Metaphysical Paradigms in African, Chinese and Western Philosophies

Abstract

Although philosophy as a deliberate investigation of fundamental truths through the method of logical reasoning may be universal, there are significant conceptual and categorical differences that should be taken into account when analyzing or interpreting philosophical discourses emanating from vastly different socio-cultural milieus. This paper presents some features of metaphysics in African, Chinese and Western philosophies with a view to leading the reader to identifying and appreciating some of the ways in which metaphysical paradigms differ from one philosophical tradition to another. The study posits that a particular culture can have a philosophic concept or category that may not be applicable to other cultural contexts. Such differences, the paper argues, could be deployed to promote inter-cultural understanding; it should not be used by one culture to denigrate the uniqueness and authenticity of another culture by labelling its entire philosophic contribution as ethnophilosophy.