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Work #580 · Mid

African Religions and Philosophy

John S. Mbiti
1969 (2nd edn 1990) · English
Comparative African religious philosophy · African religious-philosophical studies

Mbiti's 1969 foundational text — "I am because we are; we are because I am"

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute African Religions and Philosophy (Mid)
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Substantival
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Substantival
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Infinite
Matter · Ontological Status Substantival
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Plural
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Partial
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Embodied
Observer · Agency Both
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency Cosmic-ordering
Observer · Moral Authority Tradition
Observer · Theological Method
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Continuous

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

Time

African Religions and Philosophy

Central — the African distinction between zamani (deep past-future) and sasa (now-present).

Space

African Religions and Philosophy

The communal-cosmic African space.

Matter

African Religions and Philosophy

The embodied communal-relational person.

Observer

African Religions and Philosophy

The communal-relational ubuntu person.

Energy

African Religions and Philosophy

Energies of communal-cosmic life.

Information

African Religions and Philosophy

Foundational African religious-philosophical framework.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

African Religions and Philosophy

Mbiti's work foundational and subject to continuing African-philosophical critique and elaboration.