Ubuntu and western monotheism: an axiological investigation

"This book offers a unique comparative study of ubuntu, a dominant ethical theory in African philosophy, and western monotheism. It is the first book to bring ubuntu to bear on the axiology of theism debate in contemporary analytic philosophy of religion. A large motivating force behind this book is to explore the extent to which there is intersubjective ethical agreement and disagreement between ubuntu and Western worldviews like monotheism and naturalism. First, the author assesses the various arguments for anti-theism and pro-theism on the assumption that ubuntu is true. Ubuntu's communitarian focus might be so different from the Western tradition that it completely changes how we evaluate theism and atheism. Second, the author assesses the advantages and disadvantages of the truth of ubuntu for the world. Third and finally, he assesses the axiological status of faith for both monotheism and ubuntu. Ubuntu and Western Monotheism will be of interest to scholars and advanced students specializing in philosophy of religion, African religion and philosophy, and religious ethics"--

Cover -- Half Title -- Series Page -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Dedication -- Contents -- Acknowledgements -- Preface -- Chapter Summaries -- How to Read this Book -- A Note on Style -- PART I: Setting the Stage -- 1. Introduction to the Comparative Project -- 1.1. Introduction -- 1.2. The Comparative Project -- 1.2.1. The Current Comparison: Western Monotheism and Atheism -- 1.2.2. Understanding the Current Comparison -- 1.2.3. Axiological Judgements Versus Rational Preference -- 1.2.4. Expanding the Contrast Class: The Axiology of Ubuntu -- 1.3. The Axiology of Theism: The Current Debate -- 1.4. Motivating the Project: Intersubjective Ethical Disagreement -- 1.5. What Is African Philosophy? -- 1.6. Conclusion -- 2. What Is Ubuntu? -- 2.1. Introduction -- 2.2. Preliminaries -- 2.2.1. Language -- 2.2.2. Religious Versus Non-Religious Conceptions -- 2.3. Personhood Accounts of Ubuntu -- 2.3.1. Personhood as an Evaluative Term -- 2.3.2. Community as Intrinsically Valuable -- 2.3.3. Community as Instrumentally Valuable -- 2.3.4. Concluding Thoughts on Personhood Conceptions of Ubuntu -- 2.4. Cosmopolitan Accounts of Ubuntu -- 2.5. Relational Accounts of Ubuntu -- 2.5.1. Metz and Friendliness -- 2.5.2. Metz on Identity -- 2.5.3. Metz on Solidarity -- 2.5.4. Identity and Solidarity Together -- 2.5.5. The Capacity for Ubuntu -- 2.5.5. Friendliness and Impartiality/Partiality -- 2.5.6. Friendliness and Principles of Right Action -- 2.6. The Concept of Ubuntu Going Forward -- 2.7. Conclusion -- PART II: Ubuntu and the Axiology of Theism -- 3. Ubuntu and Anti-Theism -- 3.1. Introduction -- 3.2. Meaning in Life -- 3.2.1. The Meaningful Life Argument -- 3.2.2. Evaluation of the Meaningful Life Argument from Ubuntu -- 3.3. Privacy -- 3.3.1. The Privacy Argument Narrow Personal for Anti-Theism.