Examining the Philosophical and Ethical Implications of the concept of Reincarnation in African Thought.

The concern for human fate afterlife often come with great anxiety. It is a phenomenon in-explainable to all fields of life, including science and philosophy. The concept of reincarnation across certain culture seem to give a sort of the fear of the unknown beyond. The concern here sometimes spurs from the complexity of the physical life of experience. Some religious fanatics often see a recycle of life as a medium through which happiness and joy which were un-attainable in this life could be attained. This is because rewards for good living could be to be a reborn in a new life to fulfil certain destinies one was unable to fulfil in a previous life. The puzzle concerning the idea of reincarnation is as to what extent are there empirically verifiable evidence to back up these claims. Some religious protagonists who are adherents of this view often argue that there is a thin line between science and religion. Thus, religious phenomena ought not to be subjected to the same scrutiny as is scientific phenomena. That, nevertheless, does not imply the absence of evidence to buttress the claims of reincarnation. However, in Africa, there are numerous implications of this belief both on the society and the individual members of the African communities. It is based on this that this paper explores the ethical implication of this belief across African societies as well as what the topic entails to classical studies in philosophical research. It strikes a balance between total elimination and antagonistic view of this concept and advocates for a close examination of phenomena that surround this worldview to ascertain the epistemological denotations thereto it. This paper employs an analytical approach to uncover the various views as related to the phenomenon of reincarnation in Africa, how this phenomenon has shaped the African metaphysical worldview and its philosophical implications to the African experiences.