THE QUEST FOR COMMONALITIES IN RATIONALITY AND RESEARCH: COGNITIVE SCIENCE AND THE EMBODIMENT OF AFRICAN RATIONALITY

  • C. W. Du Toit Research Institute for Theology and Religion University of South Africa

Abstract

In what way does research done in Africa differ from research done on other continents – if at all? Should African rationality be distinguished from Western or Eastern rationality? This article approaches the problem by linking African rationality to African hermeneutics. African rationality is influenced by postcolonial reactionism; it can be typified as holistic; embodied rationality; one with the physical and social environment and as ethno-rationality. In order to find commonalities between so-called different kinds of rationalities a recourse is taken to cognitive science which stresses the bodily links of rationality. Some examples are given from the work of Lakoff and Johnson and the way in which cognitive metaphors operate in rationality. Cognitive rationality is proposed as common ground to understand rationality and the way it influences research.
Published
2013-06-12
Section
Articles