Review Paper
Year: 2023 | Month: May | Volume: 10 | Issue: 5 | Pages: 345-353
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20230541
Analysis of the Five-Fold Role of Philosophy in National Development
Nnaemedo Bartholomew
Dep of Rel. Studies and Philosophy, Abia State University, Uturu
ABSTRACT
The role of philosophy in national development raises a big question in the contemporary epoch, given the presumed giant stride of natural science. Ascriptions such as abstract and esoteric discipline, a course engrossed in scandal and at a crossroads, are often the complementary tags attributed to philosophy. Nevertheless, the question remains: Is philosophy as described above, or is it an appellation born out of naivety and prejudice? Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the relevance of philosophy, specifically to national development. Such is necessary to correct the misconceptions and bias above and to accord philosophy its proper domain in national development. Principally, this paper focuses on five areas: philosophy as a rational foundation, roadmap, roof, moral lens, and a national development stimulant. This study considers this as the five-fold role of philosophy in national development. Hence, every other goal of philosophy in national development revolves around these five. The theoretical framework is existentialism, and the method of inquiry is philosophical analysis. The primary data sources are the library and Internet materials. The findings, however, show that philosophy plays a critical role in national development. It constitutes the foundation, runs through the trunk, and materialises in the fruits of national development. To think of national development devoid of philosophy is akin to conceiving a plant without roots. Philosophy constitutes the rational root, rudder, ceiling, ethical/moral compass, and catalyst of national development. This paper, therefore, recommends giving philosophy its pride of place in the academic world, stressing its inevitability in every aspect of national development, and engaging in philosophy-mending to corroborate emergent national development exigencies.
Keywords: Philosophy, National Development, Rational Foundation, Moral Lens, Analysis, Role
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