Browsing by Author "MBARAH, G. O."

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AK{NAUCHE, PERSONHOOD AND SOCIAL ORDER IN CONTEMPORARY IGBO CULTURE
(2017-04) MBARAH, G. O.
Ak[nauche, an ontological and intelligent component of the human person capable of mediating and unifying the individual’s facets of existence, is central in maintaining social order in Igbo culture. Existing studies have addressed the idea of ak[nauche mainly from scientific and aesthetic perspectives, without adequate analysis of the concept in relation to the unity of the individual as a being of many parts, significant to the attainment of social order. This study, therefore, investigates ak[nauche with a view to identifying the ontological roles it plays in mediating between the individual and the community in ensuring social order. The study adopted Strawson’s theory on persons. Six relevant texts in Metaphysics; Descartes’ Meditations on First Philosophy (MFP), Collins’ Selfless Person (SP), Kim’s Supervenience and Mind (SM). Eight texts in African Philosophy, such as Mbiti’s African Religions and Philosophy ARP). Menkiti’s On the Normative Conception of a Person (NCP), Ikuenobe’s The Idea of Personhood in Chinua Achebe‘s Things Fall Apart (CATFA) and Animalu’s Ucheakolam: A way of Life in Modern Scientific Age (WLMSA), were purposively selected. Hence they addressed the issues of ak[nauche, personhood and social order. Conceptual analysis and reconstruction were deployed. Texts in Metaphysics reveal that human persons are in control of their well-being, do not consider the community as very significant in their explanations, and under-explore the connection between a person and the community (MFP and SM). Texts in African Philosophy show that the individual is bound to behave in certain ways laid down by the community, thereby inhibiting complete individual autonomy (ARP, NCP and CATFA). Igbo proverbs like, nwata kw[zie aka, o soro okenye, rie nri (outstanding achievement is acknowledged and rewarded) not only affirms that ak[nauche is paramount in a person’s relationships in the community, but also emphasises a person’s creativity (WLMSA). Critical reflection reveals that the person is creatively intelligent and that the human will is autonomous because each individual has ak[nauche which supervenes actions and thoughts in a way that enhances social order. The Igbo proverb, eruru si na [ bu uche[ma ka ha jiri t[pu osisi ngw[, ma na, otu-otu ka ha bi (Though we live individually, it is in harmony that we accomplish great feats), emphasises the synchronisation of personal and communal worth in achieving social order. Ak[nauche, an ontological component of a person, demonstrates that the human person is both a metaphysical and social being with creative intelligence. Therefore, ak[nauche in Igbo culture plays both creative and mediating roles in the relationship between the individual and the community in which social order is guaranteed
CHI AND MORAL AUTONOMY IN IGBO THOUGHT SYSTEM
(2014) MBARAH, G. O.
Chi, in Igbo traditional thought, is conceived of as a being responsible for the individual�s success and failure, in which the person�s ontological moral autonomy is denied. Existing studies have addressed the idea of Chi from Christian and literary perspectives, which emphasise fatalistic interpretation, but have not adequately studied the concept in relation to the individual as an autonomous moral agent. This study, therefore, investigated the concept Chi in Igbo culture, with a view to identifying the moral and ontological roles and attributes of Chi, in which the individual enjoys autonomy. The study adopted as its framework, Kant�s theory on moral autonomy, which holds that the will of a rational being is not subject to moral principles. Six relevant texts in metaphysics, eight texts in ethics and six texts on Igbo culture/African philosophy were purposively selected because they addressed the issues of Chi, moral autonomy and Igbo philosophy. The methods of conceptual-analysis and reconstruction were adopted. The former was used in the interrogation of relevant texts and positions, and to clarify the key concepts such as Chi, freedom, responsibilityand moral autonomy, while the latter was employed to reconcile the conception of Chi as different from the individual, and yet decides the individual�s wellbeing. Texts in metaphysics establish that the human persons are not in control of their well being, but do not consider the human will in its ontological dimension as very significant in their explanations, and therefore, under-explore the connection between the existence of destiny and the state of the human will. Texts in ethics reveal that the individual is bound to behave in certain laid down ways in which the individual does not enjoy autonomy, but is held responsible for their actions. These positions do not explicitly incorporate the human will, as the initiator and driver of decisions and actions in human persons. Texts in Igbo philosophy reveal that, ontologically, the (self) onwe in Igbo culture is empirical and enjoys moral autonomy. There are Igbo proverbs that affirm the idea of moral autonomy, freedom and responsibility in Igbo culture. For instance, Arusi/ agbarakpamngaga, egosiyaosisiejirimeputaya- �a god cannot be more powerful than the owner, else, it will be told of what wood it is made from�, emphasises human freedom and responsibility. Critical reflection on the idea of Chi demonstrates that the human person is morally autonomous and that the human will is not bound by any external forces, because every individual has akonauchewhich decides moral actions as being right or wrong. For instance; iheonyemetara, ya-buru- �whatever individuals do, they alone bear the consequences�, emphasises moral autonomy. The idea of Chi in Igbo culture demonstrates that the human person, as a moral agent, is morally autonomous. Therefore, the concept Chi plays both moral and ontological roles in the individual�s action which makes it (Chi) not to be conceived as fatalistic or deterministic since the individual enjoys some freedom and takes responsibility for their actions.