BEYOND THE CANON:

PHILOSOPHY, PLURALITY AND DECOLONIZATION OF THOUGHT

Abstract

This article problematizes the historical centrality of the European philosophical canon in academic formation, highlighting how it was presented as a universal expression of reason, while other traditions were marginalized. It argues that this construction was not neutral, but rather articulated with processes of colonialism, racism, and epistemological hierarchization, which defined who could be recognized as a subject of knowledge. The exclusion of African, Asian, Indigenous, and Afro-diasporic philosophies resulted in the consolidation of a linear and Eurocentric narrative of the history of philosophy. Engaging with authors such as Mogobe Bernard Ramose and Peter K. J. Park, the text demonstrates that the idea of philosophical universality was constructed from the imposition of a particular perspective as a global norm. Thus, an anti-racist and decolonized philosophy is advocated, one that goes beyond the simple inclusion of new authors and revises the very criteria that define what philosophy is. Epistemological plurality is presented as a condition for the vitality of philosophical thought. In conclusion, decolonizing philosophy means opening space for intercultural dialogue, recognizing the dignity of multiple rationalities, and reaffirming the critical, emancipatory, and democratic character of philosophizing.