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The Nature, Goal, and Core Business of African Traditional Medicine:An Account for theSouthern African Context

Hlengwa, Nhlakanipho (2026) The Nature, Goal, and Core Business of African Traditional Medicine:An Account for theSouthern African Context. Philosophy of Medicine, 7 (1). pp. 1-18. ISSN 2692-3963

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Abstract

In this paper, I argue that African traditional medicine (ATM), as practiced in a southern African context, involves a relational and interconnected inquiry into conditions of disease, and this investigation is grounded in an African philosophical worldview that integrates human, environmental, and spiritual dimensions (relational and interconnected thesis). Second, its goal is healing, rather than curing, particularly as healing encompasses not only the relief of disease symptoms but also the restoration of a person’s social and spiritual relationships (healing thesis). Finally, its core business is to understand and explain the circumstances and cause(s) of pathological conditions, often through methods such as divination (understanding and explanation thesis).


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Item Type: Published Article or Volume
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Hlengwa, Nhlakaniphonhlakaniphoh@uj.ac.za0000-0001-5165-9196
Keywords: Alex Broadbent, Healing thesis, Relational and interconnected thesis, Understanding and explanation thesis, Somogy Varga, African traditional medicine
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Medicine
Depositing User: Professor Stephen John
Date Deposited: 15 Jun 2026 18:23
Last Modified: 15 Jun 2026 18:23
Item ID: 30178
Journal or Publication Title: Philosophy of Medicine
Publisher: University Library System, University of Pittsburgh
Official URL: https://philmed.pitt.edu/philmed/article/view/285
DOI or Unique Handle: 10.5195/pom.2026.285
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Medicine
Date: 11 June 2026
Page Range: pp. 1-18
Volume: 7
Number: 1
ISSN: 2692-3963
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/30178

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