AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL AND MANAGEMENT ISSN Print: 2156-1540, ISSN Online: 2151-1559, doi:10.5251/ajsms.2010.1.2.124.130 © 2010, ScienceHuβ, http://www.scihub.org/AJSMS

Subjectivism in Hume’s : Implications for Nigeria’s socio- political life Ochulor, Chinenye Leo and Vareba, Dinebari David Department of , University of Calabar, Calabar - Nigeria ABSTRACT Empiricism stands in contrast to , realism, and various other views descended from . Empiricism’s extreme form in the of , especially the type found in Hume’s philosophy ended in , secularism and , which in turn led to . Subjectivism in this context is personal, radical extension of empiricism. This paper argues that dragging empiricism to its logical conclusion as Hume did, has given rise to subjectivism, which has thrown out authority and bases on whether can be effectively argued and proved with accepted rules of . We argue strongly that empiricism should be blamed for the ills and decadence in our society today. It is the root of moral decadence and corruption in Nigeria’s socio-political life. It is our view, therefore, that we must go beyond the empirical if we are to curb decadence, squalor and corruption in the Nigerian nation and achieve genuine development in all sphere of our socio-political life. Keywords: Empiricism, Political life, Nigeria INTRODUCTION particularly the ‘wholesale’ empiricism of , on the present day Nigeria. At the dawn of the modern era, empiricism clashed with rationalism. These two in philosophy, Hume’s Empiricism: David Hume (1711-76) empiricism adopting the empirico- Scottish empiricist philosopher and , is and rationalism adopting the mathematical method, commonly considered the greatest philosopher to followed the development of and have written in English. In his own day and ever mathematics during the . The continental since, Hume has been classified as an empiricist, a rationalists are Rene Descartes, Benedict Spinoza skeptic and secularizer, but he is most fundamentally and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. The British empiricists a naturalist. For him, that we are like this is a we are , and David Hume. must accept, and can not explain. According to him In their both traditions seem to be at is more properly an act of the sensitive, extremes in their claims regarding the source of than of the cognitive part of our . The content knowledge. Innate ideas of the rationalists earned of the he calls , and he divides them them dogmatism while of the into impressions (sensations and feelings) and ideas empiricists produced much more devastating effects. (the copies or images of these). Modern empiricists It led to skepticism and individualism and gave birth look to Hume as the progenitor of their philosophy. to subjectivism. It is obvious that empiricism gained This is so because Hume took empiricism seriously much more grounds because its are and endeavoured to develop a consistent empiricist pragmatic and appeal more easily to man. Hence, the philosophy, pushing the empiricism of both Locke devastating effects of empiricism immediately cut and Berkeley rigorously to its logical conclusion. In across the shores of Europe, America and other parts the usual empirical style: of the world. Of course, the Nigeria of today has got Hume denies all innate ideas and makes all it’s share of this menace. knowledge and all contents of the mind come from It is our objective in this paper, therefore, to ex-ray experience. The human mind is nothing other than a critically the subjective elements in empiricism with collection of perceptions which are divided into particular to the of Hume and impressions and ideas. If I look at my room, I receive its consequences on neo-colonial Nigeria. Indeed, we an impression of it. But when I shut my eyes and look into its implications from the points of view of think of my chamber, the ideas I form are exact our socio-political, moral and religious life. Our point representatives of the impression I felt; nor is there of emphasis is what effect has empiricism, any circumstance of the one, which is not to be found in the other (Ochulor 90). Am. J. Soc. Mgmt. Sci., 2010, 1(2): 124-130

For Hume, impressions are the immediate data of assumption that natural events will occur in the future experience such as sensations. They are the original as they have always occurred in the past and that the perceptions that come to us when we hear, see, future will be similar to the past. This underlies the love, hate, desire, will etc. Impressions, for Hume, foundations of the method of modern science. include sensations of pleasure, , awareness of Beliefs, he says, have neither rational nor empirical qualities and . The immediate, non justification. There are, nevertheless, some beliefs inferential, non interpretative sense datum presented that we are bound to accept in the everyday course to , or which appears in of affairs, such as the of the external world, consciousness are also impressions. Direct, of other etc. it is according to Hume, on irreducible and primitive are equally beliefs, assumptions, opinions, and not on aspects of impression for Hume. Ideas on the other that life is based. Though Hume landed in hand are, for Hume, those less intense and vivid skepticism, he finally makes the telling point that “to images or copies of sense impressions retained in whatever length anyone may push his speculative memory. Faintly remembered images of impressions principles of skepticism, he must act and live and formerly experienced are ideas, according to Hume. converse like other men…. It is impossible for him to Ideas also include vague copies of impressions that persevere in total skepticism or make it appear on his linger as content or residue in our memory and conduct for a few hours”. This self criticism of the imagination. For Hume, ideas and impressions Humean thesis that real things are impressions or appear always to correspond to each other. ideas in the mind, by Hume himself, confirms the Impressions original, are more vivid than ideas popular saying that life is larger than logic. and impressions always precede ideas. To every The key problems of empiricism include avoiding a , there is a corresponding impression, and picture according to which the knows nothing without impressions there can be no ideas. Every but through experience, demarcating the legitimate idea, even the idea of God must be subjected to the basis of in , defending the view test: “From what impression is this or that supposed that observation is itself free of non-empirical idea derived?” In this direction, it must be elements, describing legitimate ways of using emphasized that: observation in building a picture of the world and Hume also subjected the ideas of substance, the explaining knowledge that appears to have no basis self and God to his of empiricism, to his in experience, notably metaphysical, mathematical, empirical criterion and emerged with a total denial of logical, or apriori knowledge. Indeed, Locke and the existence of all substantial whether Berkeley were obviously inconsistent in their material or spiritual. Substance cannot be derived empiricism. Locke at a point turned rationalistic by from our impressions of sensation. We have no idea projecting intuitive knowledge over and above of the self. The universe is an empirical fact, but we sensitive and demonstrative knowledge. Locke cannot deduce from it the . Hume, it distinguishes three kinds of knowledge namely is evident, could not deny the existence of sensitive, demonstrative and intuitive knowledge. substance and God, and then keep . He Sensitive knowledge is knowledge of specific or also denied metaphysics and even ordered that all particular things external to us and acquired through metaphysical books be committed to the flame sensation. It assures us of the actual existence of (Ochulor 94). particular things. This, according to Locke, is the lowest degree of knowledge. Demonstrative Hume started as an empiricist but ended as a knowledge, acquired through experimentation and skeptic. For him, beyond the relationships of ideas, demonstration, is scientific knowledge, and is no knowledge is possible. The only knowledge preferable to sensitive knowledge in order of possible is knowledge of what is directly experienced, . Intuitive knowledge is, for Locke, observed, sensed or perceived. About things existing immediate knowledge acquired by direct behind our impressions, such as substance or God, without any intermediary. It is, according to him, the no knowledge can be had. As an empiricist he knowledge with the highest degree of certainty and is maintained that thinking or reasoning are “species of highly indubitable. Such knowledge include sensation” and as such, our thinking cannot extend mathematical knowledge, knowledge of our own beyond our immediate experiences. Reason, for him existence, knowledge that we think and that a sound therefore, is the slave of the passions. Inductive is not a colour, that white is not black, that a circle is reasoning, Hume opines rests on the unjustifiable not a triangle etc. Berkeley, on the other hand,

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posited a spiritual substance that has no today colonialism and neo-colonialism have broken compatibility with empiricism. Like any other down our customs and the typical African, especially empiricist, Berkeley rejects all noise about the here in Nigeria, has become more European than the existence of innate ideas. For him, all knowledge Europeans themselves. The Nigerian is now comes from sense . That was empirical encultured with the ills of skepticism, profound enough. But Berkeley was to leave the question of individualism and secularism which lead to knowing and step into the question of being. He was subjectivism. Their root can be traced to empiricism. to move from epistemology to metaphysics. This Moral rectitude is no longer tied to our rich customs philosophical floundering he expresses as the and traditions rather it is now subjective. The ordinary cornerstone of his philosophy; ”Esse Est Aut Nigerian feels his is absolute in so far as it Percipere Aut Percipi” (To be is either to perceive or does not cause harm to another. And some don’t to be perceived): even care whether it harms anybody or not. Corruption has infected the top to the bottom. Those He was of the view that unless a thing perceives or who have political powers misappropriate funds and is perceived, it cannot be regarded as existing; and place only on enriching themselves and then since what some earlier philosophers refer to empowering their ethnic groups. The capitalist class as material substance can neither perceive nor be cheats and exploits the poor. Youths in the Niger perceived, then it cannot exit. He, however, Delta region who feel cheated find it right to resort to accepted and argued for the existence of spiritual oil bunkery and kidnapping for ransom. All these substance. This stems from his that “thinking subjective values can be traced to extreme or spiritual exist” (Ochulor 28). empiricism, especially the one of David Hume. This is how Berkeley came to reject Locke’s theory of The of Subjectivism: Encyclopedia material substance or substratum in which the Americana defines subjectivism as “A philosophical primary sense qualities inhere. For Locke, this tenet that accords primacy to personal experience as substance exists and is known indirectly by . fundamental measures and laws” (Williams 876). In But for Berkeley, it does not exist at all since it cannot line with this, Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage be perceived. The qualities, however, exist because sees it as “The philosophic theory that all knowledge they are perceived. But Berkeley takes for granted is subjective and relative”. In a different context, the existence of spiritual substance or minds known Nagbanton Patrick projects it as “An ethical theory by intuition, and other minds or spirits, known by holding that personal attitudes and feelings are sole inference. For him, too, then secondary qualities determinants of morale and aesthetic values”. exist, but only in the mind. Hume’s empiricism is the (Nagbanton 12). most consistent and is stretched to its logical conclusion, creating one of the greatest challenges in Analytically, from the foregoing, we can deduce that the history of knowledge. His epistemology sends subjectivism is a theory that restricts knowledge by knowledge to despair. It manufactured total limiting external reality to what can be known or skepticism, secularism and profound individualism inferred by subjective standards of truth. This which led to utter subjectivism in all spheres of life. subjective disposition applies in such areas as values, , , law, epistemology etc. In No doubt the pragmatic of empiricism easily the narrowest sense, subjectivism goes to the logical turned around the society. It certainly led to scientific extreme of denying that the mind can know objects and technological inventions, which created room for outside itself. This form of subjectivism is known as rapid development in the society. However, it was (Coventry 32). devoid of morality. It invented a godless generation. Science gradually becomes the god of man and the Subjectivism in Hume’s Philosophy: Empiricism is scientist her prophet because the ‘God’ earlier known a theory of knowledge which asserts that knowledge by man as the ‘Almighty God’ and philosophized for arises only from experience. Empiricism is one of the proofs and existence at the medieval era has no several competing views about how we know things. impression that will lead to such idea in ordinary It emphasizes the role of experience and , experience. So with this criterion of Hume such ‘God’ especially sensory perception, in the formation of does not exist. ideas, while discounting the of innate ideas (Bailey and O’Brien 16). In the , This misnomer was ushered into Nigeria via empiricism emphasizes those aspects of scientific colonialism and neo-colonialism. It is obvious that knowledge that are closely related to evidence,

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especially as discovered in . It is a Nationhood: The influence of subjectivism has fundamental part of the scientific method that all profound implications for the oneness and and must be tested against independence of Nigeria. Independence has of the natural world, rather than relying subjective and different meanings for the various solely on apriori reasoning, intuition, or . ethnic nationalities in Nigeria. As early as 1956 when Hence, science is considered to be methodologically Anthony Enahoro moved the motion for empirical in nature (Noonan 21). independence, the Northerners were not in support because they were obviously unprepared for that The Scottish philosopher David Hume added to the responsibility at that , and feared Southern empiricist view point an extreme skepticism that domination (Ayodeji 32). Even when independence challenged, in many respects, the accumulated finally came, there were still varied views of its and counter arguments of Descartes, conception by the various regions and ethnic groups. Locke and Berkeley, among others. Hume argued, in In the North for example, the notion of independence keeping with empiricist that all knowledge was rooted in their religious heritage. It meant derives from sense experience. In his skeptical from the rule of the non-Muslims and the arguments, Hume maintained that all knowledge, establishment of an ideal Muslim state. Jeremy Hinds even the most basic beliefs about the natural world, aptly opines: cannot be conclusively established by reason. Rather, he maintained that our beliefs are a result of When, therefore, by late 1950s the Southern regions accumulated habits, developed in response to of Nigeria were speaking and agitating for accumulated sense experience and not a product of independence, the ruling class in Northern Nigeria reason (Hume 86). Among his many arguments, was looking forward to a hand over of power to the Hume added an important slant to the debate on heirs, Anglo-Fulani hegemony. For them scientific namely, that of the problem of independence meant freedom from the rule of the induction. Among Hume’s conclusions regarding the non-Muslims and the establishment of an ideal is the view that there is no Muslim state (11). certainty that the future will always resemble the past. Hence, for the Hausa-Fulani, until this Muslim state is Thus, according to Hume, we cannot know with achieved, there is no independence. Their hope, certainty, through reasoning, that the sun will rise however, for the formation of an ideal Muslim state tomorrow but instead we expect it to do so because it was heightened when Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa has repeatedly done so in the past (Coventry 140). Balewa became the first Prime Minister. He saw Hume concluded that such things as belief in an himself as a Muslim who must first and foremost owe external world and belief in the existence of the self allegiance to the Sokoto Caliphate before the are not rationally justifiable. According to him, such Nigerian state. When, therefore, on January 15, beliefs are to be accepted nonetheless because of 1966, a coup was fomented and Maj. Gen. Aguiyi their profound basis in instinct and custom. He as Ironsi, a non-Muslim and non-Hausa was brought to well argues that the usual arguments in favour of the power, the Northerners perceived the end of their existence of the Christian God are unfounded. Nigerian independence, and hence the counter coup Hence, Hume’s lasting legacy was that his skeptical and eternal struggle of Northern Muslims for the arguments cast severe doubts on knowledge beyond political leadership of Nigeria(Udoidem 40). The experience, the legitimacy of and Igbos under the leadership of Dr. Azikiwe had a belief in God; allowing many skeptics who followed vision for an independent one Nigeria. Because of him to cast similar doubts. This empirical skepticism this vision, a University established at Nsukka, in the gave rise to secularism and individualism which heart of Igbo land, during the independence era was shaped the mental framework of most people in the named University of Nigeria Nsukka and till date, the society leading them to subjectivism. catchment area of that University remains the entire nation of Nigeria. When the rump of late Prime Implications of Subjectivism for Nigeria’s Socio- Minister Balewa’s government, as a result of the coup Political Life: In our attempt to expose the th of 15 January 1966, invited the military to form an implications subjectivism has on Nigeria’s socio- interim military government, Major General Aguiyi political life, we will examine nationhood, cultural Ironsi was brought to power, because he was, as at values/morality, and the educational system then, Nigeria’s most senior military officer. Ironsi’s in Nigeria. commitment to the notion of one Nigeria led to his

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selecting Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon, a Northerner, as which emphasizes that communal, the Army Chief of Staff. When Ironsi was killed in the community, group, societal, or national goals should counter-coup of July 1966, Lt. Col. Ojukwu, the take priority over goals. Though Military Governor of the Eastern region, and other individualism stresses independence and self senior Igbo army officers insisted that Brigadier reliance, it leads to -lawlessness in our Ogundipe, from Western Nigeria-who was next to society. Individual judgment and opinion now seem to Ironsi in rank, should take over the military leadership take precedence over the whole society. of Nigeria. But the Northern officers in the army Consequently, the respect for tradition and values as insisted on Gowon succeeding Ironsi and they inherent in our customs now give way to European eventually had their way. The counter-coup of July mode of life. There is total equality of every individual 1966 was followed by painful massacre of the Igbos and hence the usual reverence given to an elder and in Northern Nigeria, a development which forced the his opinion is no longer obtainable. Hence 18 year Igbos into defending their tribal interest. This old has become an age of liberation in Nigeria and mayhem led to the Nigeria-Biafra civil war of 1967- such person could take decision as it affects him/her 1970, during which the Igbos made a determined alone without resort to family or parents or family attempt, in the battle field, to become the sovereign members. Suddenly, individualism has griped state of Biafra. Nigeria. The principle behind individualism in this Among the Yorubas, according to Udoidem, context is that an individual’s liberty is absolute, in so independence meant expulsion of the colonial far as he/her does not cause any harm to another or masters, and the ascendency of the Yoruba the society. By this individualistic subjective principle, bureaucrats whom opportunity of early university one can maximize as much pleasure as one wants, in and professional training had given so far as it does no harm to another. One who unprecedented advantage over other parts of dresses half naked claims to have committed no Nigerian. As long as the Yorubas control the media, offence, arguing that such action has no direct harm the middle and higher level manpower, both in on any individual. The effect of individualism is industry and governance, there is independence (42). gradually making lesbianism, homosexuality and gay Among the minorities, the emergence of a Nigerian marriage popular in Nigeria. government, with Nigerians at the helm of affairs, Religion: Before the advent of Christianity, religious gave the hope that , fair play, fair-hearing, and practice in Africa, inspite of its fetish aspects, had equity would be the essential ingredients of the new deep moral undertone. It upheld peace and good found independence. But to their disappointment neighbourliness. It preached fidelity in marriage, these were not to be. For the minorities, therefore, as although mostly on the side of women. It also long as there is no political and economic justice in frowned at promiscuity and encouraged virginity. the distribution of natural resource, there is no Conversion to Christianity helped to a greater extent independence, hence the constant agitation and in building a deeper faith and creating greater moral struggle for survival within the oil rich Niger Delta, awareness. As Uduigwomen aptly opines: Udoidem argues (43). As we interact with various ethnic nationalities in Nigeria, we find that there is no shared agreement on what nationhood and At conversion both the of man and his independence mean. Indeed, this subjectivism in the are converted. The change in grammar of independence has in a way resulted to conscience is often a gradual process as the neo-colonialism. This is because our perpetual converted individual is taught more perfectly the will disagreement has given the colonial masters the of God. The new birth does not oppose conscience opportunity to continue to dominate us politically, but rather re-establishes normal order. Conscience economically, culturally and ideologically. seems a burden to the unconverted. Christian perfection is God’s standard for man’s conscience Cultural Values and Morality: Neo-colonialism no (183). doubt gave Nigeria a new way of life. The good cultural values have given way to the integration of However, conversion to Christianity has coincided European culture. The once African communalism with globalization and secularism which caused a which brought people together in love, sharing and shift in moral consciousness. Empiricism, in its oneness has been thrown overbroad and replaced pragmatic approach has revolutionalized science. with individualism. African communalism stresses Almost everything seems to be possible with science. Man may no longer seek for spiritual healing in the

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church for health problems but rather now embraces These naïve educational formulators in Nigeria orthodox medication in hospitals and clinics. Human have not considered funding of our primary and post beings are now cloned to preserve some primary schools as part of their policy formulation; overwhelming and . The this is the reason why the infrastructures in these world suddenly becomes a global village with fast schools remain in squalor with poorly equipped interconnected communication. Consequently, teachers with very low income earning, administering religion is almost thrown over broad because the them. Hence pupils leave both primary and work of the scientist does seem not only to challenge secondary schools without the basic academic the work of God but also his existence. Scientio- backgrounds. What do we expect of them at the technological imperative now becomes the ‘god’ of university level? Indeed, those who eventually the modern man while the scientist becomes her succeed and cross to the university are mostly those prophet. In Africa, particularly Nigeria, vulnerability to who had cheated at Senior Secondary Certificate this trend has become highly compliant. This is Examination (SSCE) and Joint Admissions because of our pragmatic and uncritical outlook. A Matriculations Board (JAMB). The post UME aptitude typical Nigerian becomes more European than the test conducted by all the Nigerian Universities in the Europeans. There is now total godlessness. recent years has confirmed this. This attitude is Religious practice becomes a quest only to fulfill the carried forward to institutions of higher learning. In inner drives of man and not necessarily a sincere the end, it is either one cheats all through the practice or belief in God. This explains why the university or bribes his/her way through. Eventually proliferation of churches today is synonymous with one graduates empty without preparing for the increase in crime, immorality and godlessness. In challenges of the future. fact, most crimes today in Nigeria are perpetrated in Again, policy makers have not considered equipping the guise of religious practice. We can deduce that the higher institutions. In them, libraries are empty or Nigerians spontaneously imbibed the doctrine of full of obsolete and outdated books. Laboratories are skeptical empiricism faster as against the religious unequipped and most professors are preoccupied faith they claim to practice so much so that they no with survival needs such that they can scarcely have longer believe in the biblical ‘day of reckoning’ even time for , because of the poor take home. when they sing it in their worship songs and preach it The on campus clearly shows that in their sermons. Religion becomes a mere fashion individualism has griped the average Nigerian youth. worn to promote business, to project corruption, to Hence, on campus they engage in cultism, proclaim self-righteousness, and to belong to a class promiscuity, indecent dressing, bribery (sorting) and in the society. other related crimes and ills associated with youthful Education: One may wonder if skeptical empiricism exuberance. When we trace the taproot of these helped to damage Nigerian educational system. It entire misnomers, we discover that they are caused becomes worse here because this is where we get by skeptical empiricism. It is the mother of our orientation; it is the place where we are formed individualism, secularism, and globalization. They socially, developed intellectually, and improved manufacture subjectivism. morally. But what is the best we can get from and Conclusion: It is sad that skeptical globalization, neo-colonialism, secularism and empiricism has given birth to ills that have today sent profound individualism which lead to subjectivism and Nigeria to despair. It has eaten deep into the fabric of whose mother-empiricism has bequeathed to our her system so much so that there seems to be no society? Every one from the top to the bottom seems solution. Things go from bad to worse everyday. We to have a share in the blame. In the first place, the have already indicated how empiricism, especially government in their subjective act of nepotism the wholesale empiricism of Hume, wrecks the appoints their kinsmen who are incompetent as foundation of knowledge and science. We exposed educational policy formulators. Consequently, the his criterion of every impression corresponding to that are formulated lack focus. Udoidem idea for knowledge to have been established and decried this in his inaugural lecture: that some of the discovered the havoc he and other empiricists have policies were formulated in the morning and changed caused to the society. His extreme position leads to in the evening (23). There is no continuity in the individualism, it moulds secularism, and finally they system. The case of the crabbed 6:3:3:4 system and produce subjectivism. the Basic Education (UBE) which is presently under serious debate is a case in point.

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Indeed, we have scarcely said anything good about reason and experience will curb individualism empiricism as if it is the root of everything that is evil thereby restoring the values lost to subjectivism in in the society without resort to the fact that it has Nigeria, if applied. made great and wonderful contributions to the REFERENCE society. If we do not pause and acknowledge its positive sides in the society, we may also without Ayodeji Olukoju, “Nigeria: A Historical Review” in F.U. knowing join the cue of the skeptics and the Okafor (ed.) New Strategies for curbing Ethnic and subjectivists. Obviously, its empirical outlook led to Religious Conflicts in Nigeria. Enugu: Forth Dimension science the fundamental source of development in Publishers, 1997. our modern world. Bailey Alan and O’Brien Dan. Hume’s Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. London: Continuum But there are some empiricists who were either not International Publishing Group, 2006. consistent in their empiricism or totally ended in total skepticism like Hume. Locke for instance, at a point Coventry Angela, M. Hume: A Guide for the Perplexed. turned rationalist and projected intuitive knowledge London: Continuum International Publishing Group, over and above sensitive and demonstrative 2007. knowledge. Berkeley posited a spiritual substance Hinds Jeremy. “A Draft Constitution for Nigeria: Comments that has no compatibility with empiricism. In our own on the Religious Aspects in Northern Nigeria Press view, both Locke and Berkeley may have started 1975-78” (Unpublished Paper) cited in Mathew Kukah, informally the dialogue between empiricism and Religion, Politics and Power in Northern Nigeria. rationalism without following it logically. Ibadan, 1994. Hume David. An Enquiry Concerning Human However, Kant’s view reconciles both rationalist Understanding. Illois: Open Court Publishing dogmatism and skeptical empiricism; his position Company, 1996. seems to be more objective. We have already said that Nigeria must go beyond the empirical, if we must Kant. I. The Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals. Tr; curb subjectivism in the Nigerian political life. The H.J. Paton in his Book, The Moral Law. London: Hutchinson, 1948. position of Kant will help the Nigerian situation. He agrees with the empiricist that though all knowledge Nagbanton Patrick. “Subjectivism in Nigerian Ethnic Polity”. arises from experience, it does not follow that all An African Conflict Profile: Journal of the Centre for arises out of experience. He succeeded in merging Ethnic and Conflict Studies (CENTECS) University of both experience and reason together and went Port Harcourt. Vol. No. 1, p 23-25. ahead to assert the existence of God. In the Noonan Harold W. Hume: On Knowledge. London: , he acknowledged that the Routldge Philosophy Guide Book, 1999. moral universe compels us to postulate the existence Ochulor, Chinenye Leo. Philosophy: A Fundamental and of God as the ground for the necessary connection Basic Science. Calabar: Focus Prints and Publishers, between and happiness. He opines that “it is 2008. morally necessary to assume the existence of God”. In the words of Uduigwomen: Orjiako, James O. Nigeria: Yesterday, Today and ….. Onitsha: Africana Educational Publishers, 1981. Kant’s is a good example here. For him, Udoidem Iniobong. “The Philosopher in the Market Place: the idea of a lawgiver presupposes moral reasoning. Reflections on the Future of Nigeria”. An Inaugural In effect, God is needed to reassure the just that he Lecture Series No. 49, May 2006. University of Port will flourish and the unjust suffer, without which Harcourt. practical reasoning would be impossible (53). Uduigwomen Andrew F. A Companion of Christian The position of Kant keeps us in the middle position Philosophy and Apologetics Calabar: Ultimate Index where Socrates said virtue lies. His Book Publishers, 2009. acknowledgement of God’s existence will solve the Williams Jones. “Subjectivism” Encyclopedia Americana. problem of secularism. His mediation between Vol. vi. Chicago: Spectrum Press, 1995.

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