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Knowledge In Traditional African Perspective: A Critique Chapter One General Introduction
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1.3 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
In the scope of this study, we shall seek to
limit ourselves to those areas, which will enable ‘en bloc’ give the
research a justifiable treatment. Since the research concerns Africans,
it should be limited to how the African conceives the nature of his
knowledge, his community knowledge and in the last analysis the ultimate
knowledge. However, when necessary reference can also be made to
western knowledge as ways of comparing and contrasting
1.4 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The
first purpose here is to bring stability in the various conceptions and
notion about how the African knows the things he clams to know.
Secondly,
it is also our intention to show that any attempt to approach African
theory of knowledge from the ambit of western Rationalism and
Emperialism, will be a fruitless exercise.
Finally, it is also our
intention to emphasis once again the relevance of metaphysics albeit
African ontology as the only condition sine quo non for African
Epistemology. With these three purposes in mind, it will become easier
to focus properly on the nature of African theory of knowledge.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
importance of this research centers on the present need to put the
perception of the African man in proper perspective. Having been beaten
out of ontological psychological and economic shapes, due to centuries
of colonialism, exploitation and humiliation. It becomes necessary to
recover the authentic African, the basis of his knowledge.4 The
inter¬¬-relatedness and limit of this knowledge will go a long way
towards understanding the ‘being’ of the African.
1.6 METHODOLOGY
Our
methodology shall follow a gradually unfolding of ‘being’ through
exposing, analyzing classifying, synthesizing and evaluating its part
in its entire ramification since the nature of African epistemology is
not yet clear to all and sundry. It therefore becomes imperative that it
should be exposed first before analyzing. The analytical method will
enable us to clarify the various concepts like truth. We shall be making
us of such concepts truth, wisdom, e.t.c in this research essay.
Equally
through the synthetic method, we shall seek together the various views
expressed so far with regards to the nature of African Epistemology. In
the last analysis, we shall evaluate the nature of African Epistemology
and other theories. These various methodologies will help in presenting
our research in scientific light.
1.7. LIMITATION OF STUDY
The
researchers’ scope is going to be African conception of knowledge. We
will however, limit ourselves to the conception of truth, wisdom, what
is knowable and that which is not knowable, amongst others in the
African context. One major limitation of this essay is the non-viability
of recent literature on the issue under discourse.
REFERENCES AND NOTES
E.A.
Ruch and K.C. Anyanwu, African Philosophy; An Introduction to the Main
Philosophical Trends in Contemporary Africa,(Rome: catholic Book Agency
1981) p.82.
G.U .Ukagba, “A philosophical Examination of African
concept of man with Reference to the Igbo of south-East of Nigeriaâ€
(unpublished doctoral thesis Department of Philosophy, Catholic
University of Louvain, 1993), P. 98
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