Anton Wilhelm Amo (PDF)

Wilhelm Anton Amo is probably the only African personality that took part with his own writings in the intellectual discourses of the 18th Century in Europe. There is no contradiction between his personal thought and the general spirit of the Enlightenment. Amo debated on all the important questions of philosophy at the time - from metaphysics through logic and epistemology to political philosophy and philosophy of language. But his intellectual works remain till today unknown. The present increasing interest in his person no doubt arises from the growing importance of intercultural philosophy. This book is an introduction to his philosophical system. Amo understands philosophy as a manner of thinking that aims at perfection. Perfection is rooted in the self preservation and security of the individual as well as the preservation and moral perfection of the whole of humanity. In addition, the book dwells on materialism at the centre of which stands dualism of body and soul. The human soul is an immaterial essence without the faculty of sensation. The book also discusses Hermeneutics under which Amo examines the problem of prejudice and objective understanding. He warns in this regard against doctrinaire interpretation which observes only the rules of logic and grammar and which ignores personal opinions that luck behind texts. The book ends with the question of the meaning of Amo for world philosophy.

The Author:
Born in 1959 in Cameroon, Jacob Emmanuel Mabe is Dr. in philosophy and Dr. in Political Science, Professor of Intercultural Philosophy at the France-Centre of the Free University of Berlin. He is the editor and co-author of the first African encyclopedia in the German Language. His research interest is in the areas of cultural philosophy, African and European intellectual history, French philosophy, political philosophy, intercultural and international ethics.