Research Article
On the Origin of Philosophy and Its History
John Murungi*
Issue:
Volume 10, Issue 1, June 2026
Pages:
1-7
Received:
15 January 2026
Accepted:
4 February 2026
Published:
30 March 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.ijes.20261001.11
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Abstract: From a philosophical perspective, speaking about philosophy and its history, one must know what philosophy is. One cannot truthfully speak about what one does not know. In philosophy, such knowledge is philosophically problematic because what it is is not self-evident and remains as such. In this article, it is claimed that the alleged conventional understanding of philosophy and its history in the Euro-West is erroneous. The widely held belief in the Euro-West that philosophy originated in Greece and from there, it spread to Europe and then, from the Euro-West to the rest of the world is erroneous. This error has been and still continues to plague philosophy and its history not only in Africa but also in all other territories where Euro-Western conception of philosophy and its history has been unphilosophically extended. There is no evidence that the Greeks held this belief and even if it can be demonstrated that they did, it does not necessarily imply that they were truthful. It is claimed in this article that philosophy has its origin in every human community and what it is continues to be a matter of ongoing dialogues and conversations among all human communities. Philosophical investigation of the nature of philosophy and its history is perennially current and must include those whose participation has been denied or marginalized.
Abstract: From a philosophical perspective, speaking about philosophy and its history, one must know what philosophy is. One cannot truthfully speak about what one does not know. In philosophy, such knowledge is philosophically problematic because what it is is not self-evident and remains as such. In this article, it is claimed that the alleged conventional...
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