Q0613
“The thought of an African sage, even if he purports to be…” — Paulin Hountondji (African Philosophy: Myth and Reality)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: African Philosophy: Myth and Reality. Theme: self.
English
The thought of an African sage, even if he purports to be the spokesman for a group, is not necessarily that of all the individuals in that group, and still less that of all Africans in general.
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
To ask about the self is to ask what persists through experience, what can be known from the first-person point of view, and how character is formed. Some traditions treat the self as a substantial soul; others as a stream of experience, a social role, or a practical center of agency. This passage enters that discussion through self, truth.
Concepts in this quote
- Self
- Philosophy quotes about self explore identity, responsibility, and the examined life—from Socrates’ unexamined life to modern phenomenology and existential authenticity.
- Truth
- Truth is among philosophy’s oldest problems: what it is for a claim to be true, and how truth relates to belief, language, and power.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Paulin Hountondji. (n.d.). The thought of an African sage, even if he purports to be the spokesman for a group, is not necessarily that of all the individuals in that group, and still less that of all Africans in general. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0613
MLA: Paulin Hountondji. “The thought of an African sage, even if….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0613.
Chicago: Paulin Hountondji. “The thought of an African sage, even if….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0613.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “The thought of an African sage, even if…”?
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 self?
To ask about the self is to ask what persists through experience, what can be known from the first-person point of view, and how character is formed. Some traditions treat the self as a substantial soul; others as a stream of experience, a social role, or a practical center of agency. This passage enters that discussion through self, truth.