Hylozoism as an Interpretive Principle in African Metaphysics

Abstract

The doctrine of hylozoism challenges the human mind to ponder more profoundly on the question of, and distinctions between ontological categories in metaphysics. In this paper, I have done a cross-cultural analysis of the views about hylozoism. And the result of this study shows that the concept 'hylozoism' is only used as an interpretive principle in African Metaphysics; unlike the widely held assumption by some popular proponents that inanimate beings have elein vitale, that is, life-force. This paper equally throws further illuminations on the African Conception of ultimate reality and how meanings can be ascribed to metaphysical categories.

LWATI: A Journal of Contemporary Research, 8(1), 319-327, 2011