“Here we have a description of the workings of creation according to the philosopher-priests of Memphis. The heart … and the tongue… are only images expressing abstractions: reason and speech, Intelligence and the Word.” “It is through speech and thought that Atum (the All-in-himself) created all the other gods, after which all their creatures came to birth.” “The authors of this text [Shabaka] obviously inquired into the initial principle of creation, genesis, intelligence and the underlying order of the universe. They made a real intellectual effort of reflection aimed at understanding the underlying design of the birth of the cosmos, as well as of human existence. They did all this more than two thousand years before the emergence of Greek and Hebrew civilization.” “Following a careful, critical reading of this Memphite text, an eminent Egyptologist reached the same conclusion: ‘This idea of the existence of a rational principle at the origin of the world is very close to the doctrine of the Logos.’ He concluded his interpretation by emphasizing that this philosophical text from Egyptian antiquity ‘marks one of the highest peaks of pre-Hellenistic philosophy, a summit that Egypt never surpassed in the course of its history. This convinces us that ancient Egypt produced its best work at its dawn, while it was still groping toward the full expression of its national identity.’” Theophile Obenga “African Philosophy: The Pharaonic Period: 2780-330BC” Page 82
Posted on: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 23:11:37 +0000
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