Editorial Foreword

The current issue of IJPPA presents a good mix of contemporary philosophical discussions and semi theoretical and perennial topics. Quite novel are two articles on education. Although both articles on education have either foreign or theoretical anchorage, they, nonetheless, make contact with the realities in Nigeria-Africa. A summary presentation of the contents of this issue now follows:

A Lonergan-reader, Dr. Humphrey U. Ani discusses “Consciousness and the Logic of Authentic Development in Bernard Lonergan”. So basic in the formation of human personality, society and history is the development of consciousness that gradually leads to the formation of conscience. The author makes a clear presentation of Lonergan’s discourse on this subject of consciousness in anticipation that its dutiful acceptance can help in re-building any nation – (Nigerian State inclusive).

W. Ezeanya and G. Otegbulu critically examine the major issues involved in a novel epistemological theory called Foundherentism championed by Susan Haack. Taking off from the backgrounds of older epistemic theories - foundationalism and coherentism - the duo raise the question – “Does Susan Haack’s Theory of Foundherentism solve the Problem of Empirical Knowledge?” In the opinion of the authors, Haack made some brilliant contributions to empirical knowledge, but could not avoid some loopholes and inadequacies she identified in the previous epistemological traditions.

In “Re-discovering the Youth Potentials…”, the seasoned mentor of the youth for many years and in different parts of Nigeria, Most Rev. Dr. H.N. Dachelem, CMF exposes the history and philosophy of a national youth programme called NYSC, and moves from there to x-ray the complexity in the classification of today’s youth. The complexity provides us with enormous challenges. Finally, he gives multiple recommendations that are drawn from various spheres his life and experiences.

Dr. J. Ezenwankwor makes a comparative study of “European University Model of Henry Newman versus the Nigerian University System”. Departing from historical background that informed Newman’s model of university education which shaped European university system, the author accepts that some elements in Newman’s model are found in the programme of General Studies in our Nigerian universities, but laments the lack of proper implementation of the programme which would have elevated the Nigerian tertiary education to the liberal standard advocated by Newman.

In the article, “Value-Based Education for Nigeria’s Development: Ethical and Metaphysical Foundations,” Dr. C. N. Ogbozo deepens the discussion on Education which a previous paper initiated, but focusing on the Nigerian-African context. He discovers that the weak impact of education on many
Nigerian literates derive from her school systems that pay little or no attention to value-based education. Only with such education which has inestimable ethical and metaphysical foundations can Nigeria’s sociopolitical woes be minimized.

Nothing is crucial to any society as the issue of good governance which is effected only through responsible leadership. This is the view of Associate Prof. C. Umezinwa who discusses “The Choice of a Credible Political Leader: A Critical Reflection. Considering leadership as deserving an outstanding quality, he does not think that it is everybody’s game. Leaning on many philosophers who spoke of leading principles in composed entities, he depicts a leader like a dominant principle in any organism or group who steers the harmonious functioning of the group. To that effect, he recommends ways of raising and safeguarding credible political leaders.

The Dialogue in this edition is very exciting. This is because in 2018, this journal published Prof. Theophilus Okere’s essay - “Igbo concept of Justice and Peace” and with a critical assessment of it by Dr. A. C. Ajah. But in 2019 edition of the same journal, Associate Prof. Umezinwa criticized Ajah’s
assessment, accusing him of misreading, prejudices and fallacies. However, in the present edition, Ajah returns to clarify his stand; more than that, however, he highlights the dangers of ethnophilosophy upon which Okere-Umezinwa’s arguments rest. He further asserts that Umezinwa failed to prove his claim that he misread Okere or the fallacies he committed; hence, he insists that his critique of Okere still holds.

Two reviewers, Dr. J. Ezenwankwor and Dr. O. J. Amaegwu, give us the highlights of the two books written by the same author, Most. Rev. Dr. Hilary N. Dachelem on two different subjects: ‘Youth Typologies’ and ‘Assault on Priests’. Each has its own merit.

Editors’ Note:

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