The Ontological Status of African World View: A Contextual African Methaphysics

The occupation of African scholars has shifted from the argument on the possibility as well as the periodization of African philosophy to doing it. Thus, there is a noticeable expansion of the range of this discipline. It is in the light of this development that the theme African worldview was chosen analysing its ontological status as a point of discussion in African philosophy. To achieve this objective, we engage in literature review, and critical analysis of the nature, content and the essential characteristics of African world-view. We projected how worldview can pass for philosophy as well as the kind of philosophy it is. The range of this study is within the African geographical boundary with particular reference to Igbo worldview as a case-study. The thesis finally arrives at presenting the African world-view as providing for the professional philosopher, the data base on which to transcend into the pure critical African metaphysical discussion.

PAGE 

TITLE PAGE 

DEDICATION 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

TABLE OF CONTENT 

ABSTRACT  

CHAPTER 

1.0 INTRODUCTION……………………………………...7 

1.1  Background to the study………………………………….7 

1.2  Statement of the problem…………………………………9 

1.3  Scope of the study ……………………………………..10 

1.4  Purpose of the Study…………………………………….11 

1.5  Significance of the study……………………..……….....11 

1.6  Methodology…………………………………………...12 

1.7  Clarification of basic terms………………………..….....14 

2.0LITERATURE REVIEW ……………….……..…….…15 

3.0AFRICAN WORLD-VIEW……………...………………39 

3.1  Nature of African world-view……………………....….39 

3.2  Essential features of African world view………………....42 

3.2.1  Mythical………………………………………….….....43 

3.2.2  Holistic……………………………………………..….45 

3.2.3  Communal………………………………………..…...46 

3.2.4  Man-centred………………………………………..….47 

3.2.5  Traditional……………………………………………..49 

3.3 AFRICAN PROFESSIONAL PHILOSOPHY………50 

3.3.1 Methods of professional philosophy…………..……....... 51 

3.3.2 Dialectical Method …...………………………………....52 

3.3.3 Deductive/Intuitive method…………………..…………53 

3.3.4 Analytic/synthetic method…………………..…….....… 54 

3.3.5 Phenomenological method………………..…..……….. 57  

3.3.6 Hermeneutical method ……………..………………….. 57 

3.4 AFRICAN WORLD-VIEW AS PHILOSOPHY ………58 

3.4.1 Philosophical Elements of African World-view……........59 

3.4.1.1 Cosmology…………………………………………….61 

3.4.1.2 The origin and nature of the universe ………………….63 

3.4.1.3 God and created nature………………………………….64 

3.4.2 TELEOLOGY………………….………………………65 

3.4.2.1  The final end for man and the universe……………….66 

3.4.2.2 Evil…………………….………………………..……67 

3.4.3 ETHICS ………………………………………………...68 

3.4.3.1  Morality and immorality…………………………….…68 

3.4.3.2 How do we know what is right………………………….69 

3.4.4 AESTHETIC…………………………….……………..70 

3.4.4.1  Man’s relationship with nature…………………………70 

3.4.4.2  Aesthetic value of religious experience….……………..71 

3.4.5 PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY….………………….…72 

3.4.5.1  Philosophy of African History…………..……………..72 

3.4.5.2  African conception of history; lineal or cyclic …………72 

3.4.6   Epistemology……..…………………………………...73 

3.4.6.1  African Epistemology………………………………….73 

3.4.6.2 Sources of knowledge………………………………..74 

4.0  THE ONTOLOGICAL STATUS OF AFRICAN WORLDVIEW.......................................................................82 

4.1  The issue of reality and ultimate reality…………………86 

4.2 The relationship of African worldview to professional philosophy……………………………………………………....87 

5.0    SUMMARY, INTERPRETATION, CONCLUSION….92