The Promise of Caribbean Philosophy: How it Can Contribute to a 'New Dialogic‘ in Philosophy

Abstract

The Caribbean is a site where multiple cultures, peoples, ways of thinking and acting have come together and where new forms of philosophy are emerging. The promise of Caribbean philosophy lays in its ability to give shape to an intellectual tradition which is both true to and beneficial to Caribbean peoples while simultaneously being provocative enough to engage wisdomseekers of various geographies and identities. I argue that only by pursuing a "New Dialogic" which engages the philosophical traditions of Africans, African Americans, and Native Americans can we hope to assert a unique philosophy of value to Caribbean peoples and cultures. The highest form of Caribbean philosophy thus must be plural and dialogical. Unfortunately, dialogues in philosophy have been typically characterized by a fixation with Europe, and a lack of consideration of other philosophical traditions or sources. The "New Dialogic" that I propose here involves a more dynamic model of dialogue to open or intensify different and multiple avenues of conceptual elaboration. I provide general guidelines or principles for this "New Dialogic" and demonstrate the extent to which Caribbean philosophers can both contribute to the expansion of this project and be aided by it in their formulations of the field.