Introducing African Science: Systematic and Philosophical Approach

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© 2012 by Jonathan O. Chimakonam (Ph.D). All rights reserved.

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Published in the United States of America by AuthorHouse 2012

ISBN: 978-1-4772-4944-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-4943-7 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-4942-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012913091

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword

Preface

Dedication

Chapter One

1. Introduction

2. Justification For African Science

3. Watering The Ground

Chapter Two

4. The Logic Of African Science

Chapter Three

5. Space And The Natural World

6. Matter And Anti-Matter

7. Energy Crisis

Chapter Four

8. Nature And Scientific Truth

9. Space And The Sub-Natural World

Chapter Five

10. Methods Of African Science

Chapter Six

11. Criteria Of African Science

Chapter Seven

12. African Scientific Methodology

Chapter Eight

13. Some Theories Of African Science

Chapter Nine

14. Some Laws Of African Science

Chapter Ten

15. African Logic And The Principle Of Deniability

Chapter Eleven

16. Schools Of African Science

17. The Metaphysics Of African Experimental Science

Chapter Twelve

18. Explanation In African Science

Ijiomah’s Model Of Harmony Of Contraries (Imhc)

Asouzu’s Ibuanyidanda Model (Aim)

Model Of Causal Explanation (Mce)

19. Postscript: The Challenge Of African Science

Appendix

Some Relevant Literature

About The Author

Studies in African Philosophy, Science, Logic and Mathematics

VOLUME ONE

Studies in African Philosophy, Science, Logic and Mathematics is a series devoted to the advancement of knowledge by constructing theories in these African fields of learning. Contributors should write the editors: studiesinafrica@gmail.com

Editors:

J. O. Chimakonam

G.O. Ozumba

A.F. Uduigwomen

M. Obiajulu

K. Macaulay

C.O. Akpan

FOREWORD

Introducing African Science: Systematic and Philosophical Approach is an interesting and insightful but thought provoking book by Dr. Jonathan O. Chimakonam. It is a little book with big content, profound and far reaching thoughts and articulations. In one breath, it is an historical odyssey into African Science, African logic and African metaphysics and epistemology. The book does three things namely, it establishes that Africans had and still have a peculiar thought system/logic and science, second, it systematizes this science upon African logic and calls for it to be further studied and improved upon and third, it makes a case for the institutionalization of African natural thought system in our schools such that the education of the African child would be productive. This is because it is only by so doing that Africans especially our scientists can become true scientists and not some crank technicians who have nothing to show for their years of study.

The question is how do we effect the needed conceptual decolonization, reeducation and reorientation that are necessary for refocusing our mindset on our African ways of reflection on reality and doing things which the author has tagged thought system? It is important to stress that it will take a national or continental decision to chart a course of doing things purely the African way especially now that the entire continent appears to have been sucked irretrievably into the global marketplace. Grand policies, decisions and actions are necessary from both the governments and the education authorities to be able to accomplish this feat. However, we may advise following the authors insight that not so literate Africans who have not been polluted with the Western thought pattern in studying nature should be isolated and encouraged. Based on this, we want to recommend that the governments in Africa should start isolationist education programmes where unpolluted Africans could be educated to test run some of these insights from the author. The theories and practices of their genius can now be systematized and written down. The simplicity of African science as the author has enthused should be encouraged so that we do not ape Western science to our destruction. Benefits of hindsight and foresight should aid us in pursuing a science and technology that is medium ranged, devoid of the devastating effects of present day Western science and yet with total efficacy as African science promises.

Dr. Jonathan Chimakonam has like a wounded lion made his point in such an able and persuasive way that we cannot but share his sentiments and convictions. It may be advisable both to encourage and join him in pursuing these noble ideas to their logical conclusions. No knowledge is a waste and none should be despised. We invite all lovers of Africa, scientists, philosophers, researchers and students to get a copy of this book—read and be inspired for greater breakthroughs in African science, logic, metaphysics and epistemology.

With this towering intellectual accomplishment, Dr. Jonathan Chimakonam has not only proven that Africans are capable of revolutionary thoughts but has emerged as one of the leading original thinkers on the continent. In fact, in this piece of adorable literature, Jonathan could be said to have done for Africa what thinkers like Francis Bacon did for the West. In all, I think this is an unprecedented attempt to wake us all up from our colonial complacency and cultural ineptitude. Intellectually, we have been challenged to write constructively and creatively rather than the usual commentaries on Western created thoughts which have been the trademark of most African academics. Africans must arise and carve a niche for themselves in the match of world civilization by discerning their God-given areas of comparative advantage in order to contribute to the pool of global resources and humanity’s general wellbeing on our planet Earth.

This book should be adopted as one of the introductory texts in the sciences and as a text for the general studies course on History and Philosophy of Science in our secondary schools and universities, I see no reason anymore why we should study Western science without studying our own science, especially now that Dr. Jonathan has systematized ours. This book is a must-read for all and sundry. I wholeheartedly recommend it to all. Happy reading!

Prof. G. O. Ozumba

Head, Department of Philosophy

University of Calabar, Nigeria

Preface

I remember my first days in school, the only language I spoke was Igbo, I could not remember learning it. My mathematical orientation was the Igbo numeric system, again I could not remember taking lessons from anyone not even from my parents or playmates yet I know it, just as if it is in me, and it is. I fully understand what anyone means when he utters a sentence in ordinary language and I follow the most rigorous description of reality done in mathematical language of my people. Once I form an idea in my mind, I do not think of the words to employ in expressing it, the perfect words very readily begin to flow out of my mouth.

However, in my first days in school after a lengthy excitement, I came to be faced with the first shock of my life: "knowledge is essential in this world and one has to learn every piece of knowledge to survive in it. So have I learnt anything before, No! Since I have never sat to take lessons, I know nothing. What does this mean? It means that everything I thought I knew was nonessential. The real knowledge is the Whiteman’s own, do you have any? No! Since I do not have any, I am not just ignorant, I am a fool. To wash this off, I have to be prepared to reject every rubbish that found its way into my mind, including my language. It was a primitive noise making. The very first step to my becoming civilized is to banish it forever from my tongue and make haste to speak the true language of civilized men (in my case, English). I remember now with bitterness one of the very first shocking discussions I held with my peers after our first day in school. Some of us folded our arms across our chests in awe of disbelief and great confusion. Our teacher, a slender lady who never uttered a single word of the Igbo language that day, instructed us with a dry countenance that it was prohibited to speak our beloved mother tongue. He reminded us that the class monitor was standing by to take down the name of anyone who broke this strange law. Such a bushman would sweep the class and darken the board for seven days. We were animals, it was the duty of the teachers to wean us and turn us into civilized humans. So our language was a bush language some of us wondered in awe? So everything we knew was nothing sensible?

And then the class started in earnest, fearful though of this unexpected shock, some of us were resolute to impress our elegant Miss with our willingness to abandon the bush ways of our fathers. We learnt the parts of speech, a totally abstruse and complicated subject. After some days in this struggle, some of us were beginning to cram the lot the teacher had been saying.

John is a good boy.

We had with great difficulty remarked the part of speech each of the words was. Then all of a sudden, the teacher had changed her example:

Peter is a good boy

No one was sure what part of speech Peter was. This became a tricky business, after some months we still got confused each time familiar words were changed. Then some smart ones among us discovered an easy way out: learn the meaning of every word then transliterate to Igbo for proper understanding. Also, symphony and transliteration became a way out for unfamiliar words.

Jesus spoke to the multitude

Transliterates by symphony to: Jesos gwara ndi mmuo n’eti udu okwu translates back to English as:

Jesus spoke to the masquerades who were beating drums.

Thus we began to score poorly sometimes. To escape the shameful confusion that ensued each time a word is changed, we had to abandon pictorial symbolization and cramming and seek for understanding. To get this, consulting with our mother tongue was a smart escape route. This helped to a great extent but invaluable time and energy were lost and terrible vicious circle ensued.

After the morning lessons, we went on a break those who could not withstand the madness anymore ran home while some of us who had been sternly warned not to run back home braved it and stayed for the remainder of the school hour. It was time for class work.

School is a great place of learning mention other two great places of learning?

As usual we began to transliterate… Ulo akwukwo bu obodobo ebe mmuta, kaa udidi abuo ozo? . . . translates back to English as… school is a big wide big place of imitation state two other types. With this already distorted meaning, we wrestled much longer, sweating from our brow and twisting hard our brains ensnared in the vicious circle of transliterating and translating back and forth. Finally, weary and sullen we produced our answers:

St. Steven’s primary school and St. Augustine’s primary school.

Our own school was the big wide big place of imitation; the two above are just the other types.

This problem with ordinary language were nothing compared to what awaited us in mathematical language.

One, we eventually learned was the same as Otu. 2 is a sign that has the same meaning as 30015.jpg . O.k., but to us 30023.jpg is hanging, it is not really meaningful until we know what it qualifies. So if 2 is the same as our 30027.jpg , then 2 what? And we were told it does not matter whether it was 2 something or 2 nothing, 2 is always 2. This made no sense at all. But rather than annoy us, it confirmed our worst fears. We were bush men indeed, who not only knew nothing, but may never be able to learn civilization. There was no smart way out. We know that two tubers of yam added to another two tubers would be four tubers but we do not know that two added to two would be four. To us they were empty.

Some of us who were able to let go of the way we reason and struggle to make sense of the senseless Whiteman’s ways became known as brilliant and intelligent chaps. Some of us who only then were not smart enough to do this, became the dullards or more usual, coconut heads; who, term after term took home the teachers recommendation that we be sent to learn some trade, to our most times, agonized parents. The thought of being deployed to the big market at Onitsha or the one at Aba for trade apprenticeship under some imposing master pressured some of us to strive even harder. In our days, the kids who got such recommendations were the dummies of this world, the shame of their families. To escape this lowly fate, most of us wedged a longish identity war confused and petrified, just to get civilized.

As we get pushed over from class to class we began to learn social studies, integrated science etc., where