Reflections of West-African thought Traditions in the Context of German Enlightenment: Amo as Cross-cultural Philosopher

Martin Odei Ajei; Werner Kahl

doi:10.25159/2413-3086/11178

Authors

Martin Odei Ajei University of Ghana https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7258-8021
Werner Kahl Goethe University Frankfurt

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25159/2413-3086/11178

Keywords:

Anton Wilhelm Amo, African Philosophy, German Enlightenment, African traditions, History of philosophy

Abstract

This paper explores discernible resonances of West-African thought traditions in the philosophical writings of Amo. We highlight a combination of religio-theological and philosophical motifs that point in the direction of an impregnation of Amo’s thinking by the encyclopaedia of his place of birth. Amo was neither decidedly a European nor an African philosopher, as controversies had it in the past. To a certain degree, he was both. From traces of this awareness of his origin in the coastal area of today’s Ghana, we argue for his place in African philosophy by pursuing the thesis that he should be appropriately appreciated as a self-confident West-African, educated in German philosophical traditions and critically engaged in enlightenment philosophy.

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Author Biographies

Martin Odei Ajei, University of Ghana

Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, Department of Philosophy and Classics, University of Ghana

Werner Kahl, Goethe University Frankfurt

Pro. Dr. Kahl is Profesor of Theology at the Department of Theology, Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main

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