PERSONHOOD AND EPISTEMIC INTERACTIVISM IN INDIGENOUS ESAN THOUGHT BY ODIA, SYLVESTER IDEMUDIA (MATRIC. NO. 84456) BEING A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY, FACULTY OF ARTS, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, IBADAN, IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PH.D) IN PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY MARCH 2016 DEDICATION To Onuwabhagbe, Ibhalukholor, Osekpemhenokan, and Erhonmwonsele. And To the memory of my late father, Pius Ibhalukholor Odia. UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY CERTIFICATION ii I certify that this research work was carried out by Sylvester Idemudia Odia under my supervision in the Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Supervisor Prof. I. E. Ukpokolo. Department of Philosophy, University of Ibadan, Ibadan. …………………………… Date. UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY iii ABSTRACT Epistemic interactivism, an aspect of the epistemology of representation, is a cognitive intercourse between the subject and person-object of knowledge that underlies the conception of a person in Esan thought. Earlier studies separated the subject from the object of knowledge, and classified persons and non-persons as object of knowledge. This separation ignored the cognitive and moral values of persons, thereby creating a dehumanised relationship between the subject and person-object of knowledge. This study, therefore, employed epistemic interactivism in re- constructing the relationship between the subject and person-object of knowledge. This is with a view to re-establishing the cognitive and moral values that distinguish persons from non-persons upon which personhood is grounded in Esan thought. This study adopted Hegel‟s dialectics which unified the subject and object of knowledge at the “Absolute”. Major works on epistemology, specifically Hegel‟s The Phenomenology of Mind (TPM), Descartes‟ A Discourse on Method (ADM), Locke‟s An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (ECHU), and works on Esan culture, particularly Okojie‟s Words of Wisdom from Ishan Elders (WWIE), and Esan Native Laws and Customs (ENLC), were purposively selected. These works articulated the traditional theories of representation, personhood and epistemic interactivism. The conceptual method was used to clarify concepts such as representation, personhood and epistemic interactivism. Critical analysis was employed to explain the dehumanising problems in the traditional theories of representation, and the re- constructive method was used to re-establish the cognitive and moral values of a person in epistemic interactivism. Traditional theories of representation separated subject and person-object of knowledge, grouping person-object and non-person-object (ADM, ECHU). This separation ignored the cognitive and moral values of persons, creating propositional knowledge that dehumanised the relationship between the subject and person-object of knowledge (ADM), and the possible unity of the subject and object of knowledge at the “Absolute” (TPM). However, Esan culture distinguishes persons from non-persons, bonding the subject and person-object of knowledge to arrive at an epistemic intercourse as captured by the Esan dictum: ai yole abha len oria (we never say we do not know someone) (ENLC, WWIE). Critical interrogation revealed that conventional theories of representation were influenced by the materialism of Western science that described persons and non-persons impersonally, ignoring the human values of cognition and morality. These cognitive and moral values formed the basis of personhood in Esan thought, such that the subject engages in an epistemic intercourse with the person-object of knowledge in a way that sustains the dignity of persons, creating the grounds for a humane relationship between the subject and person-object of knowledge. Conventional theories of representation separated the subject and person-object of knowledge, ignoring the cognitive and moral values of persons and creating a dehumanised relationship between the subject and person-object of knowledge. Epistemic interactivism of Esan thought, whichUNIVERSITY unified the subject and person OF-object IBADAN of knowledge on cognitive LIBRARY and moral grounds, provides adequate basis for personhood and resolving the dehumanised relationship between the subject and person-object of knowledge. Keywords: Traditional theories of representation, Epistemic interactivism, Indigenous Esan thought, Personhood. iv Word count: 481. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am grateful to the University of Benin, Benin City, who, under the administration of Prof. G. Oshodin, granted me training leave which enabled me complete the Ph.D. degree programme in the University of Ibadan, Ibadan. I am full of gratitude to my amiable, thought-provoking and diligent supervisor, Prof. I. E. Ukpokolo for his unflinching support towards the success of this thesis. The intellectual sagacity that gave birth to the initial ideas on Esan thought from which proceed this work began with him. Sir, all your spiritual and material contributions towards this work and humanity in general will be richly blessed by God, now and always. And, by extension, I am also grateful to all the lecturers of the Department of Philosophy who taught me right from my undergraduate days, and who have assisted me in modifying the ideas in this work: Professors O. Oladipo, K. Owolabi, and Msgr. F. A. Adeigbo (of blessed memory); Professors J. O. Irele, O. A. Oyeshile, A. B. Ekanola, and L. O. Agunlana; and Doctors C. A. Udefi, F. N. Offor, B. A. Lanre-Abass, A. L. Afolayan, T. Adegbindin and all the lecturers and staff of the department. Mr unreserved gratitude also goes to my external examiner, Prof. Jack Aigbodioh and my internal external examiner, Dr. Victor Edo for their painstaking corrections and contributions to this thesis. Many thanks go to Don Bosco Community, Ibadan, who housed me, cared for me, and allowed me to use their library and other resources towards the success of this thesis. I specially thank Frs M. Vincenzo, C. Riccardo, R. Castiglione, F. Kuzhandaieasu, E. Obi, A. Okonkwo; Brs P. Vaschetto, B. Olukanni; and all the students of Don Bosco Institute of Philosophy (Sept. 2011 – July 2015) as well as the non-academic staff. May your missionUNIVERSITY and vision in Nigeria be realised.OF IBADAN LIBRARY I wholeheartedly thank my wife, Francisca Onuwabhagbe Odia, for all the sacrifices she made during the course of my training leave in the University of Ibadan, Ibadan. I v remember vividly those days and nights of praying and caring alone for our children – Ibhalukholor, Osekpemhenokan and Erhonmwonsele, as well as those moments of stress with her own academic work in the University of Benin. May God bless these sacrifices of yours by making our family lovely, peaceful, prosperous, and an example for many. Finally, I am immensely grateful to Osenobulua (the Supreme Being, God) who brought me into existence in post-colonial Africa, and in sub-Sahara Africa. This made it possible for me to be conversant with indigenous African thoughts as well as Western or European thoughts whose world-views formed the basis of this work. In addition, I am profoundly grateful to my parents: Pius Ibhalukholor Odia (of blessed memory) and Theresa Imatitikua Odia for bringing me up acquainted with Esan and Bini cultural beliefs and practices. Dad, continue to be at peace with Osenobulua. As for you, Mum, may you live long in peace, health of mind and body, and find joy in us your children up to a ripe old age. Sylvester Idemudia Odia. UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Title page. ……………………………………………………………… i Dedication. ……………………………………………………………… iii Certification. ……………………………………………………………… iv Abstract. ……………………………………………………………… v Acknowledgements. ……………………………………………………… vii Table of contents. ……………………………………………………… ix 0. GENERAL INTRODUCTION. 0.1 Background to the study. ……………………………………………… 1 0.2 Statement of the problem. ……………………………………… 5 0.3 Statement of the thesis of study. …………………………………….... 12 0.4 Method of study. ……………………………………………………… 12 0.5 Justification of study. ……………………………………………… 13 0.6 Aim and objective of study. ……………………………………… 21 0.7 Contribution to knowledge. ……………………………………… 21 0.8 Chapter outline. ……………………………………………………… 22 0.9UNIVERSITY Clarification of concepts. OF……………………………………… IBADAN LIBRARY 23 0.9.1 Indigenous. ……………………………………………………… 24 0.9.2 Personhood. ……………………………………………………… 25 vii 0.9.3 Interactivism. ……………………………………………………… 26 0.9.4 Esan people, culture and language. ……………………………… 27 Endnotes. ……………………………………………………………… 31 CHAPTER ONE 1.0 TRADITIONAL EPISTEMOLOGICAL THEORIES OF REPRESENTATION 34 1.1 Introduction. ……………………………………………………… 34 1.2 Western metaphysics as background to Western epistemology. ……… 34 1.3 Theories of representation. ……………………………………… 37 1.3.1 The Cartesian theory of representation. ……………………… 38 1.3.2 The Lockean theory of representation. ……………………… 43 1.4 The two-fold deficiency of the theories of representation. ……… 48 1.5 Responses to the two-fold deficiency of the theories of representation. 50 1.5.1 Kant and the foundation of knowledge. ……………………… 50 1.5.2 Social and feminists epistemology. ……………………… 52 1.5.3 Virtue and moral epistemology ……………………… 57 1.6 Conclusion. ……………………………………………………… 60 Endnotes. ……………………………………………………………… 63 UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY CHAPTER TWO 2.0 HEGELIAN EPISTEMOLOGICAL INTERACTIVISM viii 2.1 Introduction. ………………………………………………………. 66 2.2 Existentialist framework. ……………………………………….