Q0612
“Contemporary African philosophy, inasmuch as it remains an ethnophilosophy, has been built…” — Paulin Hountondji (African Philosophy: Myth and Reality)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: African Philosophy: Myth and Reality. Theme: critique.
English
Contemporary African philosophy, inasmuch as it remains an ethnophilosophy, has been built up essentially for a European public. The African ethnophilosopher's discourse is not intended for Africans.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to African Philosophy: Myth and Reality and files it under Africana Philosophy. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Paulin Hountondji
Paulin J. Hountondji (1942–2024) was a Beninese philosopher educated in Paris (including under Althusser) and long associated with the National University of Benin.
How to read this passage
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Paulin Hountondji and Aimé Césaire), critique is framed through Africana Philosophy and Critical Rationalism. Some passages define critique; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through critique, otherness, power.
Concepts in this quote
- Critique
- Critique appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat critique as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
- Otherness
- Otherness appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat otherness as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
- Power
- Power is the capacity to affect others and to shape what counts as possible—central to politics and ethics.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Paulin Hountondji. (n.d.). Contemporary African philosophy, inasmuch as it remains an ethnophilosophy, has been built up essentially for a European public. The African ethnophilosopher's discourse is not intended for Africans. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0612
MLA: Paulin Hountondji. “Contemporary African philosophy, inasmuch as it remains an….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0612.
Chicago: Paulin Hountondji. “Contemporary African philosophy, inasmuch as it remains an….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0612.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Contemporary African philosophy, inasmuch as it remains an…”?
The passage is attributed to Paulin Hountondji, African Philosophy: Myth and Reality. The archive attributes this English wording to African Philosophy: Myth and Reality and files it under Africana Philosophy. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Paulin Hountondji mean by critique?
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Paulin Hountondji and Aimé Césaire), critique is framed through Africana Philosophy and Critical Rationalism. Some passages define critique; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through critique, otherness, power.