Causality in African Traditional Thought

1. Introduction

Individual and collective perspectives on life’s events, and how these impact on the interpretation and the consequent reasoning as to cause and meaning for the individual or group, is significantly influenced by the such individual or a group’s culture.

In this essay the role of culture will be expounded and the resulting influence on perceptions in the African context, briefly discussed.

2. The role of Culture

Interpretations and explanations for events and the possible causes behind such events, are unique to different cultures and is determined by the influences imparted upon the individual and society as a whole due to this cultural legacy. These influences give rise to frames which form the reference point from which observed phenomena is understood and this consequently plays a pivotal role in how different cultures interpret a given event.

Western cultures generally conform to a theory of rationality in explaining causation and finding the truth. This theory is based upon logical deduction and that leads consequently to the inference that only causal explanation for events are empiricist in nature (Coetzee & Roux, 2002:162).

Traditional African perspectives on causality however, employ a more holistic approach in their interpretation of life’s events, and acknowledge the influence of the role of the spiritual in their interpretation and explanation of life’s events. There is thus this belief that everything in the universe is interconnected, and acknowledges the role that divination plays as part of this process (Coetzee & Roux 2002:164).

This view thus gives rise to interpretations that not only employ thought patterns that has as an effect explanations influenced solely by the physical ...

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...considering this, and despite the fact that the accent placed on witchcraft and evil spirits by the traditional African healer may not sound plausible in current terms, we have to acknowledge the influence that the belief in the abolition of the evil played in the mental state of the patient and the role that this played in the healing process.

Works Cited

Allen, R. 2001. The New Penguin English Dictionary. New York: Penguin Group.

Blackburn, S. 2008. Dictionary of Philosophy. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Coetzee, P., Roux. APJ., 2002. Philosophy from Africa, (Second Edition). Oxford: Oxford University Press

University of South Africa. Department of Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology. Tutorial for PLS3703. Pretoria.

Weinberg, I. 2006. The Last Frontier, Pietermaritzburg: Interpak Books