Abraham Olivier
Biographic Data
| ID | 460488 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Abraham Olivier |
| GIVEN NAMES | Abraham |
| FAMILY NAME | Olivier |
| SIGNATURE | OLIVIER A |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Fort Hare |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-2828-0596 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 25 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 13 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 24 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 1 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1999 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Nietzsche on the Communal Power of Suffering
There appears to be a remarkable yet unexplored resemblance between some African and Western conceptions of the metaphysical nature of suffering. This paper endeavours to enter what may be considered uncharted territory by examining this resemblance and its advantages. I argue that the resemblance lies in the metaphysical understanding of suffering both as a destructive and an affirmative force of life. My focus is on Nietzsche’s metaphysics of p…
Entre status normativo e valor intrínseco: O sentido da dignidade da pessoa humana na fundamentação dos direitos humanos
Partindo do contexto da segunda metade do século XX, com a criação da Organização das Nações Unidas (ONU) e a adoção da Declaração Universal dos Direitos Humanos em 1948, o presente trabalho problematiza a dignidade da pessoa humana enquanto fundamento dos direitos humanos. A partir do método hipotético-dedutivo, parte-se da hipótese de que o termo “dignidade”, da maneira como utilizado nos textos normativos internacionais de direitos humanos, re…
Direitos Humanos e Prática Global: De objeto de preocupação internacional ao empoderamento doméstico dos cidadãos
O artigo analisa o significado dos direitos humanos com base na institucionalidade desenvolvida pela comunidade internacional após a Segunda Guerra Mundial. Essa prática global, embora frágil e de eficácia limitada, é estruturada por compromissos internacionais firmados entre Estados, nos quais os direitos humanos funcionam como limites jurídicos à soberania estatal e permitem sua responsabilização em caso de violação. No entanto, ao concentrar-s…
Phenomenology of contingency: Reflections on More’s African phenomenology
The social dimension of pain
Algorithmic injustice and human rights
The central goal of this paper is to investigate the injustices that can occur with the use of new technologies, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI), focusing on the issues concerning respect to human rights and the protection of victims and the most vulnerable. We aim to study the impacts of AI in daily life and the possible threats to human dignity imposed by it, such as discrimination based on prejudices, identity-oriented stereotypes, and…
Recognition of Animal Pain: Phenomenological Reflections
Animal pain and suffering is mostly caused by humans, particularly by the human use of domestic animals. This calls for the recognition of animal pain and suffering. My focus is on pain-related suffering. I argue for recognition in the phenomenological sense of giving adequate regard to pain experience in animals and their capacity to express it in their own species-specific terms, in a way that will motivate us to prevent it. My advocacy for the…
Enactivist African Philosophy: A Response
In African Philosophy and Enactivist Cognition: The Space of Thought (2023), Bruce B. Janz introduces what he calls an enactivist African philosophy. The book makes a significant contribution to African philosophy as no other work has yet made the connection between African philosophy and enactivism. This article’s aim is to give a critical response to the book. It starts with some background by connecting Enactivist Cognition with Janz’s earlier…
Phenomenology in an African Context: Contributions and Challenges
Philosophy and Laughter: Introductory Notes
Until recently, few philosophers worked on laughter, and it was typically viewed negatively. However, the last four decades have witnessed a significant increase in philosophical writings about and positive views of laughter. This introductory paper attempts to show that, in line with this development, contributions to this special issue explore various fresh theoretical, thematic, historical, and critical aspects of laughter and its relation to …
The African Other: Philosophy, Justice and the Self
Wings of desire: Reflections on sexual desire, identity and freedom
The aim of this paper is to give a critical discussion of Sartre’s concept of sexual desire and its relation to self-identity and freedom. Why Sartre? Sartre is one of very few philosophers who offers a systematic account of sexual desire. He has influenced eminent philosophical concepts of sexual desire held by, for instance, de Beauvoir, Lacan, Foucault, Levinas, Irigaray and Butler, but not much is written about his own notion of sexual desire…
The Freedom of Facticity
Here I am-Jew, or Aryan, handsome or ugly, one-armed, etc. I am all of this for the Other with no hope of changing it." Thus wrote Sartre in his Being and Nothingness. But was not Sartre the major advocate of existential freedom, with the tenet that "we are condemned to be free"-no matter what our situation might be? The question hence arises: How free are we from the facticity of situations, particularly ones in which we are subject to collectiv…
Brain drain: A communitarian response to Brock and Blake
The problem of brain drain, the movement of skilled citizens of developing countries to developed ones, arises largely because of seriously unequal life prospects in different countries. Hence, there is something profoundly wrong with the brain drain, something that calls for a moral response. Brock and Blake offer such a response by debating the ethical rights and responsibilities of skilled professionals, and of the societies in which they live…
Identity and Difference
Since the 1960s, the intellectual landscape of the humanities has been overshadowed by the question of identity and difference – political and national identity, ethnic and racial identity, gender
Heidegger in the township
Imagine Heidegger in a township. Imagine you are able to translate his concept of ‘care’ to ‘the people’. Would they agree that in their ordinary experience people care? I argue not and contend that, instead, they would choose the term ‘struggle’. I analyse experiential aspects of ordinary life in the context of the township, which involves a significant part of people around the world, in order to argue that, at least in such contexts, it is a m…
A fundamentação dos direitos humanos entre natureza e contrato
O presente artigo aborda o papel do indivíduo nos programas de fundamentação dos direitos humanos, bem como a encruzilhada metodológica à qual eles estão fadados ao esbarrarem na contraposição entre natureza e contrato. Se, por um lado, alguns destes programas defendem a tese dos direitos naturais e afirmam a existência de direitos que os seres humanos possuiriam em razão de sua própria natureza e independente de qualquer convenção ou artifício; …
How ethical is leadership
Most people would agree that leaders need ethics. There is disagreement on the kind of ethics leaders need but not about the fact that leadership requires ethics. This paper challenges this agreement. Leaders need ethics, but does ethics necessarily call for leadership? How ethical is the concept of leadership really? In this paper I argue for ethics that, rather than requiring leadership, entails what I call 'bearership'. First I examine some co…
Phenomenology of the human condition
This paper addresses two issues. The first part deals with the classic question of human nature by focussing on the problem of human consciousness, in particular, the relationship between subjective and intentional consciousness. I argue for an essential link between subjectivity and intentionality by suggesting a phenomenological conception of the human condition. On this basis, the second part deals with what I call ‘humane’ ethics. This part s…
The possibility of a science of consciousness Critical reflections on Dennett and Merleau-Ponty
In his latest book, entitled “Sweet dreams”, Daniel Dennett confirms and expands on his argument for a natural science of human consciousness. He dubs his view heterophenomenology: a third-person, scientific form of phenomenological description that can account for the most private and ineffable subjective experiences. A central part of his book consists of a reinvention of Jackson’s thought experiment about color blind scientist, Mary, who tries…
On the nature of language – Heidegger and African Philosophy
This paper explores links between Heidegger’s notion of language and views in African philosophy. My contention is that Heidegger’s daring phenomenology of language is also found and even radicalised within the framework of African philosophy, particularly the philosophy of myth. I argue that the exploration of the relation between these views of language offers the possibility not only to expand on the conventional conception of language but als…
The Spatiality of Pain
How far can one ascribe a spatial meaning to pain? When I have a pain, for instance, in my leg, how should one understand the “in” in the “pain in my leg”? I argue (contrary to Noordhof) that pain does have a spatial meaning, but (contrary to Tye) that the spatiality of pain is not to be understood in the standard sense of spatial enclosure. Instead, spatiality has a special meaning with regard to pain. By defining pain in phenomenological terms …
Educating pain
In times in which we ask ourselves how political cruelty and torments can be forgotten, Nietzsche’s pleadoyer for pain to serve the purpose of education, surprises. What might sound like a mere provocation, rather lies at the heart of the Nietzschean philosophy. As is pointed out, Nietzsche’s contention that pain is the most powerful aid to mnemonics, originates from his philosophy of pain as the main condition of all forms of creation. The title…
Die sin van pyn
The meaning of pain. Most contemporary discussions about pam take place within the framework of materialistic theories. Their general point of departure is an attempt to explain mental pain in terms of physical pain. In this article I address two major problems, which materialistic theories deal with, from within a phenomenological perspective. The first problem is to find a physiological explanation of pain that leaves space for mental pain expe…
Filosofie met die liggaam?—Oor filosofie van beweging
In this article different theoretical positions from the framework for investigating a possible solution for the body-mind problem in Kleist's philosophy of movement in his Über das Marionettentheater, are discussed. The first position, Descartes's rationalism, claims that mental phenomena have a causal effect in the sphere of physical phenomena. With Kleist's anecdote about the young man, reflecting on his own movements, I try to point out the e…
Phenomenology in an African Context: Contributions and Challenges
The Freedom of Facticity
Here I am-Jew, or Aryan, handsome or ugly, one-armed, etc. I am all of this for the Other with no hope of changing it." Thus wrote Sartre in his Being and Nothingness. But was not Sartre the major advocate of existential freedom, with the tenet that "we are condemned to be free"-no matter what our situation might be? The question hence arises: How free are we from the facticity of situations, particularly ones in which we are subject to collectiv…
How ethical is leadership
Most people would agree that leaders need ethics. There is disagreement on the kind of ethics leaders need but not about the fact that leadership requires ethics. This paper challenges this agreement. Leaders need ethics, but does ethics necessarily call for leadership? How ethical is the concept of leadership really? In this paper I argue for ethics that, rather than requiring leadership, entails what I call 'bearership'. First I examine some co…
The African Other: Philosophy, Justice and the Self
Wings of desire: Reflections on sexual desire, identity and freedom
The aim of this paper is to give a critical discussion of Sartre’s concept of sexual desire and its relation to self-identity and freedom. Why Sartre? Sartre is one of very few philosophers who offers a systematic account of sexual desire. He has influenced eminent philosophical concepts of sexual desire held by, for instance, de Beauvoir, Lacan, Foucault, Levinas, Irigaray and Butler, but not much is written about his own notion of sexual desire…
Heidegger in the township
Imagine Heidegger in a township. Imagine you are able to translate his concept of ‘care’ to ‘the people’. Would they agree that in their ordinary experience people care? I argue not and contend that, instead, they would choose the term ‘struggle’. I analyse experiential aspects of ordinary life in the context of the township, which involves a significant part of people around the world, in order to argue that, at least in such contexts, it is a m…
Filosofie met die liggaam?—Oor filosofie van beweging
In this article different theoretical positions from the framework for investigating a possible solution for the body-mind problem in Kleist's philosophy of movement in his Über das Marionettentheater, are discussed. The first position, Descartes's rationalism, claims that mental phenomena have a causal effect in the sphere of physical phenomena. With Kleist's anecdote about the young man, reflecting on his own movements, I try to point out the e…
Die sin van pyn
The meaning of pain. Most contemporary discussions about pam take place within the framework of materialistic theories. Their general point of departure is an attempt to explain mental pain in terms of physical pain. In this article I address two major problems, which materialistic theories deal with, from within a phenomenological perspective. The first problem is to find a physiological explanation of pain that leaves space for mental pain expe…
Educating pain
In times in which we ask ourselves how political cruelty and torments can be forgotten, Nietzsche’s pleadoyer for pain to serve the purpose of education, surprises. What might sound like a mere provocation, rather lies at the heart of the Nietzschean philosophy. As is pointed out, Nietzsche’s contention that pain is the most powerful aid to mnemonics, originates from his philosophy of pain as the main condition of all forms of creation. The title…
The Spatiality of Pain
How far can one ascribe a spatial meaning to pain? When I have a pain, for instance, in my leg, how should one understand the “in” in the “pain in my leg”? I argue (contrary to Noordhof) that pain does have a spatial meaning, but (contrary to Tye) that the spatiality of pain is not to be understood in the standard sense of spatial enclosure. Instead, spatiality has a special meaning with regard to pain. By defining pain in phenomenological terms …
On the nature of language – Heidegger and African Philosophy
This paper explores links between Heidegger’s notion of language and views in African philosophy. My contention is that Heidegger’s daring phenomenology of language is also found and even radicalised within the framework of African philosophy, particularly the philosophy of myth. I argue that the exploration of the relation between these views of language offers the possibility not only to expand on the conventional conception of language but als…
The possibility of a science of consciousness Critical reflections on Dennett and Merleau-Ponty
In his latest book, entitled “Sweet dreams”, Daniel Dennett confirms and expands on his argument for a natural science of human consciousness. He dubs his view heterophenomenology: a third-person, scientific form of phenomenological description that can account for the most private and ineffable subjective experiences. A central part of his book consists of a reinvention of Jackson’s thought experiment about color blind scientist, Mary, who tries…
Phenomenology of the human condition
This paper addresses two issues. The first part deals with the classic question of human nature by focussing on the problem of human consciousness, in particular, the relationship between subjective and intentional consciousness. I argue for an essential link between subjectivity and intentionality by suggesting a phenomenological conception of the human condition. On this basis, the second part deals with what I call ‘humane’ ethics. This part s…
How ethical is leadership
Most people would agree that leaders need ethics. There is disagreement on the kind of ethics leaders need but not about the fact that leadership requires ethics. This paper challenges this agreement. Leaders need ethics, but does ethics necessarily call for leadership? How ethical is the concept of leadership really? In this paper I argue for ethics that, rather than requiring leadership, entails what I call 'bearership'. First I examine some co…
A fundamentação dos direitos humanos entre natureza e contrato
O presente artigo aborda o papel do indivíduo nos programas de fundamentação dos direitos humanos, bem como a encruzilhada metodológica à qual eles estão fadados ao esbarrarem na contraposição entre natureza e contrato. Se, por um lado, alguns destes programas defendem a tese dos direitos naturais e afirmam a existência de direitos que os seres humanos possuiriam em razão de sua própria natureza e independente de qualquer convenção ou artifício; …
Heidegger in the township
Imagine Heidegger in a township. Imagine you are able to translate his concept of ‘care’ to ‘the people’. Would they agree that in their ordinary experience people care? I argue not and contend that, instead, they would choose the term ‘struggle’. I analyse experiential aspects of ordinary life in the context of the township, which involves a significant part of people around the world, in order to argue that, at least in such contexts, it is a m…
Identity and Difference
Since the 1960s, the intellectual landscape of the humanities has been overshadowed by the question of identity and difference – political and national identity, ethnic and racial identity, gender
Brain drain: A communitarian response to Brock and Blake
The problem of brain drain, the movement of skilled citizens of developing countries to developed ones, arises largely because of seriously unequal life prospects in different countries. Hence, there is something profoundly wrong with the brain drain, something that calls for a moral response. Brock and Blake offer such a response by debating the ethical rights and responsibilities of skilled professionals, and of the societies in which they live…
Wings of desire: Reflections on sexual desire, identity and freedom
The aim of this paper is to give a critical discussion of Sartre’s concept of sexual desire and its relation to self-identity and freedom. Why Sartre? Sartre is one of very few philosophers who offers a systematic account of sexual desire. He has influenced eminent philosophical concepts of sexual desire held by, for instance, de Beauvoir, Lacan, Foucault, Levinas, Irigaray and Butler, but not much is written about his own notion of sexual desire…
The Freedom of Facticity
Here I am-Jew, or Aryan, handsome or ugly, one-armed, etc. I am all of this for the Other with no hope of changing it." Thus wrote Sartre in his Being and Nothingness. But was not Sartre the major advocate of existential freedom, with the tenet that "we are condemned to be free"-no matter what our situation might be? The question hence arises: How free are we from the facticity of situations, particularly ones in which we are subject to collectiv…
The African Other: Philosophy, Justice and the Self
Philosophy and Laughter: Introductory Notes
Until recently, few philosophers worked on laughter, and it was typically viewed negatively. However, the last four decades have witnessed a significant increase in philosophical writings about and positive views of laughter. This introductory paper attempts to show that, in line with this development, contributions to this special issue explore various fresh theoretical, thematic, historical, and critical aspects of laughter and its relation to …
Enactivist African Philosophy: A Response
In African Philosophy and Enactivist Cognition: The Space of Thought (2023), Bruce B. Janz introduces what he calls an enactivist African philosophy. The book makes a significant contribution to African philosophy as no other work has yet made the connection between African philosophy and enactivism. This article’s aim is to give a critical response to the book. It starts with some background by connecting Enactivist Cognition with Janz’s earlier…
Phenomenology in an African Context: Contributions and Challenges
The social dimension of pain
Algorithmic injustice and human rights
The central goal of this paper is to investigate the injustices that can occur with the use of new technologies, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI), focusing on the issues concerning respect to human rights and the protection of victims and the most vulnerable. We aim to study the impacts of AI in daily life and the possible threats to human dignity imposed by it, such as discrimination based on prejudices, identity-oriented stereotypes, and…
Recognition of Animal Pain: Phenomenological Reflections
Animal pain and suffering is mostly caused by humans, particularly by the human use of domestic animals. This calls for the recognition of animal pain and suffering. My focus is on pain-related suffering. I argue for recognition in the phenomenological sense of giving adequate regard to pain experience in animals and their capacity to express it in their own species-specific terms, in a way that will motivate us to prevent it. My advocacy for the…
Entre status normativo e valor intrínseco: O sentido da dignidade da pessoa humana na fundamentação dos direitos humanos
Partindo do contexto da segunda metade do século XX, com a criação da Organização das Nações Unidas (ONU) e a adoção da Declaração Universal dos Direitos Humanos em 1948, o presente trabalho problematiza a dignidade da pessoa humana enquanto fundamento dos direitos humanos. A partir do método hipotético-dedutivo, parte-se da hipótese de que o termo “dignidade”, da maneira como utilizado nos textos normativos internacionais de direitos humanos, re…
Direitos Humanos e Prática Global: De objeto de preocupação internacional ao empoderamento doméstico dos cidadãos
O artigo analisa o significado dos direitos humanos com base na institucionalidade desenvolvida pela comunidade internacional após a Segunda Guerra Mundial. Essa prática global, embora frágil e de eficácia limitada, é estruturada por compromissos internacionais firmados entre Estados, nos quais os direitos humanos funcionam como limites jurídicos à soberania estatal e permitem sua responsabilização em caso de violação. No entanto, ao concentrar-s…
Phenomenology of contingency: Reflections on More’s African phenomenology
Nietzsche on the Communal Power of Suffering
There appears to be a remarkable yet unexplored resemblance between some African and Western conceptions of the metaphysical nature of suffering. This paper endeavours to enter what may be considered uncharted territory by examining this resemblance and its advantages. I argue that the resemblance lies in the metaphysical understanding of suffering both as a destructive and an affirmative force of life. My focus is on Nietzsche’s metaphysics of p…
Philosophy (18 works) · Epistemology (15 works) · Sociology (11 works) · Psychology (9 works) · Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy (7 works) · Computer Science (6 works) · African cultural and philosophical studies (5 works) · Law (5 works) · Political science (5 works) · Consciousness (4 works)