“The term Greek philosophy, to begin with is a misnomer, for there is no such philosophy in existence.” (Stolen Legacy by George G.M. James)
One day, while discussing philosophy with the chair of a philosophy department at a university I was teaching at the time, the conversation was shocking. To begin with, this was a man of Afrikan descent. He had been a philosophy professor for decades. Being chair of the department, it was assumed he knew what he was talking about. Wrong conclusion. When mentioned that Afrikans in the Nile Valley created philosophy, he argued against this. It was just inconceivable that a black man, the chair of a philosophy department, had no clue of his own specialty’s origin.
After friendly debating this for a considerable amount time, I referred him to Stolen Legacy, conceivably the best and most scholarly book on this topic, from an Afrikan perspective. After several days passed, and he read the book, we met again. He openly admitted that he now realized that Afrikans created philosophy. It was refreshing to see that he was open minded enough to discover that he had not only been mis-educated himself, but was doing so himself for a number of years, along with his faculty. It would take an expansive article to explain the mis-education that is taking place in universities today. That is a discussion for another time.
Information discovered in James’ book, and several others, chronicles what happened to the so-called Greek philosophers on their return from their Kemetic (Egyptian) education. Some had to be snuck back in to their homelands, while later being accused of “teaching a foreign philosophy and corrupting the minds of the youth.” As a consequence, the penalty was very harsh.
“Anaxagoras was imprisoned and exiled; Socrates was executed; Plato was sold into slavery and Aristotle was indicted and exiled; while the earliest of them all, Pythagoras, was expelled from Croton in Italy.” (James)
It is very easy to say, with solid creditability, that practically all of the so-called Greek philosophers, from Thales (640 B.C.E.), taught in university Philosophy 1 classes as the first philosopher, to Aristotle (322 B.C.E.), were trained in the Kemetic Mystery System. This was a system of education taught orally, with students not allowed to write down anything or take notes. Kemet (Egypt) was the educational, intellectual, scientific and spiritual center for the world at the time. The priests were the educators.
Dr. Asa Hilliard, in James’ book, breaks down some of the myths that have been wrongly attributed to the Greeks:
1. That ‘man know thyself’ was not original with Socrates but was common among Egyptian teachers.
2. That Plato’s four cardinal virtues (justice, wisdom, temperance, and courage; there were originally ten) were copied from the Egyptian mysteries.
3. That grammar, rhetoric, logic, arithmetic, music, astronomy were Egyptian ‘liberal arts’ copied by Greeks.
4. That whole Greek faculties and student bodies moved to Egypt to be taught by Egyptians and to learn from the libraries.
5. That Greek philosophers were not welcomed at home.
6. The Greeks began going to Egypt for education around 525 B.C.E.
7. That some of Plato’s material comes from the 5,000 year old Egyptian Book of the Dead.
8. That the 4,000 year old Memphite Theology (partly a treatise on creation) is the source of much Greek thought.
One common thread in knowing about noted scholars is usually centered on their training and background. According to James, this information is obviously lacking. “As one attempts to read the history of Greek philosophy, one discovers a complete absence of essential information concerning the early life and training of the so-called Greek philosophers, from Thales to Aristotle. No writer or historian professes to know anything about their early education.”
The most potent point of interest is the fact that most of us have been taught or trained that the Greeks created philosophy, which we now know to be untrue. The really sad disaster, there are still hundreds, if not thousands, of educators who may know differently, but refuse to teach the truth.
This is the exact reason why Afrika and all of its black descendants have undergone the worst kind of social treatment and perception. When incorrect information is spread in the classroom, as illustrated by the above professor, ignorance will reign supreme.
Even though it is a common cliché, “It starts in the home,” is the best assurance for the younger generation to obtain accurate information. If the parents take the time to properly educate themselves, they can pass the information to their children. The first step in doing this is to start with literature from scholars of Afrikan descent. This is not a guarantee that all of the information read will be 100 percent accurate, but there is a better chance of reaching the truth.
If unaware of where to start, ask a person you know and trust for some references. Just to get you started, I personally recommend all volumes of Journal of African Civilizations. When you finish, you will know more about Afrikan world history and culture than anyone you know, including most educators.
– Dr. Kwaku’s class, Afrikan World Civilizations (Part II), is conducted on Friday evenings, 7-9 p.m. at Kaos Studios in Leimert Park. You can now pay per class. For details go to: www.drkwaku.com.
