Quote by Zera Yacob: “We must investigate for ourselves, and not merely accept what others say.”

This quote emphasizes the importance of independent thought over unquestioning acceptance of authority. Zera Yacob urged people to personally examine beliefs and ideas, rather than passively relying on the opinions of others.

Zera Yacob's *Hatäta* recounts his journey of philosophical inquiry while living in solitude due to religious persecution. He advocated for critical self-examination as the path to genuine understanding.

Ethiopian philosopher of the seventeenth century whose Hatata — written around 1667 — presented a rational, empirical philosophy of ethics and religion independent of any European Enlightenment influence. He is considered one of the first African rationalist philosophers and remains under-read in Western philosophy curricula.