Saturday, April 5, 2014

Questions for the Black Philosopher


Is the subject of race inescapable for the black philosopher? Must every black philosopher be expected to say something about or be an “expert” on the subject of race? Must philosophy for the black philosopher be self-reflexive, so that his/her/their own blackness, and the meaning of that blackness in relation to society, must become the subject of his/her/their philosophy? What obligation does the black philosopher have to be socially and politically engaged? Must philosophy for the black philosopher entail political activism? Can the black philosopher only engage in “real” philosophy after he/she/they has/have discovered what it means for him/her/them to be black?