Papers by Chiedozie Okoro
Sophia: An African Journal of Philosophy, 2011
This essay operates the methodology of double deconstruction. It uses science to evaluate traditi... more This essay operates the methodology of double deconstruction. It uses science to evaluate traditional African value system and re-evaluates science in the light of traditional African value system. The exercise of double demolition should end in the reintegration of science and the reconstruction of salient traditional values, necessary, for the development of contemporary Africa. By and large, the essay shall make an appraisal of theories of development enunciated by some African philosophers: that is, as it concerns how African culture can form bedrock of Africa’s development. The essay shall stress the importance of culture to genuine national and continental development. It shall nevertheless, place more emphasis on the essence of culture over and above culture itself.
Journal of African Studies, 2016
The dialectical orientations in world affairs promote zero tolerance or the winner takes all game... more The dialectical orientations in world affairs promote zero tolerance or the winner takes all game. This challenge has perhaps been responsible for the deprived peace and progressive development, especially in Africa. In this direction, this paper examines the nature of spirit in Ifa literary corpus. Ifa is regarded as a compendium of knowledge and wisdom. The paper aims to unearth the essential qualities of spirit in Ifa’s philosophy. However, spirit, as it is used in this work, refers to mind. Mind in Ifa is holistic, consisting of the material and non-material aspects. Hence, the discourse on spirit in Ifa is dualistic not dualism but monistic duality. Mind in Ifa operates on the rules of symbiosis and complementarity. In Ifa, spirit has primacy but not superiority over matter. The nature of spirit in turn determines how the mind relates to the external world. In Ifa, the external world is not just an appearance, but co-exists with spirit. Ifa operates the methodology of hermeneut...
This essay explains why it is difficult or even impossible to reject metaphysics. By this we do n... more This essay explains why it is difficult or even impossible to reject metaphysics. By this we do not mean that metaphysical theories cannot be refuted; what we rather mean to say is that it is absolutely futile to deny the existence of metaphysics and its importance to human life. To do so would amount to the denial of the human capacity to go beyond the mundane, beyond the known, beyond the physical, to the transcendental, where experience is abstracted and reconstructed for the purpose of world transformation.
Journal Of Integrative Humanism Ghana, 2011
Introduction It is generally assumed that man is a socio-political animal, that man and society a... more Introduction It is generally assumed that man is a socio-political animal, that man and society are mutually inextricable, and that no one can lead the life of the island (like the lonely Robinson Crusoe the ship-wrecked man trapped on an island). Such a world would simply be boring and meaningless. From the moment necessity endeared man to live beyond subsistence and evolve society, the questions have ever re-echoed: What is law? What is the role of law in the state? What are the rights and obligations of the citizens in the state? These rights and obligations vary from the intellectual, political, economic, judicial, to the freedom of expression, property ownership, equity and justice. However, the obligations and rights of the citizenry are actualized or negated according to the nature of law within a particular state. The state is a personified abstraction. It often signifies the laws of the federation or a republic. It is in this sense that the state is said to have a geographi...
Against the background of the need for scientific an d technological development, this essay exam... more Against the background of the need for scientific an d technological development, this essay examines African metaphysical theory of vital-force and its principle of interpenetrability, and questions how such a metaphysical system can co nstitute the basis for pure rational systematic empirical science and technology. The es say further argues that the metaphysical notion of causality informs a people's notion or ap proach to science and technology. Consequently, in view of the fact of the religious, mystical and spiritual nature of African metaphysics, there is the need to evolve the cultur e of intellectualism which emphasizes the rigour of the mind, not the dynamisms of spirit, th at is, if Africa wants to radically address the question of a sound metaphysical foundation for science and technology. In essence, the essay aims at the demolition of African metaphysical theory of forces and rebuts the argument that the culture of intellectualism (i.e. the metaphysics of pure reas...
International Journal of Research, 2011
Open Journal of Philosophy, 2013
This essay uses theistic humanism as a super structure to do a hermeneutic appraisal of the doctr... more This essay uses theistic humanism as a super structure to do a hermeneutic appraisal of the doctrine of salvation in a pluralistic world. It operates on the assumption that reality is multidimensional, just as human belief systems and cultural perspectives are diverse. More importantly, is the point that most countries on the African continent house a potpourri of belief systems, prominent among which are Christianity, Islam and Traditional African Religion (ATR). Thus, theistic humanism offers us the opportunity to do a pluralistic assessment of salvation, thereby making myriad interpretations of the notion of salvation possible. Again, the essay neither intends to examine the meaning of God nor is it interested in analyzing how God gets manifested in human existence. Rather, the basic objective is to consider the various ways in which salvation has been conceived in relation to the human condition. In the process of our delineation, it shall be shown that salvation as a doctrine can be conceived from two principal angles which are: 1) the perspective of religion and 2) the non-religious or secularist perspective. Whereas the first presents other-worldly account of salvation, the second presents a this-worldly account of salvation. The import here is that since in the most ordinary sense, God is all about perfection and human goodness, it implies that the quest for salvation in whatever dimension, deliberately or inadvertently, amounts to the search for the ultimate essence or the most perfect state of reality which religions call God. Consequently, the burden of this essay is to show that salvation is an ideal state of reality which humankind is striving to attain. Bearing in mind that humans as free beings that have the capacity to interpret salvation either anthropocentrically or theocentrically, thereby, making the myriad presentations of salvation possible; one is of the view that metaphysical notions of reality are also contagious of salvation. Hence, for monists and reductionists the way to salvation is narrow and single, while for the pluralists the way to salvation may be narrow but diverse. Thus, since the hermeneutic appraisal of salvation is hinged on the assumption that belief systems are diverse and multi-faceted, the essay privileges the pluralistic presentation of salvation over and above the monistic presentation of salvation.
Open Journal of Philosophy, 2013
The main thrust of this essay is to examine how Maduabuchi Dukor's theory of theistic or spiritua... more The main thrust of this essay is to examine how Maduabuchi Dukor's theory of theistic or spiritual or comprehensive humanism (2010: p. 77) or what I choose to call theistic pluralism, can be made the basis for deconstructing and resolving the crisis created by monistic and monotheistic orientations in the African psyche and on the African continent. The need for such demolition and resolution exercise is intensified by the fact that theistic or pluralistic humanism promotes the temperament of-live and let live (i.e. the Igbo onye biri ibeya biri) as against the monistic and monotheistic orientations which propagate a "thread bare kind of humanism" (p. 63). Consequently, my critique of monotheism is basically focused on the African condition. As of today and with the aftermath of double strands of colonization Africa is beset with the Triple Heritage problem. The razor of my critique is pointedly directed at the expression triple heritage, which not only portrays the psychological state of the African, but in actual fact determines the totality of the African condition in contemporary times. In launching my attack on the triple heritage concept, I go through the window of monotheism. Therefore, my critique of monotheism is intended for the following reasons: 1) to explore the metaphysics of monotheism, which I hereafter refer to as theistic monism, and bring to the open the consequences of such orientation in a pluralistic society; 2) to examine the metaphysics of Traditional African Religion (ATR), which in agreement with Maduabuchi Dukor, I hereafter christen theistic humanism or theistic pluralism, with a view to showing that African traditional thought system is antithetical to the monotheistic culture of the Arab and the Caucasian; 3) to query the rationale behind juxtaposing metaphysical systems that are antithetical to one another, in the name of triple heritage; and 4) to suggest way(s) of drastically ameliorating the anomaly on ground.
Analecta Husserliana
... Page 6. CHIEDOZIE OKORO 336 that since Immanuel Kant, the transcendental philosopher, had as ... more ... Page 6. CHIEDOZIE OKORO 336 that since Immanuel Kant, the transcendental philosopher, had as a principal objective, the harmonization of the views of materialist and idealist philosophers about phenomena, he would have provided us with a truer account of phenomena. ...
Lagos Notes and Records, 2011
The question of statehood is embodied in the concept of leadership. The concept of the state itse... more The question of statehood is embodied in the concept of leadership. The concept of the state itself entails accountable and capable leadership that is able to institute discipline, order and stability in the society. Sometimes the state is referred to as a polity or a body-politic. This in a way connotes an egalitarian society where issues such as effective administration and governance, equity, fairness, justice, power, authority, civil order, political organization, policy implementation, the prudent management and conduct of public affairs, etc, have been adequately resolved. Otherwise, what results is a stateless society. In essence, the effective management of the affairs of the state rests on the shoulders of wise and able leadership. What this amounts to is that leadership is crucial to the sustainable existence of the society. Unfortunately, Africa in general and Nigeria in particular are trapped in the quagmire of inept, corrupt and directionless leadership. In fact, it would amount to an understatement to say that the lack of capable leadership is the most fundamental problem confronting new African states. It is in light of the foregoing that this paper assumes the task of making an "ontological clarification of accountable leadership." It intends to delineate the ontological foundation of leadership with a view to showing how leadership can be accountable to the society.
Phenomenology of Life. Meeting the Challenges of the Present-Day World, 2005
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Papers by Chiedozie Okoro