Prof. Lajul opened the discussion by elaborating on his core argument: proverbs exist across all cultures and languages as condensed value statements and knowledge idioms. They serve as mnemonic devices for ethical, metaphysical, and epistemological insights. In African contexts, he emphasized, proverbs play an especially significant role due to the strong oral tradition and the relatively late development of widespread literacy. Lajul suggested that even though Western philosophy historically developed through written texts and abstract theorization, European proverbs could also be mined for philosophical content. Anke Graness invited reflections on whether such a method could be meaningfully applied beyond Africa, to which Lajul responded affirmatively, envisioning a broader comparative project.

In my view, it is quite possible to philosophically study proverbs universally. Proverbs are found in every culture, every language. It is the beauty of language that it has condensed value statements and knowledge idioms. Philosophical tenets are hidden there, though not always recognized. Western philosophy developed through critical thinking and reflection, but it did not take much into consideration sources like proverbs. However, this does not mean that philosophy is absent from European proverbs. If one examines them closely, one will discover very fantastic knowledge items. — Wilfred Lajul

Asian Proverbs and Cultural Context

The discussion then shifted toward intercultural comparisons. Sool Park, drawing from his background in East Asian philosophy, pointed out remarkable similarities between African and Korean proverbs. While noting that Korean proverbs often preserve imagery from the 19th century agrarian society, he posed a critical question about the adaptability of proverbs in changing cultural environments. Lajul responded by highlighting the dynamic nature of language and culture: proverbs are continually created, modified, or fall into disuse, depending on their relevance to contemporary life. He gave examples of modern African proverbs reflecting technological encounters, illustrating how living traditions adapt to societal transformations.

Language is dynamic, and proverbs evolve with society. In Africa, young people are creating their own slang and modern proverbs connected to their realities—such as technology and urban life. Proverbs are not frozen; if language and proverbs remained exactly as in the 19th century, they would be dead. Creativity ensures survival. — Wilfred Lajul

Educational Systems and Colonial Legacies

Addressing the question of how traditional knowledge is preserved within educational systems, Lajul provided an overview of the colonial influence on African intellectual development. He explained how French and British colonial powers left different legacies: French education stressed existential assimilation into French culture, while British education favored pragmatic empiricism and indirect rule.

This part of the discussion sparked a critical intervention from Rolf Elberfeld, who cautioned against sweeping generalizations about European philosophical traditions. Elberfeld emphasized the richness and plurality within German intellectual history, such as the contributions of Romanticism and Idealism. Lajul acknowledged this point, clarifying that he referred to broad tendencies rather than absolute categorizations.

Philosophical Sagacity and Proverbs

Abosede Ipadeola mentioned the the relation between proverbs and the concept of philosophical sagacity, referencing the work of Henry Odera Oruka, and raised a key theoretical question: can proverbs be meaningfully attributed to individual authors, given their communal evolution, or do we have to refer to methods from ethnophilosophy to describe their origination?

When we discuss philosophical sagacity, are we not idealizing the idea of an individual author? If proverbs evolve communally over time, can we still talk meaningfully about identifying the ‘originators’? — Abosede Ipadeola

Lajul argued that while collective usage shapes proverbs over time, their original spark must be traced to individual thinkers whose names may have been forgotten. Philosophical sagacity, therefore, is not merely about popular wisdom but involves identifying the rational capacities at the origin of these sayings. He stressed that ideas, even within highly communal societies, originate from individuals engaging critically with their realities.

Ideas originate from individuals. Even if their names are forgotten, there is always a point of individual origin. Collective discussion modifies and refines a proverb, but it is initially seeded by someone. There is no way two or three people can sit together and invent a proverb instantly—it grows organically from someone’s first thought. — Wilfred Lajul

Anke Graness emphasized the philosopher’s role in interpreting and adapting proverbs to contemporary contexts, preserving their philosophical relevance.

Philosophical Methodologies for Interpreting Proverbs

The conversation then turned to the methodology of interpreting proverbs philosophically. Lajul outlined a three-level model for interpreting proverbs: literal, moral, and philosophical. He stressed that while most users engage with proverbs on a moral level, philosophers are tasked with uncovering the deeper philosophical meanings, particularly concerning political and existential issues. Abosede Ipadeola inquired about the line between philosophical and purely linguistic interpretations. Lajul responded by emphasizing that philosophical analysis seeks underlying structures of thought, not just stylistic or rhetorical patterns.

There are three levels of interpretation of a proverb: literal, moral, and philosphical. Most users stay on the moral level, where proverbs are practical life lessons. But philosophers must move deeper. They must unearth philosophical questions about existence, knowledge, and ethics hidden in these sayings. […] Philosophical interpretation seeks the variability and the underlying concepts — it looks for the reflective structures of thought beyond the surface meanings. It is about exploring deeper existential or epistemological insights rather than just describing stylistic features. — Wilfred Lajul

Relevance of Traditional Proverbs in Contemporary Philosophy

In the final part of the discussion, Lajul reiterated the contemporary relevance of traditional proverbs. While their historical contexts may have shifted, the philosophical insights they encapsulate—concerning human nature, political power, knowledge, and ethics—remain valuable.
He called on philosophers to creatively reinterpret and adapt traditional wisdom to address the challenges of modern societies.

Rolf Elberfeld contributed by highlighting the established discipline of paremiology (proverb studies) and pointed to existing intercultural research on proverbs, noting its relevance for expanding philosophical inquiry beyond traditional textual sources.

There’s an entire discipline called paremiology — the study of proverbs. There are already intercultural studies comparing African, Polish, German proverbs, and more. It’s fascinating that there is such a rich resource already, often overlooked by philosophers. — Rolf Elberfeld