Ubuntu Philosophy Explained from a Life Sciences Perspective: Bridging Indigenous Zulu Traditional Practices and Biological Science

Abstract

Ubuntu is often summarised as “umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu,” meaning “a person is a person through other people.” It represents a deeply relational worldview that is rooted in African philosophy. This paper examines Ubuntu from a Life Sciences perspective. It draws parallels between biological interdependence and the communal ethics of Ubuntu. Zulu traditional ecological practices illustrate these connections clearly. Examples include sustainable herbal medicine, communal water management and ancestral environmental rituals. These practices show that Ubuntu provides an indigenous framework for understanding life systems, biodiversity, and human health. This study further argues that integrating Ubuntu into Life Sciences education develops more than scientific knowledge. It also nurtures ecological empathy and moral responsibility toward all forms of life.