Informatics Publishing Limited

Abstract

Philosophy both as an academic discipline and as a concept has been conceived, interpreted and presented differently by both the learned and the unlearned. Our focus in this article is on the Russellian interpretation of philosophy as a child of circumstance and its implication for doing philosophy in Africa. Adopting the analytic, evaluative and argumentative methods of philosophy, we present a synoptic analysis of the challenge of arriving at a universal definition of philosophy as a precursor to a lucid analysis of Russell’s view on the nature of philosophy. Sequel to this, is an articulate identification of the basic challenge of Russell’s view to the practice of philosophy in contemporary Africa. Accordingly, we argue that a good knowledge of the history of philosophy buttresses the veracity the Russellian view of philosophy as child of circumstance because all hitherto existing philosophical theories, systems, nay movements are products of and products for the prevailing social and political circumstances. The corollary of this is that one of the major sources of philosophy is the social reality of the philosopher; for the philosopher, does not philosophize in a cultural vacuum, the prevailing circumstances of his/her time always inspires, influences and shapes his/her philosophy. Consequently, the veracity of this view implies that contemporary African philosophy should be inspired, influenced and shaped by the prevailing circumstances in contemporary Africa with the aspiration to influence and shape the social transformation of Africa in the 21^st century. Therefore, the socio-political challenge of contemporary African philosophy is to salvage Africa from its dehumanizing socio-economic and political condition in the contemporary world.

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