Paste your essay in here…Anabelle McDonald
Dr. Harris
PHIL 3780
15 October 2018
Prompt One
When the field of Africana Philosophy was being created, there were many different theories about how the area should be developed. These differences are based in basic philosophical questions, such as “What is Africana philosophy at is base level,” or “What is blackness, and what is the intersection of race and philosophy?” These questions remain unsolved. However, the great philosophers of the past have provided innovative pathways towards these realization. The works of Cornel West, Lewis R. Gordon, and William R. Jones are examples of this. Each of these men has provided their own contributions to the topic, and have furthered the intellectuality of Africana philosophy. Furthermore, they connect different strands of thought throughout the discipline. Cornel West’s draws upon the work of WEB Du Bois while developing his own work. Du Bois’ work provides these correlations.
Cornel West has specific views on what Africana philosophy is, and what it ought to be. For West, it is a chance to right the past wrongs of the discipline. Philosophy’s past is not something to be proud of. The “great” philosophers, such as Kant and Aristotle, have deep connections to racism and sexism. This brings into question the legitimacy of their theories. If the philosophers themselves were flawed with these antiquated opinions, are these flaws mirrored in their work? West’s characteristics of philosophy describe what the discipline is missing. It is ahistorical, capitalist, racist, and sexist. Cornel West views Africana philosophy as a way to make philosophy accessible and applicable to everyone. In its past state, it only applied to the wealthy white class. With the birth of Africana philosophy, the discipline as a whole could tap into the essence of the world on a deeper level. In order to do so, according to West, black philosophers must focus on the past, present, and future. They must reassess the philosophical works of the past. Are they sexist and racist? Do they promote disenfranchisement? In the present, Africana philosophers must apply what they have learned from the mishaps of the past. The process of decolonizing a discipline is a learning experience. Once they remove the racist and sexist lenses of the past, they will be able to proceed forward with a fresh look on the field. Finally, Africana philosophy should be a beacon of hope for the future, and for future opportunities for decolonization. West’s also views Africana philosophy as something which was “born out of struggle.” This is a very common view throughout the discipline, although it can change slightly between philosophers.
Lewis R. Gordon also maintained the narrative that Africana philosophy was born out of struggle. West derived his own thoughts from Gordon. On a broader scale, Gordon viewed Africana philosophy as a subsect of Africana thought. There is so much in the Africana realm that needs to be parsed through. Africana philosophy is a major factor in the web. When it comes to the meaning of blackness, Gordon takes a distinctly historical stance. He strays from traditional, biological views of race. Philosophers of the past would base theories of race in purely biological terms, such as the size of the cranium or the texture of their skin and hair. Gordon’s switch to a historical lense of race was a significant move that is seen in the works of West and Jones. The shared history of black people, or any race, is what makes the race.
William R. Jones’ work focuses on the criticisms against black philosophy and his responses to them. It is clear that Jones’ views black philosophy as absolutely essential to the legitimacy of philosophy as a whole. In fact, the very nature of philosophy demands the existence of black philosophy. True philosophy would not be satisfied with the limited scope of the philosophy of the past. He also makes a case for the importance of ethnic particularity. Critics of the discipline argue that ethnic categories are inappropriate or “self-refuting” to the core of philosophy. Jones denies this, and argues that an ethnic lens is imperative to breaking out of the European upper class barriers.
Cornel West, Lewis R. Gordon, and William R. Jones share many similarities in their musings on Africana philosophy. Important correlations can be drawn between the work of Jones and West. They both connect Africana or black philosophy to the humanization of black people around the world. West views Africana philosophy as a chance to correct the wrongs of racist and sexist philosophers of the past. By doing so, black people will grow closer to intellectual equality and lessen the gap between European theories with theories of the rest of the world. Jones similarly states that “blacks dehumanize themselves if they fail to philosophize from their cultural perspective (Jones 155).” To him, black philosophy gives black people a chance to change the way philosophy is seen. The change is necessary.
An important difference that needs to be noted is how the philosophers call the discipline by different names. William R. Jones decides to call it “black philosophy,” while Cornel West and Lewis R. Jones decide to call it “Africana philosophy.” The differences in terminology indicate the differences in focus. Furthermore, each philosopher focuses on different aspects of Africana of Black philosophy throughout their works. Cornel West highlights his characteristics of Africana philosophy and how they can be applied in a way which will ultimately lead to their reversal. Lewis R. Gordon focuses on how historical significance impacts race and therefore, Africana philosophy. Lastly, William R. Jones dives into the common criticisms of black philosophy and provides the reader with ways to combat them.
A correlation can be drawn between the theories of Cornel West and the work of famous philosopher WEB Du Bois. West provides the aims of the Africana philosopher. They are to dismantle the injustices of the racist and sexist philosophers of the past, and implement a way for people of color to have a voice in the modern day discipline by dismantling previous falsities and providing a recommendation for the future. WEB Du Bois did just that. An example of this is in Du Bois’ “On Women.” In this work, Du Bois states that the black woman is perhaps the most disenfranchised group on the planet, and that it is a duty to lift them up. He is dismantling the previous misogynistic and racist opinions held by many at the time. Furthermore, he is providing a path towards a revolutionary future where women are liberated.
Africana or black philosophy is a discipline with diverse views and plentiful theories. The plethora of ideas is a great thing. It leads to productive discussions and assured hypothesis. The works of Cornel West, Lewis R. Gordon, and William R. Jones are great examples of this positive tension. They agree on many things, but their differences make the field unique. Correlations can be drawn between philosophers of the conception of Africana philosophy to the modern day theorists. This is seen in the relationship between Cornel West and WEB Du Bois. The similarities and differences among these philosophers define how Africana philosophy is a legitimate and powerful discipline.
Prompt Two
The works of Frantz Fanon are imperative pieces of philosophy which demonstrate the plight of the black man, and what factors contribute to that. In particular, his musings on the colonialist system and its socio-economic implications are profound. In his work “On Violence,” Fanon describes the pillar of the colonialist complex: systematic violence. For generations, violence has been used by the colonizers to further oppress, and maintain the oppression of those who have fallen victim to colonization. Fanon provides evidence in societies which exhibit the injustices. However, Fanon also provides insight concerning the eventual destruction of colonialism and the violent institutions which are upholding it:
The violence which governed the ordering of the colonial world, which tirelessly punctuated the destruction of the indigenous social fabric, and demolished unchecked the systems of reference of the country’s economy, lifestyles, and modes of dress, this same violence will be vindicated and appropriated when, taking history into their own hands, the colonized swarm into the forbidden cities (Fanon 5-6)
The implications of this quote very significant when discerning Fanon’s thesis concerning violence. One must first understand his definition of violence, and how it has been applied in the context of this quote. Furthermore, one must take into consideration what this quote is not. That is, this quote is not an encouragement of radical violence, as many see it as. The justifications of violence which Fanon uses are extremely nuanced and cannot be cast off as “radical violence.” Once these things have been considered, clarity of the quote is increased. For years, cultures have been wiped out and entire facets of society have been oppressed due to the systematic violence of colonialism. Consequently, the colonized will use the same methods of violence to break their chains and finally achieve freedom.
The kind of violence used by the colonizers is one that obliterates culture and erases any examples of group personality of the oppressed. This is done by the implementation of laws and habits from the oppressors that work to dominate over the customs of the colonized. The goal of the colonizers is to dehumanize the colonized so they may continue to justify their consistent use of physical and symbolic violence. When Fanon uses the phrases “destruction of the indigenous social fabric”, and “demolished unchecked the systems of reference of the country’s economy, lifestyles, and modes of dress,” he was referring to these modes of violence. The “indigenous social fabric” of a colonized community is lost once the colonizers begin to implement their own customs and cement them into the seemingly superior way of life. An example of this, which is brought up by Fanon in “On Violence,” is the role of the church and religion in context to the furthered oppression of the natives (On Violence 7). Churches do not draw the colonized to the path of God, but rather to the path of the white man. The white colonizer has taken religion from the natives and morphed it into something which is used to bind them. This intellectual manipulation is an indicator of how the colonizers destroy the “indigenous social fabric.” Everything that the colonized base their lives upon is rooted in racist colonialist and capitalist propaganda.
This form of systematic violence is also seen in Jean Rouch’s movie, Moi un, Noir. The main characters of the film are living in a society which is entrenched with the violence which Fanon is explaining. This is especially seen through the economic control of the colonized. Oumarou Ganda is forced to work constantly throughout the day nearly every day of the week. His life and the lives of other black people in Abidjan, are defined by the necessity to work in order to make ends meet. In stark contrast, the wealthy white residents of Abidjan are very well off. There are even scenes of them on jet-skis. Divisions between the two races are clear. The colonial systems are strong in Rouch’s portrayal of Abidjan. This is an example of cultural and structural violence. Segregation and economic manipulation are two important aspects in Fanon’s account of violence. The citizens of Treichville endure both of these on a daily basis. Unfortunately, these systems of colonization and violence are not as outdated as some think them to be. Moi, Un Noir, took place in the 1950’s. European occupation has dissipated physically, but the consequences of the past are seen through the colonial systems which have shifted to adapt to the modern world.
A modern example of the violence Fanon was defining can be seen the the American criminal justice system. Sable Elyse Smith’s art exhibition “Ordinary Violence,” is the perfect window into comprehending the reality of the criminal justice system, and how it fits in to Fanon’s “On Violence.” Police officers and judicial officials are all part of the colonizers’ schema to oppress indigenous people. What better way to ensure oppression than to lock away an incredulous percentage of the population? This is the happening in America right now with people of color, especially black men. Mass incarceration tears the black family unit apart while simultaneously demoralizing black communities and dehumanizing the black subject. In Smith’s pieces Coloring Book 7 and Coloring Book 12, a grim picture of the effects of mass incarceration on children is displayed. Coloring book images are twisted to show the children of inmates being completely normalized to the system which is incarcerating their parents. The images are filled with smiling caricatures and youthful illustrations, while the wording on the pages are instructing the children to “fill in the dots to connect Judge Friendly’s robe,” or to help a child make their way through a metal detector in a courtroom. This shows how policies put in place by the colonizers act to completely disenfranchise the black community and, to use Fanon’s words, “destroy the indigenous social fabric” of black communities.
An important aspect of Fanon’s quote is the second half, which focuses on the reversal of the aforementioned violence onto the colonizers in order to break free of the systematic oppression they have been facing. Fanon mentions “taking history into their own hands,” and “swarming into the forbidden cities.” In Fanon’s work “On Violence,” he discusses the role of the colonizer as a history writer. The colonizer does not allow for a proper telling of the true history of the colonized, but rather puts forth a bland narrative which vilifies the colonized and promotes the colonizers. Furthermore, his mention of the swarmed cities is a reference to the harmful practice of segregation based on race and class. Both of these phrases could be used to incite the inevitable use of revolutionary violence. The colonized can only overcome these systematic evils by invoking the violence which has been used against them for centuries. However, Fanon is not advocating for radical violence. If the tactics are used for decolonization, it is justified.
In conclusion, the quote from “On Violence” is used to outline the entire system of colonization violence, as well as the tactics needed to uproot it. Fanon describes the facets in which violence infiltrates the societal structures of the colonized. The consequences of these violences are seen in a personal level in Moi, un Noir. By following the plight of Oumarou Ganda, the realities of colonialism is illustrated. Furthermore, the modern day mass incarceration crisis is another example of how the colonizers oppress people of color on a national scale. One day, the oppressed will apply the same tactics to free themselves and their colonizers from the rigid schema of violence and oppression.