The Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, Prof. Uduma Oji Uduma, has challenged the dominant Cartesian model of knowledge, arguing that relational epistemologies have emerged as one of the most significant philosophical debates of contemporary times, while stressing that African philosophy has always embraced relational thinking.
Prof. Uduma made the submission on Thursday during the Department of Philosophy’s third Lecture Series held virtually in Abuja. The lecture was themed, “Relational Thinking: On the Challenges of Relational Epistemologies.”
Delivering his remarks via Zoom, the vice-chancellor said his intervention reflected not only his perspective as a philosopher but also his responsibility as the head of an institution dedicated to the creation, preservation and dissemination of knowledge.
He raised fundamental philosophical questions about the nature of knowledge, asking: “What does it mean to know? Who is the knower? Under what conditions is knowledge possible? What is the relationship between the individual, the community, and truth?”
According to him, modern epistemology since the era of the French philosopher René Descartes has largely been shaped by the notion of an autonomous, rational subject.
“Whether through rationalism or empiricism, knowledge was often conceived as the achievement of an individual consciousness seeking certainty through detached reflection or sensory experience,” he said.
He noted that within this framework, the knowing subject was often detached from history, culture, language and community.
Prof. Uduma, a Professor of Logic and a Barrister-at-Law, argued, however, that relationality is neither new nor unfamiliar to African philosophy.
“Across the continent, relationality has long constituted a foundational principle of metaphysics, ethics, politics and epistemology,” he said.
He added that African philosophy does not regard relational thinking as a recent intellectual trend but as one of its enduring philosophical traditions.
Earlier, the Acting Head of the Department of Philosophy, Dr. Helen T. Olujede, presented the citation of the guest lecturer, Prof. Anke Graness of the University of Hildesheim, Germany.
Graness, whose research focuses on the history of philosophy, African philosophy, intellectual history, global justice and feminist theory, delivered the keynote lecture.
The two-hour virtual event also featured an interactive question-and-answer session moderated by Dr. Uduagwu and Dr. Afoka, while Dr. Umar Bala presented a recap of the key arguments advanced during the lecture.
