From Intrinsic Value to Ontological Reality – the Philosophy of ‘Life Energy’ or ‘Vital Force’ in Bantu Philosophy

Deep Ecology has shifted the center of gravity in normative thought on human-nature relations, by focusing on the intrinsic value of other-than-human beings. This added a deeper layer to the more human-centered idea of being responsible for one’s environment. In this chapter I will show that African Philosophy can even move our ethical reflection further, by founding intrinsic value on a relational ontological base. The relation-centered ontology that is characteristic for many African systems of thought first gained global attention through Bantu Philosophy (1959 [1946]), the work written by Belgion missionary Placide Tempels, that expounded a ‘Bantu’ ontology of vital force. Though much debated, this work has not often been studied in depth for its inclusive ontology. To repair this, I propose to (i) clarify the structure of the book, and repair some of what was lost in the existing translations, (ii) dig into the ontological debates that the book deals with and shows a way out of, and (iii) further clarify the key concept of life energy, or as it traditionally has been translated, ‘vital force’ as the core of an African relational ontology. Such an understanding may lead humanity to more actively practice being in relation.