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Item Aristotle’s human virtue and Yorùbá worldview of ọmọlúàbí: an ethical-cultural interpretation(2016) Adebowale, B. A.; Onayemi., F.This paper gives an interpretative ethical-cultural analysis of the Aristotelian concepts of virtue in ancient Greece and Omoluabi in Yoruba worldview through the four Cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, courage and temperance. Generally, virtue and vices are common terminologies in ethical theories. They constitute significant principles or rules for moral actions. Virtues are ways of describing the habit of following those principles and rules. However, Aristotle, rather than explaining right or wrong in terms of rules, appraises the human characteristics through actions that make a person virtuous, enabling him to act ethically or acceptably under different circumstances that cannot be covered by rules or principle. Aristotle developed a significant description of human virtue in two of his texts, the Nicomachean Ethics and the Eudemian Ethics and reached several conclusions on what it means for a person to be virtuous. In the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle describes virtue as qualities needed to live morally and to achieve the overall purpose in life - happiness. He maintains that striking a balance between a deficiency and an excess of a trait is important. He considers virtue as a state of being which abets a person to live according to reason. Aristotle’s virtue relates to the Yoruba ideology of Omoluabi the philosophical and cultural concept used to describe someone of good and virtuous nature. An omoluabi is expected to display and exhibit great virtues and values translating the core moral conduct in Yoruba culture, such as humility, good-naturedness, bravery, good will, diligence among othersItem Between the margins and the mainstream: the odyssey of women in Greek and Yorùbá thoughts(2017) Adebowale, B. A.; Akinboye., G. A.Scholars have generally appraised issues relating to women from the viewpoint of gender inequalities and claimed that the female folk are largely oppressed by their male counterparts. Without doubt, the twenty-first century has witnessed gender relations characterized by a lot of imbalances especially to the detriment of women. However, studies have shown that in many societies, women enjoy some undeniable rights, and that prior to slave trade, colonialism and the advent of the missionaries in Africa, Yoruba women of Southwest Nigeria enjoyed certain privileges as much as their male counterparts and such as demanded by Plato in his 'ideal state'. This paper investigates the ideal roles and status of women from historical, religious, philosophical and cultural perspectives of the Yoruba people and compares their phenomenon with those of the ancient Athens as projected by Plato. Examining the rights of women from these two socio-cultural milieus, the paper establishes when and how gender inequality became a subject of debate in the histories of the Greek and the Yoruba peopleItem Conceptualising virtue in Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus(Department of Theatre Arts, University of Ibadan, 2019) Adebowale, B. A.This essay focuses on Oedipus Tyrannus, a Classical archetypal tragedy. Its spatial and temporal settings and characterisation situate this tragedy as an archetype for appraising the tragic hero. Given this canonical status among tragedies, scholars, since the Classical era, have attempted to appraise the underlying causes of Oedipus ' tragic fall from various perspectives. The question of free will and moral responsibility in the face of predestination as represented by Oedipus ' and his parents ' lives, is the crux in some of those studies. This paper, therefore, takes a trajectory different from this generic approach, shedding light on the admirable qualities of virtue which Oedipus possesses, as typified by the tough choices and decisions he gallantly makes in order to resolve the internal and external conflicts of identity and regicide-cum- parricide that plague him and the Thebans. The analysis carried out from the hermeneutics perspective evaluates Oedipus’ rather familiar ‘vices’ as having the inherent properties of Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance, which make up the Aristotelian conceptualisation of virtue. It finds that justice in Sophocles' tragedy is a bifurcated fusion of divine will and retribution that often plays out on an innocent life as it happened in the case of Oedipus, who, along with his parents, consistently sacrifices any position of gain by birth and circumstance; and proactively bears the weight of his father’s misdeed even when that means paying the ultimate price in order to avert or revert the ill-fated curse placed on him before his conception. The study concludes that Oedipus’ actions are virtuous and worthy of emulation—not castigation—and that he should be regarded as a national hero and selfless leader, a model for the contemporary leaders and individuals. “I learnt that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not one who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” Nelson MandelaItem Courageous women in Greek and Nigerian drama: antigone and tégónni(2016) Onayemi, F.; Adebowale, B. A.This paper compares Sophocles’ treatment of courage in Antigone and in Femi Osofisan’s Tègqnni demonstrating the power of women in contrast to the perception of women. In both the Classical era and Yoruba traditional society, it was rare for a woman to speak in public or disobey a man. They were expected to remain silent while men spoke and managed the affairs of the state. The courageous actions of women were considered acts of disobedience to the gender expectation of women in the society since women were not expected to live a public life like men; they were to obey their male relatives. Antigone and Tegònni, as portrayed by Sophocles and Osofisan respectively, acted against the laid down traditions that depict women as being physical and intellectually weak. The women stood up for themselves, facing the difficult situation like fearless warriors. This paper is a comparative analysis that examines the issue of portrayal of courage in women against the value systems of both cultures particularly in contemporary drama. !t elucidates the role of the dramatist in exposing the ills of the society through the portrayal of the agonies of women using the texts of Sophocles and Osofisan’s Antigone and Tègònni respectivelyItem The Devil’: Hermes and Èṣù in ancient Greek and Yoruba traditional religions(2016) Adebowale, B. A.The history of human society reveals that belief in divinity or divinities has been an integral part of human life. Human beings have an inborn desire to identify with a supreme being or supernatural beings. However, religious beliefs differ from one society to another. Christianity and other monotheistic religions are startling different from other traditional religions. Notably, Èsù is the name given to Devil or Satan in the Yoruba translation of the Bible, Yoruba traditional religions, however, do not portray Èsù as the personal embodiment UÙof evil as reflected in the Yoruba translation of the Bible, but rather as a benevolent deity and one of the functionaries of Olódùmarè. Èsù is the Yoruba counterpart of the Greek god, Hermes, who holds a unique position in Greek religion. Hermes, like his Yoruba counterpart, is a god who wears many masks; he is the herald of the gods, a trickster and the guide that leads the dead soul into Hades as psychopompos- soul guide. Hermes and Èsù exhibit the highest number of similar traits in the pantheons of the ancient Greek and Yoruba gods. This paper examines the positions and attributes of Hermes and Èsù in the ancient Greek and Yoruba traditional religions in comparison with Biblical perceptions of Satan the DevilItem Funeral rites: a reflection of the afterlife in ancient Greek and Yoruba traditional belief(2012) Adebowale, B. A.The anxiety regarding the afterlife and immortality has been with man since the dawn of civilization. The question of afterlife is the most important personal question that can be asked in the light of the realization of one’s own mortality. The Afterlife is a generic term for a continuation of existence after death. But the form which an unending or indefinitely human life would take is obscure. However, it is generally believed that the souls of the departed persons make a journey to a specific region or plane of existence. The idea that there can be some continuation in existence after death manifests in religious and traditional beliefs, as well as in the actions and practices of the living, like funerary practices, ancestor worship, the concept of divine judgment, the doctrine of reward and punishment for the soul and the concept of the living-dead. This paper has as its task to examine how funeral rites reflect the concept of afterlife as a philosophical and religious belief among the ancient Greeks and the Yoruba of NigeriaItem Heroism of suicide in stoicism and early Oyo empire traditional political setting(2014) Adebowale, B. A.Suicide, as a concept, has been a subject of philosophical, psychological, sociological and religious inquiry in ancient, medieval and modem history of ideas. 'Through the course of history, suicide has evoked a wide range of reactions. It has been both condemned and condoned by various societies. Generally, suicide is regarded as an anti-social behaviour, condemned by Christianity, Islam and Traditional Religions. Despite the condemnation, suicide was still condoned under certain circumstances. For instance, in ancient Greece and in the early Oyo Yoruba political setting, suicide was an acceptable way of dealing with military- defeat in order to preserve national and personal honour and dignity. Therefore, a number of questions such as what have constituted suicide?’ ‘ to what extent can suicide be- considered a rational choice?’ ‘And what is the moral permissibility of suicide?’ have been raised. Philosophical arguments, regarding whether or not suicide can be morally acceptable, range from strong opposition to its perception as a sacrosanct right. The latter is a strong tenet of the Stoics who consider suicide as an honorific act. Although thee Yoruba condemn suicide, they also condone and even consider it an honourable thing to do under certain circumstances. ’This paper examines the honourable aspects of Stoics’ concepts of suicide and the politically motivated suicide in the early Oyo Empire traditional political organization such as the case where a host of title holders, known as abobaku, had to commit suicide at the demise of the king so as to accompany him to the hereafter. Today, however, many commit suicide not out of traditional obligation but to escape what seem to be unbearable circumstances claiming that suicide is a personal choice. This paper argues that no matter how plausible the idea is suicide is inadmissible and abominable from every standpointItem Language policy and governance: the Pontius Pilate example(Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, 2017-06) Oluwadoro, J. O.; Adebowale, B. A.; Berekiah, O. O.Pontius Pilate's trilingual inscription on the cross of Jesus Christ has received considerable scholarly attention from different perspectives. However, none of such studies has taken a sociolinguistic perspective in the analysis of the inscription. Adopting the Socio-linguistic theory of language planning as theoretical framework, this study employed the tools of linguistic criticism to analyse Pilate's inscription, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews”, in order to examine the probable reasons behind Pilate's use of three languages to write the inscription and the implication of the title 'King' within the socio- cultural setting and antecedent linguistic history of the Jews at that time. Primary data were drawn from the King James Version of the Bible; the text of the New Testament in Modem Hebrew, the New Testament in the original Greek, Byzantine Text Form, and the Latin Vulgate. Hebrew was the religious language of Judaism; Greek was the lingua franca and Latin was the language of Roman imperialism, especially in governance and jurisdiction at that time. The title 'King' was associated with the Jewish hope of a messianic conquering king. The Romans held the title in contempt since their last king before the Republic was deposed. The use of Hebrew, Greek and Latin by Pilate has sociolinguistic implications reflecting the status of the three languages. The study recommends that contemporary political leaders should promote Nigeria's indigenous languages in addition to the English language for effective communication in governanceItem Legislative ideology as a feminist trope in Homeric and Nigeria societies(2016) Adebowale, B. A.Politics is an important aspect of every society, and often times, men have been the major players on the political landscape. It is also an indisputable fact that women constitute over half of the population of the world. The question then arises: why are there so few women elected as public officials? Over the years, bigotry has made people believe that women are not suitable for politics or decision- making positions and, they have nothing to offer to the overall development of society. Nigeria is not an exception with regard to this kind of thinking. Though the significant part of the national population is constituted of women, yet the numerical strength of women does not correspond to women representation in Nigeria’s public life. This is due to the fact that Nigeria is a patriarchal society characterised by intense discrimination against women. Like contemporary Nigeria, the ancient Homeric society epitomises a misogynistic society, a world where men ruled supreme, and women, the objects. Despite this, Homer's Odyssey presents the character of a unique woman in Penelope who survived a male dominated world by her personal strength and protected her home and family from predators and enemies. This paper reviews the character of Penelope in Odyssey of Homer and analyses how female power and worth were measured in the Homeric world. It also explores the role of women in Nigerian politics and the factors debarring them from active political participation in comparison to the Homeric worldItem Living with the past: ancient Greek philosophy in twenty-first century Nigeria(2017-12) Adebowale, B. A.Ancient Greek philosophy is important for an integral human development in the twenty-first century as it was in the ancient Greek world. For one, it helps in developing critical thinking ability, a virtue needed to survive in human society; it also helps in building and improving morals since philosophy teaches the psychological factors that help motivate people to be moral. The 20th and 21st centuries, which saw a paradigm shift in the areas of emphasis in Nigeria's higher education began to disregard the foregoing as not being of any serious importance. One of the major victims of this shift was humanistic studies that became regarded as a useless field. This was done in favour of the sciences. Classical Studies and Philosophy, therefore, suffered double jeopardy as they became victims of society's search for meaning and direction within the fold of the Social Sciences and other professional courses. Both disciplines, unfortunately, were misconstrued and erroneously conceived as majorly concerned with abstract realities lacking human contemporary touch. This seriously affected the fortunes of the discipline. This paper focuses on ways in which students in the present context address the questions of relevance and their future. Then, it evaluates pertinent questions such as: what role does philosophy play in contemporary Nigerian society? How can the instructors of the course (ancient Greek Philosophy) make it relevant to both the student and society at large? This paper also discusses the challenges encountered by both the teachers and students of the course in the global age.Item Oedipus’ moral responsibility in Sophocles’ Oedipus tyrannus(2017) Adebowale, B. A.This paper critically examines the issues of moral responsibility in Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannus. This play has generated different interpretations from Greek antiquity till now. Attempts have been mode to decide Oedipus’ moral standing, which has equally brought about different analysis, one of which considers Oedipus guilty of patricide and incest and holds him responsible for his actions. Other interpretations see Oedipus as a mere puppet in the hands of the gods. Generally, the tragic play of Sophocles, like other Greek myths, presents man as having no power or self-will to control his life events; he does not have the capability to exercise his free will. From the start of the play, the Greek god Apollo plays a vital role of ensuring the fulfillment of Oedipus ' destiny by his interference through oracl.es. This notion has led to the question of whether Oedipus is morally responsible for the events of his life or not. Therefore, this study subjects Oedipus Tyrannus to literary analysis in order to address this issueItem Paedophilia in modern society a mirror of pederasty of Ancient Greece?(2021) Adebowale, B. A.As never before, sexual abuse is rife in modern human society. Tracing the beginnings of sexual perversions to ancient Greece where pederasty was institutionalised, this paper attempts a conceptual distillation between paedophilia and pederasty. Given that pederasty in ancient Greece was an institutionalised part of aristocracy, existing between an adult male, erastes, and a pre-adolescent boy, the eromenos, some scholars have argued that paedophilia is an offshoot of this Greek practice. These scholars make references to canonical philosophical writings by Plato, Xenophon, and Aristophanes inter alia as authority to prop their arguments for indulging the modern phenomena of paedophilia as well as homosexuality by extension. The arguments presented, in this study, bifurcates pederasty from paedophilia by drawing copiously from the sociological and psychological perspectives in deconstructing those widely held views on both sexual Orientations. The study reveals that the former is a norm that left a multiplier effect as the pederast mentee developed to the extent of becoming a pederast mentor, thereby promoting sustainable development in ancient Greece. The study concludes that both concepts exist on different orientational pedestals with pederasty to be lauded for its gains and paedophilia to be condemned for its evils against the innocent child victimItem Perception of mental illness in ancient Greek and contemporary(Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, 2018-06) Adekannbi, G. O.; Adebowale, B. A.; Ademiluwa, A.Mental illness is one of the most dreaded illnesses in human societies. Recent studies have investigated the phenomenon as neurosis with psychotic manifestations in individuals across societies. However, there are diverse opinions on the cause(s) of mental illness. Therefore, interrogating the subject from the worldviews of two traditional societies— Ancient Greece and Yoruba - the study classifies the causes of mental illness into three: natural, physical and supernatural. It further investigates attitudinal correlation between societies in the classical era and modern times in the perception of mental disorders. The aims to detarmine if prejudices or biases are proximal or distal in both societies and to highlight the social implications for interpersonal relationships, especially as bases for the acceptance and social instability of those who experience mental illness. The study, which is basically descriptive, adopts philosophical and cultural analytical methods to foreground textual explication, using the works of Plato, Hippocrates, Oluwole and Jegede. The paper shows that both in Ancient Greece and Yoruba societies, mental illness is attributed to retribution from the gods and accounts for the preponderance of Greek mythologies and tragedies, contextualising madness as inflicted by wrathful or envious gods or goddesses. It concludes that the stigmatisation of affected persons often emasculates them as they are deprived of proper healthcare during the period of illness, and denied social protection and recognition if they are fortunate enough to receive treatment. Invariably, the society is impoverished through this latent brain drain.Item Perception of mental illness in ancient Greek and contemporary Yoruba religious beliefs(Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, 2018-06) Adekannbi, G. O.; Adebowale, B. A.; Ademiluwa, A.Mental illness is one of the most dreaded illnesses in human societies. Recent studies have investigated the phenomenon as neurosis with psychotic manifestations in individuals across societies. However, there are diverse opinions on the cause(s) of mental illness. Therefore, interrogating the subject from the worldviews of two traditional societies— Ancient Greece and Yoruba - the study classifies the causes of mental illness into three: natural, physical and supernatural. It further investigates attitudinal correlation between societies in the classical era and modem times in the perception of mental disorders. The aims to determine if prejudices or biases are proximal or distal in both societies and to highlight the social implications for interpersonal relationships, especially as bases for the acceptance and social instability of those who experience mental illness. The study, which is basically descriptive, adopts philosophical and cultural analytical methods to foreground textual explication, using the works of Plato, Hippocrates. Oluwole and Jegede. The paper shows that both in Ancient Greece and Yoruba societies, mental illness is attributed to retribution from the gods and accounts for the preponderance of Greek mythologies and tragedies. contextualising madness as inflicted by wrathful or envious gods or goddesses. It concludes that the stigmatisation of affected persons often emasculates them as they are deprived of proper healthcare during the period of illness, and denied social protection and recognition if they are fortunate enough to receive treatment. Invariably, the society is impoverished through this latent brain drainItem Perception of women entrepreneurship in ancient Greek and traditional Yoruba societies(2021) Adebowale, B. A.Globally, economic growth and national development may be the result of the success registered by Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises (SMEs). In the societies or nations where the intervention by SMEs is a thriving practice, credit often is given mainly to the male entrepreneurs while the contributions of their female counterparts hardly receives much robust consideration in existing literature. Thus, this paper takes a diachronic approach in explicating the perceptions and contributions of women. The study is delimited to the antiquated Grecian society and the Yoruba society of Nigeria in the pre-colonial and colonial periods and adopts a comparative hermeneutical approach in the analysis of the historical findings and textual materials peculiar to both societies. Its findings reveal that significant dichotomies existed in both societies in relation to the entrepreneurial activities of women. In Greece, women were inhibited by their cultural value to engage in entrepreneurship. The entrepreneurial activities they were allowed to carry out were more passive than active. Nonetheless, they excelled and provided stability at the home front and the nation Overall albeit on a micro-managed scale. On the other hand, Yoruba women in Nigeria were privileged to engage in entrepreneurial activities with minimal restrictions. This afforded them the opportunity to translate their business enterprises into money spinning ventures. With such wealth in their hands, they could conveniently delve into politics and have a telling influence in the political affairs of their various communities. The study therefore underscores the historicity that women in different societies have found a way to counter patriarchy through diligence, dexterity, creativity and innovation to ensure domestic stability and sustainable development in every society. Thus, women should not be perceived as belonging strictly to the 'other room’. Such perception is tantamount to a subtle denial of their pivotal contributions to economic development and socio-political advancement whether in the past or present timesItem Quis erit, erit: fatalism and ayanmo in ancient Greek and traditional Yoruba philosophical thoughts(2018) Adebowale, B. A.Fatalism is a philosophical concept generally used to refer to the belief that man is powerless to do or change anything in the face of future events which are believed to be inevitable. The idea is that there is no point trying to control the future. Thus, the concept of fatalism often leads to the altitude of resignation in the conviction that man does not have control over the events in his life, hence ’what will be will be'. Many ancient Greek philosophers, especially the Stoics, used the term moirai for fatalism and argue in support of and against the concept. For instance, one of the famous arguments of the ancient Greek philosophers is that if an event is fated, it would be futile to make an concerted effort to avoid or bring it about. The Yorùbà, like the Greeks use words such as àyànmó (destiny). kadara(fate), àkosilè (predetermination) among others to describe the futility of trying to change or control what has been predetermined or predestined. Therefore, the concept of fatalism is greatly reflected in various traditional Yorùbà proverbs and songs. The question which this paper focuses on is: is man really helpless in the face of fatalism? This paper engages a comparative and critical analysis method of enquiry to react to this questionItem A re-evaluation of the theme of fate in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex and Ola Rotimi's the Gods are not to blame(Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, 2020) Adebowale, B. A.Intertextuality presupposes the linkage of subjects, ideas and themes between and among texts. Although numerous scholars have carried out intertextual readings into various texts, only a few have delved principally into cosmological connectives within texts from the cultural perspective of fatalism. The universality of the theme of fatalism and its rootedness in virtually every religion around the world necessitates this work. This study, therefore, investigates the textual hybridisation and thematisation of apparently contrasting worldviews (Greek and Yoruba) in order to improve the body of existing intertextual literature on fatalism. This study is anchored on the philosophical concept of determinism. Two texts were purposively selected- Sophocles' Oedipus Rex (OR), a classical play, and Ola Rotimi's The Gods are not to Blame (TGB), a contemporary play, for contextual and intertextual study. The study finds that TGB shares more than superficial semblance with OR though textual variations exist between both. TGB is considered a perfect hybrid that thematically draws parallels from OR, foregrounding the integral and unique religio-cultural affinity that exists between the Yoruba people of Western Nigeria and the Greek of the Classical era. Fatalism, being a fundamental aspect of the ancient Greek cosmology, was often thematised in Classical Greek writings as reflected in the text, OR. The study then concludes that the Yoruba people, like the ancient Greek, acknowledge the important role of fate as determinism in human life and as a reality beyond the control of the individualItem Reincarnation in Plato and Yoruba traditional belief(2012-06) Adebowale, B. A.Science claims that humans do not know what happens after death. Most people, if not all, are curious to know what, if anything, happens after death. In the history of ideas, many theories have been set forth about the issue of immortality and afterlife. Immortality of the soul is a prevalent idea in many religions. Both Western and African religious and philosophical ideas are not devoid of this doctrine. The Greek philosopher - Plato presents, perhaps, the purest example of the concepts of immortality of the soul and reincarnation. The word "reincarnation" is derived from Latin and it literally means entering the flesh again. Metempsychosis is the Greek equivalent word that corresponds roughly in meaning with reincarnation which also connotes life after death, as either human or animal, thereby, emphasizing the continuity of the soul, not the flesh. The doctrine of immortality of the soul is one of the most important subjects in metaphysics. Plato, like the Yoruba, believes that there is a state of existence that goes beyond the limit of this present mortal life span and this can be attained by human through some forms of immortality such as reincarnation. That there can be some kind of continuation in existence after death is attested to by the actions, beliefs, and practices of the living people such as veneration of the dead, concept of the living dead and belief in divine reward and punishment. Plato in the Phaedo, Republic and Timaeus asserts that the soul is a pre-existent and immaterial entity which is released front the body at the time of death and can rejoin the body or another body after reincarnation. The Yoruba traditional belief, as espoused by Makinde, Abimbola and Dopamu, also share the belief that at death, the soul, being a spiritual entity, departs from the body at death and returns to Olódumarè for reincarnation. The process of reincarnation in Plato and Yoruba. traditional thought involves a change from the old form to a new one, and at times from human to non-human. As presented in Plato and Yoruba traditional belief matching the old and the new form of the soul is problematic because there is no means of identifying them. Although there is no empirical proof of ultimate survival after the death of the body, this paper explores the generally held belief among the Yoruba of Nigeria and Platonic philosophy that the soul can reincarnate in another form after the death of one body or the other. It also examines the problem of self - identity generated by the concept of reincarnationItem The three faces of Greek and Aristotelian rhetoric(Vienna, 2017) Akinboye, G. A.; Adebowale, B. A.The need for the persuasion is often informed by a dire or grave situation which one needs to wriggle out from. Persuasion may also be necessitated by a person’s disposition to a subject, development, or topic in view. The art of persuasion through speech is what scholars, ancient and modern, call rhetoric or oratory. The Greek traditional theorists, who invented rhetoric, divided the art into three types: the judicial (dicanic or forensic), the deliberative (symbouleutic) and the demonstrative (epideictic). Broadly, Greek rhetoric also has a tripartite part: invention, arrangement and style. Similarly, by Aristotelian theory, rhetoric is the art of persuasion which functions by three means: by appeal to people’s reason (logos); by the appeal to their emotions (pathos) and by the appeal of the speaker’s personality or character (ethos). What exactly did the Greeks and, indeed, Aristotle mean by these terms and their functions? This paper, while highlighting the general conception of the Greek rhetoric and its three-way nature, surveys the Aristotelian tripartite division and functionality of rhetoric through a simple method of content analysis of selected ancient and modern texts. It submits that a rhetor (rhetorician/orator) is not firm in his trade if he does not artfully possess and execute the Aristotelian three modes of persuasion in contexts of necessity or grave situations