Full Description
Across many parts of the world, education is increasingly being shaped by demands for practicality, immediate economic returns, and direct employability. Nowhere is this trend more evident than in Sub-Saharan Africa, where philosophy as a discipline is often dismissed as impractical, outdated, or irrelevant to the urgent developmental needs of emerging economies. However, this perspective overlooks the fundamental role philosophy plays in fostering critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and intellectual curiosity. The question, therefore, is not whether philosophy has value, but rather how its principles can actively contribute to education, societal progress, and human development in contemporary Sub-Saharan Africa.
Rethinking Philosophy for Education, Society and Human Development offers both a theoretical and empirical justification for the continued relevance of philosophy in higher education and beyond. This timely and thought-provoking volume, edited by Stephen Azubuike Oguji and Kingsley Ekene Amaechi, brings together scholars from diverse disciplines to challenge the growing indifference towards philosophy in African universities. Through twelve insightful chapters, this edited collection explores philosophy's indispensable role in shaping education, decolonizing curricula, enhancing diplomatic and legal reasoning, and addressing national development challenges. It refutes the false dichotomy between philosophy and practical utility, arguing that philosophy's rigorous inquiry and foundational principles should remain central to academic and societal advancement in the region.
Providing a crucial resource for educators, policymakers, scholars, and students, this collection underscores philosophy's enduring significance. Engaging with this volume is not just about defending a discipline. It is about reimagining the very foundation of education and human progress in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Contents
Introduction: The Value and Place of Philosophy in Education, Society, and Human Development in Sub-Saharan Africa; Kingsley Ekene Amaechi and Stephen Azubuike Oguji
Chapter 1. Philosophy as The Foundation of Education; Okewu Michael Peter
Chapter 2. The Role of Virtue Ethics in Society and Human (Development) Education; Ibe Anthony Chiwuba
Chapter 3. The Hidden Potentials of Philosophy in The Curriculum of Nigeria University Education: A Reflection; Kingsley Ekene Amaechi
Chapter 4. Philosophy in Africa and The Crisis of Relevance: Lessons from German Idealism; Stanley Ekwugha
Chapter 5. Revisiting the Role of Philosophy in Diplomacy and International Relations; Bobby J. Moroe
Chapter 6. Principle-Based Legal Reasoning in Ronald Dworkin's Legal Theory; Celestine Edozie Anyaorah
Chapter 7. Philosophy and Legal Reasoning; Wilson Anosike
Chapter 8. Philosophy and Contemporary Social Challenges in Nigeria; Somadina C. Nkemakolam
Chapter 9. While God May No Longer Have Grandchildren, People Do: The Crisis of Secularism/Atheism among Middle Class Youths of Sub-Saharan Africa; Dominic Umoh
Chapter 10. Philosophy and National Development: The Nigerian Experience; Donald Uchenna Omenukor
Chapter 11. Ayn Rand's Objectivism, as the Philosophy for Human Development; Francis Chigozie Ofoegbu
Chapter 12. Philosophy In Education, Society and Human Development; Stephen Azubuike Oguji
