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• Ubuntu is a concept of African philosophy focusing on a connection to the community and fostering a sense of belonging.
• Philosophies from outside of Western traditions can be ignored, even if they have been developing for hundreds or thousands of years
• Ubuntu originated with, and is closely tied to, the Bantu and Xhosa people of Southern Africa.
• Ubuntu principles revolve around shared responsibility, mutual trust, and the recognition of interconnectedness within a community.

Etymology and Oral Tradition

• Ubuntu is rooted in the proverb "umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu," translated as "a person is a person through other persons."
• Ubuntu knowledge is derived from the community rather than the individual, it suggests "I am because we are".
• Analyzing "Ubuntu" reveals the syllables 'ubu' and '-ntu'; 'ubu' refers to humanity's social nature and shared humanity, while '-ntu' signifies individual uniqueness.
• Key proverbs capture the main ideas of Ubuntu, taught through oral tradition to impart its values to new generations.
• Proverbs like "a blind person who has relatives can see" demonstrate how a community shapes individuals' sense of self and belonging.
• Another proverb, "kneeling, you eat with elders; stay standing, you eat nothing," emphasizes respect and learning from elders while sharing meals.
• The Bantu philosophy highlights how community shapes self-perception and promotes trust and awareness of one's impact on the community and nature.

Understanding Through Practice

• True Ubuntu exists in practice, beyond words and proverbs.
• Living out relationships with others is essential to understand them developing a sense of self and the community’s well-being.
• Ubuntu's conflict resolution involves community gathering to repair relationships.
• Traditional justice prioritizes unhu: a crime affects not just the individual but the entire community.
• Ubuntu emphasizes healing relationships through dialogue, apology, and education, instead of focusing on punishment.
• Spirituality in Ubuntu emphasizes living experiences and understanding relationships for individual life.
• All elements of the world influence a person, and the community includes living, the dead, nature, the cosmos, social events, and ancestors.
• Ubuntu encourages people to embrace the idea that everything affects who they are.
• Community includes the living, the dead, nature, interconnections, cosmos, social events, and ancestors.
• Ubuntu involves respecting what previous generations and the natural world provide.
• Ubuntu is about respecting the house or land you live in, acknowledging everything was already there when you were born
• Ancestors and nature have collectively created a world that allows individuals "to be," providing a solid base for existence and self-discovery.

Popularization of Ubuntu

• After apartheid in South Africa, Ubuntu helped people remain united despite trauma, and the philosophy helped them through a difficult time.
• The Nguni word encompasses qualities like compassion and humanity.
• Contemporary South Africa often uses Ubuntu to reference moral values, unity, collaboration, and shared humanity.
• Ubuntu is described as an African notion of being human through others' humanity, with accomplishments due to collective efforts.
• Ubuntu dates back to at least 1846 according to Christian Gade.
• Ubuntu was initially a human quality but later became African humanism, philosophy, ethic, and a worldview starting in 1950.
• Ubuntu became well known during South Africa and Zimbabwe's shift from white minority rule to black majority rule.
• Brand South Africa uses Ubuntu in its messages.
• Desmond Tutu lived by Ubuntu, chairing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
• Tutu defined Ubuntu as "I participate, I share," guiding South Africa's restorative justice after apartheid.
• He emphasized the importance of differences, writing that "We are different so that we can know our need of one another, for no one is ultimately self-sufficient."

Ubuntu in Other Words

• John Donne’s poem “No Man is an Island” (1624) is related to the principles of Ubuntu.
• Buen Vivir in Ecuador and Colombia focuses on valuing yourself, respecting others, caring for the environment.
• Ren in Chinese philosophy describes helping create a healthy community, connecting with the word for "human being".
• Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, a Sanskrit phrase, says, 'The world is one family.'

Ubuntu and Modern Technology

• Connecting Ubuntu to technology is important, as it emphasizes that that technology benefits everyone.
• The phrase "I am because we are" means the well-being depends on others and the community, which helps guide the creation of technology.
• One example of a way to connect ubuntu to technology is open-source software.

Ubuntu and AI ethics

• Ubuntu encourages focus on fairness, inclusion, and justice, specifically urging use of Ubuntu principles in ethical matters.
• Developers can make sure AI systems are built with equity in mind by using Ubuntu principles, even for marginalized communities.
• Ubuntu also encourages the bigger picture, and considering social, cultural, and environmental effects.

Ubuntu in the Judiciary

• The 1993 interim Constitution of South Africa emphasized understanding over vengeance, reparation over retaliation, and ubuntu over victimization.
• Though not explicitly mentioned in the 1996 South African Constitution,, it remains a key part of South Africa's legal system.
• The landmark case that established ubuntu as a source of law was S v Makwanyane
• Justices Langa and Mokgoro described ubuntu as a culture of community, interdependence, togetherness, respect, and shared responsibility.
• Ubuntu's principles played a key role in the decision to abolish the death penalty even when some judges did not directly mention the connection to Ubuntu.