WHERE IS AFRICAN PHILOSOPHY AND SCIENCE?

Frustrated African youths often ask me: "Where are our philosophy and science?" This is a good question that I wish African intellectuals would answer, but they cannot, for majority of African intellectuals seem to think that scientific and philosophical thought processes are universal. According to them, developing an African scientific thought process that's grounded on African epistemological framework is a waste of time since one can be expatriated "ready made" into Africa from Europe - this is what I call "ready made" pathology. Ironically, it's these same intellectuals, who constantly lament the lack of scientific and technological development in Africa, not realizing that Africa cannot develop in these areas using "ready made" or imported epistemological and philosophical frameworks. However, Africa can only develop scientifically and technologically when Africans endeavor to formulate their scientific thought processes based on African epistemology and philosophy.

I respectfully submit that while science, as an objective knowledge of nature, is universal, the thought processes that go into the formulation of scientific principles are totally relative to one's environment. In fact, in the sequential order of the evolution of knowledge, the environment is anterior to everything else. That is, it's the environment that shapes people's psychology. People's psychology, in turn, shapes their ecology. Their ecology goes on to shape their mythology and spirituality. Their mythology and spirituality shape their epistemology. Their epistemology goes on to shape their metaphysics and philosophy. And lastly, their metaphysics and philosophy shape their scientific knowledge - this is the natural sequential order of the evolution of knowledge anywhere on this planet.

So, if the environment plays a major role in the evolution of knowledge, and if no two environments are quite alike, then it is counterproductive to import European philosophy into Africa to help develop African scientific thought process. I contend that African philosophical and scientific thought processes can only be developed through the development and promotion of African-centered curriculum.

African-centered curriculum must be premised on two areas: African moral philosophy and African natural philosophy. The moral philosophy curriculum must cover African customs and customary laws, ethics, value system and African moral principles such as the moral principles of IFA and MAAT. Conversely, the natural philosophy curriculum must cover African arts, history, psychology, metaphysics, philosophy, herbology, medicine and economics.

All in all, it is through the development of an African-centered curriculum that African youths can begin to engage in philosophical and scientific thought processes of their own.