The scales of Ma’at
In Egypt: Ancient History of African Philosophy, Théophile Obenga argues that African philosophy, or more specifically, Egyptian philosophy has been wrongfully excluded from philosophical canon, and more than simple inclusion, the study of Ma’at ought to be one of the most respected and well taught schools of philosophical thought.
One of the first issues Obenga approaches is that Egypt has been considered something other than African historically, either being considered the Near-East or Sub-Asian. The author doesn’t expressly address that the reason for this omission of Egypt as African was to justify the viewing of African people by Europeans as being lesser, while simultaneously being in awe of the Egypt’s progress as a civilization, though I’m sure in that debate he would have a more nuanced and vehement argument than I just gave.
Obenga goes on to express that in his view (though the essay is presented entirely as facts not up for debate) the first use of a word equivalent to philosopher was used in Egypt and written in hieroglyphics. He then spends several pages describing the form and meanings of many hieroglyphics while attempting to convince the reader that hieroglyphics are the only, best, and most effective way to convey meaning; for example, the symbols for “mouth”, “placenta”, and “papyrus, rolled up, tied and sealed” when combined mean “to know”. Get it?
I feel that if the essay were written by someone else or written as if it were a theory up for debate rather than a declaration of truth or a polemic against the prevailing academic thought of the time I would be far more likely to find it somewhat convincing. The central point that studies of philosophy have been euro-centric is absolutely true, the idea of philosophy very likely came about with the growth of city-states wherever they rose, including Egypt, but claims such as Egypt having no jails or social distinction between men and women for 35 centuries because of the power of Ma’at is too unbelievable and discredits the rest of Obenga’s work. (Not to say jails and social distinction among genders is innate to humans, but that’s another discussion for another time).
I would not quickly dismiss a philosophical approach to attaining social justice, be it derived from Ma’at like principles or those of another source. Maybe we should look at the experiment unfolding in present day Netherlands, where they have brought down the prison populations. The answer will be in effective teaching of sustainable values.
Very creative information
Obenga is actually correct. I speak two indigenous West African languages (one of them, Ijaw, being so old linguists are reconsidering whether it even belongs to the Niger-Congo branch).
An incredible amount of our words translate directly to Middle Egyptian. Several of our names (entire sentences), including mine, even maintain pronunciation in Middle Egyptian. We also use similar grammar and syntax, and have similar cosmologies. The evidence is honestly so overwhelming, for academia to not have validated this yet is nothing short of intellectually dishonest. It’s akin to not acknowledging Spanish descends from (or is related to) Latin. The general public’s ignorance of indigenous African languages allows this to persist.
I’m inclined to think Obenga presented his ideas as indisputable facts because, well, they have been indisputable facts. One can only present a claim so many different ways to an audience who bases your credibility on who you are or whether your ideas match their Eurocentric concept of justice. Obenga is an indigenous African who brought to academia what we all have noticed about our languages for thousands of years (based on our oral histories). To doubt the authority he has over his own culture for nothing other than the fact that it seems unbelievable to you and call it academic scrutiny defies your own logic.
Amazing response.
It’s akin to not acknowledging Spanish descends from (or is related to) Latin. @snow rider 3d
Egyptian civilization is one of the oldest civilizations and I really want to learn about it. In addition I would like to introduce to you the interesting stumble guys game.
Your note on “Egypt: Ancient History of African Philosophy” by Théophile Obenga provides a comprehensive overview of the main points and arguments made in the text. Here’s a breakdown of your note:
1. Central Argument: You introduce the central argument of the book, which is that African philosophy, particularly Egyptian philosophy, has been wrongly excluded from the philosophical canon. Obenga argues for the importance of studying Ma’at as a significant school of philosophical thought.
2. Historical Perspective: You touch upon the historical issue of Egypt’s categorization as something other than African, which you suggest might have been a way to justify certain European viewpoints regarding African people and civilization.
3. Hieroglyphics and Language: You mention Obenga’s assertion that the first use of a term equivalent to “philosopher” was found in hieroglyphics in Egypt. You also note his emphasis on hieroglyphics as an effective means of conveying meaning.
4. Critical Evaluation: You express your reservations about the essay’s style, presentation, and the author’s claims. You find some of the claims, such as the absence of jails and gender equality in Egypt for 35 centuries due to Ma’at, to be unbelievable and potentially discrediting to the overall argument.
Overall, your note provides a balanced assessment of Obenga’s work, highlighting both its central arguments and some of the challenges or criticisms associated with it. This helps readers gain an understanding of the book’s key points while also encouraging critical thinking. Well done!
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