J. Obi Oguejiofor Livres

Although Theophilus Okere's book African Philosophy has made remarkable impact on African philosophical scholarship, many may not be aware of the way he tried to apply his preferred method to other areas of the philosophical investigation in Africa and to overcome the risk of relativism through the promotion of intercultural dialogue in philosophy. The essays published in this collection bear testimony to the multivalent character of Okere's contribution to African philosophy. Most of the essays are about Okere's hermeneutics of culture. Some of the contributors examine the method in itself, while others focus attention on its application to specific philosophical themes.

The point of departure of this book is a phenomenon which is often referred to as the „return of the religious“, a recent but apparently ubiquitous phenomenon which does not fit the modernist axiom of secularisation, neither in the „developed“ nor the „developing“ worlds. In Africa, the last two decades have witnessed a remarkable and steady increase in the spread and reinforcement of occult and paranormal phenomena. The reports on these developments are not restricted to specific countries or areas; they cover the whole continent and surface in the most diverse images, media, stories and rumours. The credence accorded to them has become an important factor that shapes social relationships in everyday life, economic and political actions, medical decisions and religious adherence.

The guiding spirit of the philosophical engagement of Bertrand Russell was to outline a scientific philosophy with the intention of introducing progress and continuity in the subject. With this aim in view, he developed the analytic method which has inspired one of the most influential philosophical currents of this century. Russell's confidence was confirmed by the result of his analysis of perception and physics. This book examines three different theories that Russell used in an effort to provide a lasting solution to the problem of perception and its relation with the external world. Despite the merits of Russell's attempts, the author is convinced that Russell failed to achieve his aim, but that his failure points the way to a better understanding of the nature and purpose of philosophy.