Jeroen Zandberg

The Philosophy of Ubuntu and the Origins of Democracy Jeroen Zandberg

This book deals with the African philosophy of Ubuntu and uses the latest scientific insights into human nature to show how to understand the human condition and best organize society The philosophy of Ubuntu states that people are by nature directed at others and that they can only be fully human when they are recognized by others. Ubuntu therefore provides for the best possible solution for the social contract theory. In Western and Eastern philosophy all connections are imposed from the outside causing a chicken-and-the-egg problem with social contract theories. These theories state that individuals enter an agreement with each other in order to live together. Unfortunately a contract can only have value if there is already a morality present but in both Western and Eastern philosophy this morality is not innately present making it impossible to ever come to a contract. This problem is not present with Ubuntu because there is an innate tendency to recognize others as part of the Self