Papers by Valentine Obinyan
EJMSS Volume 3 NO 3, 2023
Various dimensions have emerged in man's understanding of humanism, and ample space has been acco... more Various dimensions have emerged in man's understanding of humanism, and ample space has been accorded thoughts about violence and pacifism. African philosophers like Frantz Fanon and Nelson Mandela have taken a position in this debate. The question that has remained unanswered is whether the endorsement of violence as a tool of liberation is not dialectically opposed to the trappings of humanism. The struggle for political evolution in various nations in African presently is one of the numerous motivations of this study. Across history and even in contemporary times, various violent activities have been justified by allusions to liberation and restoration of humanism. Frantz Fanon's contestation and advocacy of violence, in his quest for decolonization in Algeria, represent a liberation philosophy that raises questions about the pursuit of humanism with seemingly nonhumane means. Could such actions be contextualized in humanism? Is it not a camouflage? What is humanism? Is there in-humanism in humanism? This paper engages critical analysis examine what appears to be contradictions in Fanon's humanism. The paper traces how Fanon's theory of violence has affected humanity and to what extent this contributes to sharpening the struggle for national integrity and egalitarianism in Africa.
EJMSS Volume 3 NO 3 , 2023
Irrespective of place, the world is replete with difficult problems; and seemingly unsolvable one... more Irrespective of place, the world is replete with difficult problems; and seemingly unsolvable ones which remain as lasting challenges for renewed human rational engagement. If peaceful and harmonious globalization can be made possible and reflected in academic theorization, the question is: would there not be need for acknowledgement that each people's culture and epistemic rationality are necessary for authenticity, truth, and directionality in existence? But how can this be actualized as a way forward to harmonious coexistence in a pluralistic world? Will it not result in exclusivism? Will all be recognized? Using critical analysis and hermeneutic method, the paper examines and crystallizes the instruments of existentialism in Asouzu's philosophy of complementation. It argues that the existential predicament in globalization crippling human existential fulfillment can be resolved through certain measures outlined in Asouzu's complementary ontology. The paper concludes with the affirmation that Asouzu's complementarism is a panacea for integrative humanism that reconciles racial differences and trans-cultural valuation. The emphasis that we are all ambassadors of the earth is the objective of this study. Protection of the earth and all its entities through the prisms of our cultural relations and beyond is its primary recommendation.
Science Journal of Psychology, 2014
For Freud, dreams are fundamentally guardian of sleep, they extinguish all external and internal ... more For Freud, dreams are fundamentally guardian of sleep, they extinguish all external and internal stimuli. Essentially, should one continue to sleep undisturbed, strong negative emotions, forbidden thoughts and unconscious desires have to be disguised or censored in some form or another, while confronted by these, the dreamer would be terrified. Freud believed the dream to be composed of two parts; the manifest and the latent content although in rare cases they are indistinguishable. However, latent content is transformed into manifest content through a process he called "dream work" which, in four ways, disguises and distorts the latent thoughts. But how does this account for a subjective personal unconscious experience? What are dreams? Are they only sexually meaningful and symbolic as Freud inferred? How substantial is Freud's principle of dream symbols and possibility of arriving at the meaning of dreams? Does this theory give any understanding of the dreamer's subconscious? With the critically analysis method, the researcher examines the implications of Freud's analysis of dreams and concludes affirmatively that to say that dreams are only sexually meaningful and symbolic, is a position of an extreme reactionist as dreams also have deep psychological, epistemological and religious significant value to human psycho understanding.
International Journal of Philosophy, 2014
Man as an existent in the world, is an individual substance of a rational nature hence in his bec... more Man as an existent in the world, is an individual substance of a rational nature hence in his becomingness, his unique self-conscious actions are imperatives of what he becomes. Thus to take subjectivity from human nature and reduce it to abstract objectivity and systemization as Hegel did, is to relegate to a background the importance, uniqueness and individuality of the human person as a being in the world. Kierkegaard refutes Hegel's objectivity with subjectivity and its analysis and relevance to understanding the nature of human existence for the singular purpose of self-valuation and transformation in our contemporary world, is the onus of this study. However, certain questions abound; what is subjectivity and human existence in Kierkegaard ethical philosophy? What life experiences influenced such understanding? To what extent does this enhance human understanding of existence? What implications does this propose in the scope of existentialism and ethics of human actions in our world today? With the critical analysis and hermeneutics method, the research examines Kierkegaard philosophy and concludes with the affirmation that to overcome the existential challenges of our contemporary world, man must constantly exclude himself from the crowd, engage in self-examination and value oriented commitment to purposeful living.
Science Journal of Sociology Anthropology, 2012
The controversy around the concept of man in western and African analysis has lingered on for dec... more The controversy around the concept of man in western and African analysis has lingered on for decades. Some African philosophers have critically argued that the communalistic analysis of man in African philosophy is strongly opposed to the individualistic emphasis of western scholars. To a large extent, these two arguments are indication of what may have influenced allot of theories and concepts as well as attitude to life in the scope of philosophy and elsewhere. From an integrationist echelon, this work seeks to reconcile these tenacious polar philosophical dogmas. To ensue this, the researcher bears in mind certain fundamental but problematic questions such as; 'who is man? Are there different conceptual analysis in every society?' Has the concept of man really changed in our time? With the hermeneutics and critical analysis method, the researcher comparatively examines the concept of man in Thomas Aquinas and Edmund Mounier representing Western perspective and Chukwudumbi Okolo and Nkafu Nkemkia representing African conceptual scheme. He argues that both Western and African concepts of man are two truth of one reality and concludes with the affirmation that for a fuller understanding, we must solemnize both angles for an approach and encompassing knowledge of man's nature.
The present disastrous predicament of flood in the world today more than ever calls for an immedi... more The present disastrous predicament of flood in the world today more than ever calls for an immediate attention of every one inclusive to participate in the ongoing campaign for a more evironcentric world. We live in an ever constant-changing world, both for the betterment as well as the destruction of man and his world where it is either you go out and come to meet your house and property on fire or floating on a miraculous manifested ocean from a five minutes rain1 or perhaps meet your environment-house and properties being transformed by a contemporary construction technique or low cast consumption code to enhance better living. By and large it is an ‘either or’ universe instigating a need to adopt an environcentric philosophy worthy of connecting the disconnects and reviving our lost environmental values or valuation and obligations. From an environcentric philosophical dimension, The research examines the problems associated with nature or the universe and attempts answers to ce...
The concept of man has attracted varied definitions. From the Esan ontological perspective, man c... more The concept of man has attracted varied definitions. From the Esan ontological perspective, man can be conceptualized as a 'Being in existence with others' and this describes that fundamental relatedness natural to the human person and defines culturally his mode-of-being. However, in this process, a number of questions arise. What is man as a 'being-with' and how does it make-up for the limitations of the other definitions? How does it contribute to man's value, dignity and meaning? To what extent will this make for a re-orientation of our concept of the human person and our attitude towards each other? How do we apply this African brand of humanism for pragmatic patriotism in globalization? With the critical, hermeneutic and phenomenological methods, this work studies the concept of man in Esan Ontology. This study concludes with the affirmation that impugning deeply into the traditional philosophical analysis of man which respects the value, dignity, meaning a...
Man by nature is a rational being and the compatibility of his desire with the open endedness of ... more Man by nature is a rational being and the compatibility of his desire with the open endedness of the universe is a problematic phenomenon which considers at ones the community or social structure of man as a being borne into a community from which he derives, is personality, purpose, meaning, dignity and value. Thus peaceful coexistence and sustenance is man's direct responsibility. Within the confined of such aforementioned analysis, it is crystal clear that giving in all dimensions has deep psychological implications for determining man relations with others and his environment and to examine this unique disposition is the onus of this research. In this process a number of questions arise; What is the quality of our relation with our fellow men and the world around us and how conscious are we of this heavy responsibility? With the critical analysis method, the researcher examines giving and its psycho-social implication for peaceful human and environmental relation and conclud...
Idea. Studia nad strukturą i rozwojem pojęć filozoficznych
Idea. Studia nad strukturą i rozwojem pojęć filozoficznych
Environcentricism: A Philosophy for a Constantly Changing World
Global Journal of Human Social Science Research, Sep 29, 2014
The present disastrous predicament of flood in the world today more than ever calls for an immedi... more The present disastrous predicament of flood in the world today more than ever calls for an immediate attention of every one inclusive to participate in the ongoing campaign for a more evironcentric world. We live in an ever constant-changing world, both for the betterment as well as the destruction of man and his world where it is either you go out and come to meet your house and property on fire or floating on a miraculous manifested ocean from a five minutes rain1 or perhaps meet your environment-house and properties being transformed by a contemporary construction technique or low cast consumption code to enhance better living. By and large it is an ‘either or’ universe instigating a need to adopt an environcentric philosophy worthy of connecting the disconnects and reviving our lost environmental values or valuation and obligations. From an environcentric philosophical dimension, The research examines the problems associated with nature or the universe and attempts answers to certain important questions as its energetic force; what is the cause of this environmental disbalance, how do we remedy the situation and make our universe habitable for all life forms and those of the next generation. To ensure an exhaustive analysis, this work shall be phenomenological and critical- analytic in its method. This study concludes with the affirmation that an environcentic philosophy which identifies and respects the deep spiritual connection between man and his environment to ensure a value and purposeful and peaceful existence.
Science Journal of Sociology Anthropology, 2013
Man by nature is a rational being and the compatibility of his desire with the open endedness of ... more Man by nature is a rational being and the compatibility of his desire with the open endedness of the universe is a problematic phenomenon which considers at ones the community or social structure of man as a being borne into a community from which he derives, is personality, purpose, meaning, dignity and value. Thus peaceful coexistence and sustenance is man's direct responsibility. Within the confined of such aforementioned analysis, it is crystal clear that giving in all dimensions has deep psychological implications for determining man relations with others and his environment and to examine this unique disposition is the onus of this research. In this process a number of questions arise; What is the quality of our relation with our fellow men and the world around us and how conscious are we of this heavy responsibility? With the critical analysis method, the researcher examines giving and its psycho-social implication for peaceful human and environmental relation and concludes that being conscious of our actions to others and the environment is an imperative.
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Papers by Valentine Obinyan