Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy

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Browsing Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy by Author "Fashola, Joseph"

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    An African Metaphysics of Social Order and the Culture of Being-with-others
    (Innovations, 2024) Fashola, Joseph
    The concept of Being in African culture encompasses all forms of existence. Everything in the universe is a being endowed with life-force, albeit, not in equal proportion as some beings are more gifted than others. Humans for instance possess more life-force or beingness than any other being in the physical world. At the metaphysical level, other beings like ancestors and deities are positioned in the higher plane of the hierarchy. One important part of this worldview is that all beings both physical and non-physical have a shared existence. One affects the other either benevolently or malevolently, and this interaction is responsible for the sustenance or destruction of the universe respectively. Considering that the interaction of beings including humans is given metaphysical interpretation, it becomes necessary for this paper to examine and establish this metaphysical foundation as a way of engendering social order. It employs Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperative which can serve as a principle for social order since it prompts an individual to do to others what they desire should become a universal maxim in interrogating the issue at hand. This is because it provides a means through which we understand and describe humans to be first, rational beings. Some of the findings of this paper are that African metaphysics encourages a complementary relationship and promotes social harmony as well as an ordered society. The paper would contribute to discourse and knowledge of the African worldview as a means of engendering social order.
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    Being and Force; towards a Unified View
    (LAMBERT Academic Publishing, 2015) Fashola, Joseph
    Bantu Philosophy’ is classified among works in the ethno-philosophical tradition; it is the philosophical interpretation of cultural symbols and practices. Its metaphysical content is of value in African cosmology and also contributes to an understanding of ‘being’ in general. Aristotle and the medieval philosophers have given different opinions about what metaphysics is all about. They have opined that it is “the attempt to identify the first causes, in particular, God or the Unmoved Mover. Also, they conceive of it as the very general science of being qua being.” Many people find themselves frustrated by the inability of science to provide answers to some of the deepest questions of life. Sense experience for instance is obviously inadequate in responding to some of the questions that confront man on daily basis. So, metaphysics seeks to answer questions for which sense experience is incapable of providing answers for instance, questions about vital forces and the implication of the interaction of these forces in African world view. Metaphysics is an analysis which reveals the essential elements of reality and what reality must be like for us to be able to know it.
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    Individual and Community Relationships in Postmodern Africa
    (John Archers Publishers Ltd, 2022) Fashola, Joseph
    The notion that man is necessarily a being with others is a belief that is deeply rooted in African ontology. African cultures strongly emphasise that a person can only be a person with the aid of other persons. For this reason, individualism which is a major trait of modernism is alien to autochthonous African culture. It is replete in literature that the influx of individualistic tendencies is straining communal and inter-subjective life. Other-centeredness and effective individual and community relationships which have served as strong means of religious advancements, economic growth, cultural and moral development in the society are experiencing a dearth. These waning values along with relativism are the observable tenets of post-modernism. This paper conceives of a means of cultivating an effective relationship between the individual and the community in a post-modern Africa. It is of the opinion that modernism which has contributed immensely to the civilisation of Africa is in some ways changing the face of communal life negatively. The paper investigates how the tenets of post-modernism can initiate a reversal of this negative trend through the restoration of lost values such as; togetherness, solidarity, care, and concern for others. The paper employs the qualitative method of research, involving interviews, focus groups, content analysis on the one hand; and using philosophical tools of conceptual elucidation and critical analysis on the other hand. It employs Donald Davidson’s Principle of ‘Rational Accommodation’ which proposes ambiguity for the greater goal of understanding issues which might prove useful in the final analysis.
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    Modernisation and African Cultures
    (Humanism, Existential predicaments and Africa, 2014) Fashola, Joseph
    Attempt by African societies to keep up-to-date with global trends by upgrading indigenous ideas to meet with modern tastes is commendable. Nevertheless, this endeavour becomes a concern when done at the peril of indigenous cultures. It is the case that a lot of what is been described as modern today are Western in orientation and autochthonous traditional African values, arts and crafts have scarcely been developed to the status of global relevance. The aim of this work is to advocate for the development of African values, arts and crafts to the status of global relevance with the conviction that this will greatly contribute towards advancement in civilisation. It will also take a look at the effects of modernisation on African society with the aim of establishing that a harmonious development of African ideas alongside other cultures of the world will certainly speed up development around the world.
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    Monadologism, Inter-subjectivity and the Quest for Social Order
    (Department of Philosophy, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos Nigeria, 2020-10) Fashola, Joseph
    Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz presents the idea of monads, as non-communicative, self-actuating system of beings that are windowless, closed, eternal, deterministic and individualistic. For him, the whole universe and its constituents are monads and that includes humans. In fact, any ‘body’, such as the ‘body’ of an animal or man has, according to Leibniz, one dominant monad which controls the others within it. This dominant monad, he often refers to as the soul. If Leibniz’s conception of monads is accepted, it merely establishes human ubjectivity, idiosyncrasies, biases, prejudices and individual points of view as the norm. How then do we ensure inter-subjectivity and the kind of social interaction requisite for the achievement of social order, since Leibniz’s system forecloses the possibility of interaction and communication among monads? In this essay, we argue that just as Leibniz’s monads synchronize only through the Supreme Monad (Monas Monadum), humans as social monads should also interact through a matrix of ideals like truth, honesty, sincerity, integrity, altruism, impartiality, compassion and trust. Since social order is actualised only within the context of linked social structures, relations and values, these utopian ideals would form the fulcrum through which humans relate and the very foundation that would anchor a viable social order. Our aim here is to establish a relationship between Leibniz’s metaphysics and the physical domains of life by showing that metaphysical constructs can impinge on human social relations and wellbeing. The study employed the qualitative method of research through critical analysis of texts, library and archival materials.
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    Morality and Cultural Identity
    (Dominican University Journal of Humanities (DUJOH), 2021-06) Fashola, Joseph
    From a cultural perspective, the universe is believed to be an active network of forces kept alive by the constant activities of beings. This network shows that beings do not exist in isolation, as one being needs another for its continuous existence. Flora life needs fauna life and fauna life needs flora life. In this same manner, humans need other humans to be truly humans. Therefore, a person is a person through persons.1 The source of man’s humanity is in his interaction with others and Mbiti is of the view that the African recognises the sources of his or her own humanity, and so realises, with internal assurance, that in the absence of others, no grounds exist for a claim regarding his own standing as a person.2 Our knowledge and coexistence with the ‘other’ do not only influence our actions, they warrant the institution of moral codes. This is because, without the other, judgements about rightness or wrongness of human actions would be unnecessary. This essay will consider the role of morality in determining an individual’s cultural identity.
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    The Ontology of Hair and Identity Crises in African Literature
    (IASR Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2021) Fashola, Joseph
    The significance of hair is deeply rooted in African ontology. It depicts leadership status and when shaved off completely, may sometimes signify mourning or lack of dignity. In Benin-city of Edo state in Nigeria, Chiefs who are mostly men are identified by their unique hair-styles. It shows their position of leadership in the society and when a king dies, all the men in the kingdom are expected to shave off their hair as a sign of respect for the departed king. In the culture of the Yoruba people of Nigeria, hair is highly celebrated by the women as it is seen as a crown of glory upon their heads. With advancement in globalisation and cross-cultural relationships, the culture of hair and its ontological significances are gradually being eroded as expressed in Chimamanda Adichie‟s „Americanah‟. For this reason, the hair, being a very important symbol of cultural identity has become a key role in understanding the issues with identity crises in Africa. The paper analyses the ontological ignificances of hair in Africa, evaluates the issues involved in the misrepresentation of African hair as presented in some African literature as well as interrogates the issues of identity crises occasioned by African hair.
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    Reawakening African Cultural Practices towards Global Harmony: Role of Kinship
    (American Research Institute for Policy Development, 2014-06) Fashola, Joseph
    It is almost impossible to conceive of a people without culture for this would mean that such people do not experience or have any knowledge about the world. Culture determines the perspective or purview through which the world around a people is understood. It shapes their values, practices, behaviours, beliefs, attitudes, perceptions, and conduct. There are variations in the way Africans view the world but within these variations, several common themes are evidently visible giving room for unity in diversity. Some of these themes include the notions of motherhood, respect for constituted authority, belief in the sanctity of human life, life in the hereafter, dignity in labour, moral uprightness, need for inter-subjective living, and close-knittedness with nature. The goal of this paper is bipartite in nature. It argues on the one hand that these cultural practices which are deeply rooted in African worldview, when extended globally would contribute to global harmony. On the other hand, it observes at the same time that this present age and civilisation have lost touch with the cultural practices that are fundamental to the unity and harmony of Africa and by extension, the world, hence, the need for a reawakening of African cultural practices that are germane to global harmony. The paper intends to achieve this by cashing in on the numerous values in the practice of kinship in Africa that encourage shared values and discourage cultural prejudices as kinship is conceived to extend beyond one’s immediate family to the community and embracing the whole of humanity. However, in a paper of this length, one cannot obviously fully explore how each of the aforementioned themes will influence global harmony. Consequently, focus is here only directed on a few.
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    Speech Act, Conceptual Incommensurability and Cross-Cultural Misjudgment.
    (Ibadan Journal of Theatre Arts, 2012) Fashola, Joseph
    Humans are known to be the most advanced creatures that have developed the use of speech. With the aid of speech people have been able to exchange information thereby making coexistence possible. It has also been discovered that it is possible in some cases for the information been conveyed to be misunderstood especially when it is delivered to people of a culture different from that from which it was formed –cross-cultural misunderstanding. It is also the case that beyond communication, speeches can be used to perform certain actions –speech act. This pragmatic property of speech is believed to be justified when a proposition obeys certain rules –felicity conditions. The purpose of this paper is to identify some of the instances where the speech act conditions of one culture fail in another. This was discovered to be due primarily to the different conceptual schemes at work in different cultures. This puts individuals in different cultural standpoints and therefore different points of view –cultural relativism. It concludes by asserting that a reconciliation of the cross-cultural misunderstandings arising from speech act is possible through the suspension of cultural biases. It therefore emphasises the importance of the cultural context in which a speech act was made in the understanding of its actual implication.