(1)
6.5 Friendliness
107(1)
6.6 Consensus-Based Decision-Making
108(4)
6.6.1 The Consensus-Based Decision-Making Argument for Pro-Ubuntu
108(2)
6.6.2 Evaluation of the Consensus-Based Decision-Making Argument for Pro-Ubuntu
110(2)
6.7 Intrinsic Goods Versus Relational Goods
112(2)
6.8 Conclusion
114(2)
7 The Axiology of Theism and Differences Between Supernatural Ubuntu and Secular Ubuntu
116(18)
7.1 Introduction
116(1)
7.2 Supernatural Ubuntu and Western Monotheism
117(1)
7.3 Traditional African Religion
118(4)
7.3.1 God
118(1)
7.3.2 The Spirit World
119(1)
7.3.3 The Universe
120(1)
7.3.4 Ancestors and the Afterlife
120(2)
7.3.5 Morality
122(1)
7.4 Arguments for Pro-Theism and Supernatural Ubuntu
122(3)
7.4.1 Cosmic Justice
122(1)
7.4.2 Afterlife
123(1)
7.4.3 Relationship with God
124(1)
7.4.4 Sub-Conclusion: Pro-Theism and Supernatural Ubuntu
125(1)
7.5 Arguments for Anti-Theism and Supernatural Ubuntu
125(5)
7.5.1 Privacy
126(1)
7.5.2 Dignity
126(1)
7.5.3 Genuine Sacrifice
127(1)
7.5.4 Understanding
128(2)
7.5.5 Sub-Conclusion: Anti-Theism and Supernatural Ubuntu
130(1)
7.6 Secular Ubuntu and Western Atheism
130(1)
7.7 Conclusion
131(3)
8 The Axiology of Traditional African Religion
134(21)
8.1 Introduction
134(1)
8.2 Arguments for Anti-Tradition African Religion
135(14)
8.2.1 Witchcraft and Magic
135(2)
8.2.2 Objections to the Witchcraft Argument for Anti-Traditional African Religion
137(2)
8.2.3 The Scope of the Witchcraft Argument for Anti-Traditional African Religion
139(1)
8.2.4 Life Force
139(3)
8.2.5 Expanding the Scope of the Life Force Argument
142(1)
8.2.6 Objections to the Life Force Argument
143(2)
8.2.7 Fate
145(2)
8.2.8 Expanding the Scope of the Argument from Fate
147(1)
8.2.9 Sub-Conclusion for Anti-Traditional African Religion
148(1)
8.3 Arguments for Pro-Traditional African Religion
149(3)
8.3.1 Post-Mortem Family Relationships
149(1)
8.3.2 Traditional Medicine
150(1)
8.3.3 Rejecting the Traditional Medicine Argument
151(1)
8.4 Conclusion
152(3)
9 The Advantages of Traditional African Religion in Atheist Worlds
155(14)
9.1 Introduction
155(1)
9.2 Experience of Goods Versus Goods Obtaining
155(1)
9.3 The Current Debate: Are Atheists Worlds Necessarily the Best?
156(6)
9.3.1 Kahane's Argument for Superior Atheist Worlds
157(1)
9.3.2 Defence of Premise (3)
157(1)
9.3.3 Problems with Kahane's Argument
158(4)
9.4 The Axiology of Theism, Traditional African Religion, and Kahane's Argument for Superior Atheist Worlds
162(1)
9.4.1 Cosmic Justice
162(1)
9.4.2 Afterlife
163(1)
9.5 The Unique Advantages of Traditional African Religion and Kahane's Argument for Superior Atheist Worlds
163(1)
9.5.1 Post-Mortem Family Relationships
163(1)
9.5.2 Traditional Medicine
163(1)
9.6 Conclusion
164(5)
PART IV Ubuntu and Axiological Explorations Beyond Monotheism
10 Ubuntu and the Axiology of Ultimism
169(16)
10.1 Introduction
169(1)
10.2 What Is Ultimism?
169(3)
10.2.1 Evolutionary Religion
169(2)
10.2.2 Ultimism
171(1)
10.2.3 Religious Inquiry and Taking Risks
172(1)
10.3 Ubuntu and Anti-Ultimism
172(4)
10.3.1 The Meaningful Life Argument
173(1)
10.3.2 The Privacy Argument
173(1)
10.3.3 The Dignity Argument
174(1)
10.3.4 The Sacrifice Argument
174(1)
10.3.5 The Complete Understanding Argument
175(1)
10.3.6 Sub-conclusion: Ubuntu and Anti-Ultimism
176(1)
10.4 Ubuntu and Pro-Ultimism
176(4)
10.4.1 The Infinite Value Argument
177(1)
10.4.2 The Argument from No Gratuitous Evil
177(1)
10.4.3 The Morally Good Agents Argument
178(1)
10.4.4 The Cosmic Justice Argument
178(1)
10.4.5 The Afterlife Argument
179(1)
10.4.6 The Relationship with God Argument
180(1)
10.4.7 Sub-conclusion: Ubuntu and Pro-Ultimism
180(1)
10.5 The Problem-Solving Argument for Pro-Ultimism
180(3)
10.5.1 The Problem-Solving Argument for Pro-Ultimism
181(1)
10.5.2 Evaluation of the Problem-Solving Argument for Pro-Ultimism
182(1)
10.6 Conclusion
183(2)
11 Ubuntu and the Axiology of Pantheism
185(16)
11.1 Introduction
185(1)
11.2 What Is Pantheism?
185(2)
11.3 Pantheism and the Categories of Axiological Judgements
187(2)
11.4 Ubuntu and Anti-Pantheism
189(2)
11.4.1 The Meaningful Life Argument
189(1)
11.4.2 The Privacy Argument
190(1)
11.4.3 The Dignity Argument
190(1)
11.4.4 The Sacrifice Argument
190(1)
11.4.5 The Complete Understanding Argument
191(1)
11.4.6 Sub-conclusion: Ubuntu and Anti-Pantheism
191(1)
11.5 Ubuntu and Pro-Pantheism
191(6)
11.5.1 The Infinite Value Argument
192(1)
11.5.2 The Argument from No Gratuitous Evil
193(1)
11.5.3 The Morally Good Agents Argument
194(1)
11.5.4 The Cosmic Justice Argument
195(1)
11.5.5 The Afterlife Argument
196(1)
11.5.6 The Relationship with God Argument
196(1)
11.5.7 Sub-conclusion: Ubuntu and Pro-Pantheism
197(1)
11.6 The Inconsistent with Reality Argument for Anti-Pantheism
197(2)
11.6.1 The Inconsistent with Reality Argument
197(1)
11.6.2 Evaluation of the Inconsistent with Reality Argument
198(1)
11.7 Conclusion
199(2)
12 Conclusion: The Future of Global Axiological Investigations
201(4)
12.1 Introduction
201(1)
12.2 Main Conclusions
201(1)
12.3 Summing It Up
202(1)
12.4 Intersubjective Disagreement and the Future of Global Axiological Investigations
202(3)
Index 205
Kirk Lougheed is Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Center for Faith and Human Flourishing at LCC International University. He is also a Research Associate at the University of Pretoria. He is author or editor of 4 books, and over 25 articles appearing in such places as Philosophia, Ratio, and Synthese.