History of Indian and Africana Philosophy

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Peter Adamson, Jonardon Ganeri, and Chike Jeffers present the philosophical traditions of India, Africa, and the African Diaspora. Further reading and info at www.historyofphilosophy.net.

Peter Adamson, Jonardon Ganeri, Chike Jeffers


    • Jun 1, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 26m AVG DURATION
    • 236 EPISODES

    4.6 from 229 ratings Listeners of History of Indian and Africana Philosophy that love the show mention: buddhist, philosophies, introduction, spin, certainly, history, original, subject, series, giving, excellent, help, thought, learn, entertaining, informative, highly, time, great, good.


    Ivy Insights

    The History of Indian and Africana Philosophy podcast is an outstanding resource for anyone interested in exploring nonwestern philosophies and breaking away from the exclusivity of the traditional western mindset. As a longtime student of Buddhist and Chinese philosophies, I was highly impressed with the depth and care that went into the initial series on the philosophies of India. The podcast offers a comprehensive introduction to these rich intellectual traditions and provides valuable insights into their relevance in today's world.

    One of the best aspects of this podcast is its commitment to inclusivity and challenging ethnocentric mindsets. It exposes listeners to a wide range of nonwestern philosophies, giving them access to unbelievable riches of knowledge and understanding. The podcast also shines a light on underappreciated fields such as black American Philosophy, providing a narrative history that is both informative and engaging.

    Despite its many strengths, one drawback of this podcast is that it could benefit from more detailed exploration of certain topics, such as different schools of Buddhist thought. While it serves as a wonderful gateway to broader philosophy, some episodes may be challenging for those without prior knowledge or familiarity with the field. However, this shouldn't deter listeners from diving into this brilliant contribution to publicizing these often overlooked areas of study.

    In conclusion, The History of Indian and Africana Philosophy podcast is an enlightening and entertaining resource that offers a unique perspective outside the greco-roman tradition. It combines academic rigor with approachable presentation, making it accessible to listeners from various backgrounds. Whether you're already familiar with philosophy or just starting out on your journey, this podcast will expand your horizons and provide valuable insights into nonwestern thought systems.



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    Latest episodes from History of Indian and Africana Philosophy

    HPC 31. Push and Pull: Mohist Dialectic

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2025 22:48


    Later Mohists explained in the Canons how to provide compelling philosophical arguments, and how to avoid mistakes in argumentation. Does this count as “logic”?

    HPC 30. Horse of a Different Color: the Mohists on Language and Knowledge

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2025 22:40


    What Mohist dialectics and Gongsun Long's “White Horse Not Horse” argument tell us about the connection between language and knowledge.

    HPC 29. Ghost Writers: the Mohists on Religion

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2025 18:31


    Did Mozi tell people that ghosts exist and that we can change our fate because he thought these things are true, or because it would be beneficial for people to believe them?

    HPC 28. Ting Mien Lee on Mohism and Confucianism

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2025 29:55


    An interview on the contrasting views of Mohists and Confucians on ethical duties and warfare.

    HPC 27. Give Peace a Chance: the Mohists on War and Politics

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2025 19:13


    How the Mohist principle of “inclusive care” leads to political order and (mostly) forbids the fighting of wars.

    HPC 26. Culture Wars: Mohist and Confucian Debates

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2025 18:38


    Disagreements between the Mohists and the Confucians: is seeking benefits the right way to approach life? What motivates us to act morally, care for our loved ones or a doctrine of impartiality?

    HPC 25. Benefit, Then Stop: Mohism and Impartial Care

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2025 20:34


    How did the Mohists establish their consequentialist ethic of “impartial care (jian 'ai)”? Was this theory ultimately grounded in the will of Heaven?

    HPC 24. Measuring Up: Mohist philosophy

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2025 20:19


    An introduction to the Mozi, the founding text of an anti-elitist school of thought that tests social and political practices by the measure of “benefit.”

    HPC. 23 Amy Olberding on Confucian Ethics

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2025 35:24


    In our final episode on classical Confucianism, our interview guest tells us about the surprising moral depth of the concept of "etiquette"

    HPC 22. Inside Job: Women in Confucianism

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2025 18:18


    Can classical Confucianism be redeemed from its reputation for rigidly hierarchical thinking when it comes to the relationship between men and women?

    HPC 21. Sor-Hoon Tan on Confucian Democracy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2025 38:34


    Can classical Confucian ideas be adapted to produce a theory of democracy fit for today's world?

    HPC 20. Heaven Can Wait: Ritual and Religion in Confucianism

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2024 19:38


    Were Confucian ideas about Heaven, ritual, and fate driven by a religious attitude, or a naturalistic one?

    HPC 19. The Kingly Way: Confucian Political Philosophy

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2024 20:30


    Mengzi and Xunzi show that a Confucian political theory need not be idealistic.

    HPC 19. Erica Brindley on Music and the Cosmos in Confucianism

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2024 29:42


    An interview about the "resonant cosmos" in early Confucianism, and the role played by music in linking sages to the universe.

    HPC 17. Knowing Me, Knowing You: Confucian Epistemology

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2024 18:24


    The role of knowing in Confucian ethics: should it be understood as “knowing how,” or even “knowing to,” rather than “knowing that”?

    HPC 16. To Become or Not to Become: the Confucians on Our Moral Natures

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2024 24:01


    Morality is what makes us humans, for the Confucians. But does morality come from inside us, outside us, or both?

    HPC 15. Flexing Your Moral Muscles: Xunzi on Moral Cultivation

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2024 22:00


    Xunzi, a thinker who shaped the course of Confucian philosophy by showing how deliberate effort can overcome our wicked natural tendencies.

    HPC 014. Every Man for Himself: Virtue and the Body

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2024 21:18


    Several ancient Chinese texts speak of an egoist and hedonist known as Yang Zhu: did he pose a coherent challenge to the Confucians and other ethicists?

    HPC 013. The Trembling Ox: Mengzi and the Compassionate Heart

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2024 22:29


    In the Mengzi, the text that bears his name, Mengzi ("Mencius") holds that the human heart-mind is the wellspring of goodness.

    HPC 12. Gentlemen's Agreement: Confucian Virtue Ethics

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2024 26:18


    Should the remarkable parallels between Aristotelian and Confucian ethics lead us to classify Confucianism as a type of “virtue ethics”?

    HPC 011. Mark Csikszentmihalyi on Early Confucianism

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2024 32:16


    In this interview, we learn how Kongzi become the pivotal sage of early Chinese history, and what new discoveries teach us about the Confucian tradition.

    HPC 10. We're a Pack Animal: Individual and Society in Confucianism

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2024 20:57


    What does the Analects say about living as a human being? How are individuals embedded in society, and how do they develop their unique identities?

    HPC 09. Family Values: Confucian Role Ethics

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2024 25:55


    Confucianism puts relationships with family members at the core of their ethical thinking. Is this a strength or a weakness?

    HPC 08. Confucius Says: Reading the Analects

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2024 25:05


    Lessons we can take from the teachings of Kongzi (Confucius) in the Analects: challenging authorities, adhering to “benevolence (ren),” and practicing “propriety (li)” in ritual and everyday life.

    HPC 07. Uncrowned King: Kongzi (Confucius) and the Analects

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2024 24:25


    An introduction to Kongzi, the founder of Confucianism, and to the text that has come to represent his thought, the Lunyu (Analects).

    HPC 06. Franklin Perkins on Excavated Texts

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2024 35:43


    In this interview, we learn how newly discovered texts are changing our understanding of Warring States period philosophy.

    HPC 05. Going Paperless: Ancient Chinese Texts

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2024 17:24


    What were ancient Chinese philosophical texts written on? How did writing relate to orally transmitted wisdom? How were texts read and used? And what even counted as a “text” in ancient China?

    HPC 04. Open Season: the Historical Context

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2024 24:06


    The historical context of classical Chinese philosophy, and how ancient Chinese historical works themselves became works of philosophy.

    HPC 03. Karyn Lai on Classical Chinese Philosophy

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2024 36:16


    Co-host Karyn introduces herself to the listeners and talks about the challenges of tackling classical Chinese philosophical texts.

    chinese classical chinese philosophy
    HPC 02. The Only Constant: Change and the "Yi Jing"

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2024 26:29


    Early Chinese philosophers were deeply aware of a world that is constantly changing: we look at how Confucians, Legalists, and Daoists responded to this challenge.

    HPC 01. Journey of a Thousand Li: Introduction to Chinese Philosophy

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2024 20:16


    Introducing Chinese philosophy through the concept of "dao," a fundamental word in classical Chinese philosophy, with a range of meanings across its different traditions.

    HAP 142 - Final Chat with Chike Jeffers

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2024 51:12


    How Africana philosophy looked to a young Chike Jeffers, coming into the field in the early 21st century.

    chike jeffers
    HAP 141 - Job Openings - the Rise of Africana Professional Philosophy

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2024 38:24


    The key events and figures in philosophy as an academic discipline, in both Africa and the diaspora.

    HAP 140 - Cornel West on Himself

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2024 46:28


    Cornel West joins us to look back on the development of his thought and the many authors who have inspired him.

    HAP 139 - A Love Supreme - Cornel West

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2024 33:22


    An introduction to Cornel West, focusing on his early essay “Philosophy and the Afro-American Experience.”

    HAP 138 - Taking it Out of Neutral - Critical Race Theory

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2023 27:38


    A movement of legal scholars diagnoses the limitations of merely “formal” measures against discrimination, a point they connect to issues like affirmative action, democratic process, and intersectionality.

    HAP 137 - Asante Sana - Molefi Asante's Afrocentricity

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2023 37:00


    What inspired Asante's controversial philosophy of Afrocentricity, and its relationship to religion, nationalism, and feminism.

    HAP 136 - Civilization Reclaimed - African-Centered Thought

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2023 34:21


    How writers like George G.M. James, John Henrik Clarke, Cheikh Anta Diop, Yosef ben-Jochannan, and Chancellor Williams prepared the way for the Afrocentricity of Molefi Asante and captured the imaginations of hip hop artists and intellectuals like Ta-Nehisi Coates.

    HAP 135 - Mastering Ceremonies - Sylvia Wynter

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2023 28:26


    Sylvia Wynter offers a bold and provocative assessment of the role of the humanities in understanding humankind.

    HAP 134 - The Marx Brothers - Cedric J. Robinson

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2023 23:37


    Cedric J. Robinson reflects on the power and limitations of Marxism while charting the past and prospects of black radical thought.

    marxism marx brothers cedric j robinson
    HAP 133 - John Drabinski on Edouard Glissant

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2023 41:58


    The author of an important book on Glissant joins us to talk about his approach to this major Caribbean thinker.

    HAP 132 - French Creolizing - Edouard Glissant and the Creolité Movement

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2023 33:43


    Poet, novelist, playwright and philosopher Edouard Glissant, his theory of "creolization", and the Creolists who were influence by him. 

    HAP 131 - Mixed Messages - Black British Cultural Studies

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2023 33:45


    Stuart Hall pioneers “cultural studies,” offering tools for analysis of films, television, fiction and music that were put to use by followers like Paul Gilroy and Hazel Carby.

    HAP 130 - Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o on... Himself!

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2023 36:10


    The great Kenyan writer Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o joins us to speak about his career, his influences, and the power and politics of language.

    HAP 129 - Afrophone Home - Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2023 42:04


    How one of Kenya's greatest writers came to argue that African literature should be written in African languages.

    HAP 128 - Marginal Comments - bell hooks and Patricia Hill Collins

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2023 19:24


    We bring the story of black feminism up to the turn of the century with the incisive works of bell hooks and Patricia Hill Collins.

    HAP 127 - Knowing the Difference - Audre Lorde

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2023 37:32


    In poetry and prose, especially her collection "Sister Outsider," Audre Lorde explores ideas of difference, eroticism, and feminist theory.

    HAP 126 - Fugitive for Justice - Angela Davis

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2023 22:05


    The eventful life and penetrating philosophy of Angela Davis, an icon of resistance deeply informed by Marxism and influential on black feminist thought.

    HAP 125 - Phenomenal Woman - The Black Women's Literary Renaissance

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2023 36:34


    Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou and Alice Walker explore the themes of black feminism (or “womanism”) in their fiction. Warning: this episode contains discussion of sexual violence and suicide.

    HAP 124 - Double Jeopardy - Black Feminism

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2023 25:29


    1970s black feminists like Toni Cade Bambara, the Combahee River Collective, and Awa Thiam critique white feminist and black nationalist failures to recognize the unique struggle of the black woman.

    HAP 123 - History Teaches Us - Walter Rodney

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2023 32:59


    Another Caribbean thinker, Walter Rodney of Guyana, explores Africana history from a Marxist perspective. 

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