The Idea of Transmodern Ethiopia: A Perspective from Philosophy and Ethics of Liberation
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Date
2016-02
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Transmodernity is a new philosophical paradigm that transcends the modern foundational ethos and different from the postmodern critique. It is basically a call towards a just social order that gives priority to human life. It is inherently ethical and fundamentally liberational. This work looks into the insufficiency of Modern Ethiopian establishment in attaining an inclusive and pluralist arrangement. It assumes this establishment as a hegemonic totality that marginalizes its others. It argues that the Modern Ethiopian establishment as an ontologic totality. Based on Dussel‟s Philosophy and Ethics of Liberation, Transmodern Ethiopia is suggested that could transcend the Modern and come up with a different arrangement. Therefore, this work is a metaphysical critique of the “Ontologic Being” of Modern Ethiopia. This is achieved through a metaphysical ethics that appropriates the ontologic totalized system reflected in the Modern Ethiopian construction which is manifested in both state formation and nation building. Since internal critique will not break the system, the critique is forwarded from exteriority, from the marginalized ones. It goes beyond the ontologic paradigm, it is therefore transontologic and hence transmodern. Transmodern Ethiopia is suggested as a foundationally ethical establishment. The metaphysical ethics is materialized through the three ethical claims that are supposed to result in a concrete social good: they are material, formal and feasibility claims. This ethical suggestion considers the „other as other; and implies a pluriversal multicuturality. It calls for a shift from univocal universality into a multicultural pluriversality which hasn‟t been tried so far. It recommends a Transmodern Ethiopia which is multicultural, indigenous, versatile, hybrid, spiritual, just, and democratic one. Key words: Transmodernity, Liberation philosophy, Analectic, Ethics of Liberation, Modern Ethiopia, Transmodern Ethiopia, Pluriversal polylogue
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Keywords
Transmodernity, Liberation philosophy, Ethics of Liberation, Transmodern Ethiopia, Pluriversal Polylogue