From the Centrality of the Western Cogito to the Diversity of Creative Cogitos Beyond the Cartesian Cogito
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Abstract
This study investigates the reconfiguration of the Cartesian cogito and its transformation from a foundational concept of subjectivity in Western metaphysics to a pluralistic and dialogical array of cogitos—including Western, Eastern, European, African, and postcolonial iterations—in contemporary philosophical discourse. Through an analysis of scholarly and popular discussions, the paper explores how the cogito has evolved into competing, converging, and diverging interpretations across different cultures and intellectual traditions. Drawing on philosophical developments from phenomenology and hermeneutics to postmodern, neurocognitive, African, and postcolonial thought, the study examines the cogito's resilience and adaptability in engaging with themes of identity, reason, desire, media, and decolonial critique. The paper is structured in four main sections: (1) the phenomenological and hermeneutical cogito, (2) the postmodern cogito, (3) the African cogito, and (4) the postcolonial cogito. By analyzing these diverse reinterpretations, the study aims to understand the dynamics of philosophical pluralism, epistemic transformation, and the conditions for coexistence and dialogue in a post-Cartesian world.
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