Philosophy and development: (an inquiry into the role of philosophy in the Development process of post-independence Kenya)

Abstract

This study sought to inquire into the specific functions of philosophy in the development process of post-independence Kenya. It was provoke', by the realisation that since 1963, philosophy in general and th~ national philosophy in particular had increasingly been subordinated to ideological interests and imperatives which had not only falsified the essential functions of philosophy in national development but had also resulted in unphilosophical devaluation of philosophy, distortion of the historical realities, misperception of basic development necessities and finally subordination of the national philosophers to a sense of fear and uselessness. The purpose of the study was, therefore, to expose the magnitude of the damage w rcuqh t; by subordinating philosophical principles to ideological im}"eratives in the process of national development and to suggest methods of adequately utilizing enormous philosophical -.. resources in rational and beneficial national development. To achieve this end, the central hypothe~s was that philosophy was increasingly being underutilized in the national development process due to unphilosophical subordination of national philosophy to narrow ideological in~erests and political expediency. The study was aivided into five chapters. Chapter one was basically introductory. It provided the historical roots and theoretical - i i i - justification for the ~esearch problem. Chapter two reviewed the historical birth and development of the modern Kenyan phi l.o sophy exposing, as it were, the origins of its eclectic and p:;agmatic character. Chapter three focused on the national philosophy: its perception, problems and application to national development. Chapter four critically looked at the philosophical attitudes of the national philosophers, their problems, limitations and their dismal participation in the development process. In Chapter fiv,:, the entire study is summarised before suggestions and recommendations for the - ~~oveIT.r,;en-b . , scholars and researchers are given. We adopted dialectical-conceptual -.. method and conducted the study within a specific historical perspectives. Our primary source was the library where we relied mainly on both published and unpublished works including: Government documents, policy papers, journals, newspapers, seminar papers, conference papers and r-eLev ant; books. Despite the three main problems, namely, lack of adequate literature; - i vpolitical oversensitivity of the research topic and the new political thinking and philosophical consciousness, the study established that philosophy had made little impact in Kenya in general and national development in particular due to: poor philosophical heritage; poor philosophical attitudes of the national philosophers; lack of moral authority and ~Iolitical support for austere philosophical approach to national life; and finally, an overbearing external economic pressure inco;~atible with a truly independent philosophical reflection, choices and actions. Therefore the study recommended that the Government should urgently establish a National School of Philosophy through statutory provisions and that this school should be run by people from all walks of life but under distinguished and committed professional national ph i.Louoph ers . Among other things, however, this school should engage i.npopularisation and democratisation of the utility of philosophy Ln the whole country. It should also simplify and translate philosophical works into l~cal languages for the benefit of everyone. Lastly, a complete bibliography was provided.