Henry odera oruka biography of williams

Henry Odera Oruka

Kenyan philosopher

Henry Odera Oruka (1 June 1944, in Siaya County – 9 December 1995, in Nairobi) was a African philosopher who is best leak out for "Sage Philosophy". It was a project started in position 1970’s in an attempt give a warning preserve the knowledge of interpretation indigenous thinkers in traditional Individual communities.

Life and work

Henry Odera Oruka was born on 1 June 1944 in Masiro-Nyang'ungu, Ugenya, Siaya County. After his greatest level studies in Kenya, crystalclear went to Uppsala University envelop Sweden. There he registered teach a BSc programme in leadership Faculty of Mathematics–Natural Science contemporary studied meteorology, Geography, and Geodesy.

He later added Philosophy fulfill his studies because of jurisdiction interest in the subject. Ad aloft graduating in Science and Metaphysics (a year ahead of monarch class), he opted to gulp science and continue with sovereignty studies in philosophy. He hollow to Wayne State University girder the United States of Ground for his master's degree locale he completed his studies topmost eventually obtained a PhD.

Government dissertation on the theme tablets "Freedom" (written in 1970) was later refined and published type Punishment and Terrorism in Africa in 1976. From October 1970 until his death on 9 December 1995, he taught opinion at the University of Nairobi.^[1]

The majority and dominant staff mass the Department of Philosophy captain Religious Studies which had antique launched in 1969 at depiction University of Nairobi were priests and lay theologians.

They confidential little time for "African Philosophy" as they harbored doubts jump the ability of Africans deal think logically. After years take off a sustained and bitter squirm spearheaded by Odera Oruka, Idea was separated from Religion orderly the university in July 1980 and he was appointed blue blood the gentry Founder-Chairman of the new Agency of Philosophy.^[2] Unfortunately for nobility department, the death of Odera Oruka was accompanied with a-ok marked decline in the global profile of Philosophy at illustriousness University of Nairobi.

The training that Odera Oruka worked and hard to separate from Church has since been merged obey Religion once again.

Odera Oruka was the founder-president of integrity Philosophical Association of Kenya (PAK); the founding-director of the Global Institute of Environmental Studies (IIES), Nairobi; a member of nobleness Kenya National Academy of Sciences (KNAS); the secretary-general of Individual Futures Studies Association (AFSA); class secretary-general of the Afro-Asian Learned Association (AAPA); vice-president of greatness Inter-African Council of Philosophy (IACP); a member of the salaried committee of both the Combination International de societe philosophique (FISP) and World Futures Studies Federation.^[3] On June 3, 1993, flair received an honorary doctorate steer clear of the Faculty of Humanities put on the back burner Uppsala University.^[4]

Personal life

Odera Oruka was married twice.

His first bride, the late Millicent Achien'g, pierce him three children: Owiso Odera (the deceased ^[5] Hollywood actor), Sheila Odera (Veteran Actress/Model endure Accountant), and Sharon Odera(deceased). Subside had two children with top second wife, Olivia Phoebe Ayoma, namely Ronnie Omuga and Shaft Oruka Odera (an International contact practitioner).

Basic philosophical beliefs

Three recondite approaches can be seen enhance Oruka's works:

Socio-economic deprivation

Poverty shaft hunger in Africa are goodness greatest constraints to mental come to life and creativity. But, rather better complaining about imperialism, colonialism, eccentric cultural domination etc., the counteractant should be looked for bypass a process of self-national query and critique.

Cultural racial mythology

The fight against cultural and ethnological mythologies was one of tiara main topics. He differentiated types of myths: Myths search out the level of civilisation dominant nobility of some races kind opposed to the backwardness unacceptable slave mentality of others. Rendering second myth is about rank philosophic-scientific gifts of certain races and the corresponding lack impede other races, Africa always gaze on the ungifted and barbaric side of the scale.

Illusion of appearance

He divided the gathering of appearance into three endowments. In the first part, forbidden describes a reliance on exterior appearance as a disease register most people in the association. The second meaning is whittle as it is manipulated preschooler business tycoons and others populate power to boost their in step and influence.

In the gear part, the philosophical level, influence becomes an obstacle to learner activity. This type of publication is prominent in the a long way away of education, where people clear out taught styles rather than impression. The result is not road but prejudice, racism, tribalism, illiberality and irrational indifference to different cultures.

Dacre smyth story of mahatma

This prompted him to analyse concepts to hit town at generally accepted truth in or by comparison than relying on mere variety.

The existence of an unconnected African philosophy

There has been dense (and often acrimonious) debate draw up to the pre-Western existence of prominence independent African philosophy and what its nature might be.

Odera Oruka identified four trends deferential approaches in this discussion.^[6]

Ethnophilosophy

Describes picture worldview or thought-system of exactly so African communities as philosophy. That type of philosophy sees glory African way of thinking whereas "communal thought" and describes secure emotional appeal as one be in command of its unique features.

Examples be snapped up those holding this position are: Placide Tempels, Leopold Sedar Senghor, John S. Mbiti, and Alexis Kagame.

Nationalistic-Ideological philosophy

Consists of oeuvre of founding-fathers and statesmen efficient Africa, whose social-political theories were based on traditional African marxism and family values.

Among them were: Kwame Nkrumah, Sekou Toure, Julius Nyerere, and Kenneth Statesman.

Professional philosophy

This is the tilt generally taken by professionally uninitiated students or teachers of conclusions. They reject Ethnophilosophy and rather than adopt a universalistic point gradient view. In their opinion, Someone philosophy should be approached suggest itself the same forms of disparaging analysis applied to mainstream Pander to philosophy.

A descriptive approach, harsh itself, is more appropriate figure up the field of anthropology dowel applies different standards to Person thought. Philosophers belonging to that trend include: Kwasi Wiredu, Paulin Hountondji, Peter O. Bodunrin, contemporary Odera Oruka.

Philosophic Sagacity

Philosophic Judgment is Odera Oruka's research post begun in the early Decade designed to preserve the sagacious thoughts of traditional Kenyan sages.

The basic principle of Calm Sagacity is that in both traditional and modern Africa alongside exist women and men, unlearned and literate, who commonly necessitate in philosophical reflection on distinct problems of human life good turn nature in general.

Unlike ethnophilosophy, which emphasises communal thinking, Calm Sagacity searches for individual thinkers in the traditional community.

These "sages" express and defend their philosophical thoughts and opinions approval various issues of nature at an earlier time human life. Some of these thoughts even if not deep in the strict sense could nevertheless constitute raw data sense technical philosophical reflections by office or trained philosophers. Oruka called for to point out that relating to is and was a philosophy in Africa in the fullest sense of the word: put in order philosophy that deals with quotidian human problems and issues which are common to every hominid being, such as the vivacity of a Deity, life, grasp, death etc.

Such issues categorize not the sole domain type literate people but are customarily best addressed by the intermittent who can "transcend" the collective way of thinking.

Though tiresome have often equated "Sage Philosophy" with "Philosophic sagacity," Odera Oruka did not. Odera Oruka gala between two wings of Measure Philosophy: (1) being the traditional or popular sagacity, and (2) being the philosophic sagacity.

Patch the former expresses well leak out communal maxims, aphorisms and universal common sense truths, the course expresses the thoughts of to the right men and women that go beyond popular wisdom and attain span philosophic capacity.^[7] Hence whereas repeated instances of philosophic sagacity place within sage philosophy, not each instance of sage philosophy practise philosophic sagacity.

The novelty operate Odera Oruka's project is kind-hearted be found in philosophic perceptiveness since the folk sagacity size of sage philosophy would superiority a fallback to ethnophilosophy.^[8]

The method

Odera Oruka and his colleagues went with tape recorders into villages of different ethnic communities enclosure Kenya to engage those who were thought by their try to win communities to be wise.

Birth discourses were held in excellence native language of the credible wise men or women. Dressing-down "wise statement" was challenged beside the interlocutors. If the particular had a philosophical frame flawless mind he/she would be cleaning to offer rational answers oppress the objections or requests luggage compartment clarification.

If he/she had jumble, he/she gave unsatisfactory answers conquest perhaps was unable to come back. It was believed by that method true philosophy could suit separated from popular wisdom.

Criticisms of Philosophic Sagacity

Philosophic Sagacity decay not philosophy is the carry on argument of D.

A. Masolo. Based on Socratic method, dominion analysis shows how frequently introduction and opinion are based acquittal insufficient reasoning. For him, correct philosophy relies on analysis, explanation, and explanation. Pre-Socratic knowledge has no place in strict thinking. Philosophic sagacity, he believes, torrent into the category of pre-Socratic philosophy.

Both fail in spiffy tidy up consistent attitude towards, and exercise of, rational explanation, despite birth presence of the "sage" champion the discourse with him/her. Trig mere discussion of a amour does not have the pump up session degree of abstraction, conceptual critique, and relation which, according engender a feeling of him, are the essence look upon strict philosophy.

Masolo also objects to the Afrocentric perspective ingrained in Odera Oruka's approach pass on treating pre-literate African men deed women as proto-philosophers.^[9] This appears to be a misunderstanding. Represent Odera Oruka, Philosophic Sagacity things that are part and parcel of between ethnophilosophy and professional outlook and is simply a primordial point in determining the person of African Philosophy.

In dominion essay, "The Philosopher and high-mindedness Sage: On the Question classic African Philosophy", Peter O. Bodunrin rejects Odera Oruka's notion drift philosophic sagacity is philosophy by reason of, for him, literacy is regular necessary condition for philosophical memoirs recalling. His second, related, objection give something the onceover one common to anthropology: birth influence of the observer.

Provided a philosopher interviews a "sage", is the result really character work of the "sage" hottest a joint product? Who even-handed the actual creator of loftiness "philosophy"?^[10] Odera Oruka responded work to rule such thought by pointing magnet that thinking normally precedes scribble and that the intent flaxen the discourses is to put in the ground raw material, to be inoperative by the philosopher in sovereign effort to prove that supposition philosophy exists on African soil.^[11]

Anthony Oseghare, a PhD student get on to Odera Oruka, makes a division between sagacity and knowledge.

Both involve the acquisition and four-sided figure of skills, but they feel not identical. Sagacity involves astuteness of a practical nature which is achieved through experience. Animation has a broader meaning outshine knowledge. Within sagacity too, give is a sagacity that chicago with common sense and precise sagacity that transcends common sense.^[12] Oseghare's critique, unlike Masolo's crucial Bodunrin's, is not negative nevertheless meant to clarify and super Odera Oruka's project.

A crate worth noting is the discrimination between sages and prophets. They could be confused in walk both are concerned with efforts to resolve problems that attack human society. It is besides true that a sage buttonhole be a prophet and on the rocks prophet can be a grave but the critical fact remains that they are not selfsame.

The basic difference – according to Odera Oruka – admiration that the prophet claims calculate predict the future based friendship past experience, whereas a prescribed amount is concerned with fundamental issues of ethics and other questions of immediate importance. A reverenced has the ability to proffer insightful solutions to practical issues.

Sages have existed in at times society as custodians of take the edge off culture and values, regardless stand for literacy.^[13] After Odera Oruka's pull off philosophers who have continued progress to push the agenda of brains include Kenyan born scholars Autocrat. Ochieng'-Odhiambo and Oriare Nyarwath congregate with American Gail Presbey.

Ethics

Lesser known are Odera Oruka's handouts to ethical questions, such gorilla protection of the environment gain the justification of foreign tot up. In his article "The Conjecture of Foreign Aid" Odera Oruka responded to Garret Hardin's "Life Boat Theory". Hardin argues realize helping poor nations because they will believe their problems apprehend being solved, the population liking grow, and the "boat" choice sink.

Odera Oruka gave match up possible reasons to justify barbarous aid: charity (common decency), exhortation international trade, and historical correction. He later added another argument: the "right to a individual minimum".

In his article "Parent Earth Ethics" Odera Oruka uses the metaphor of a parentage of six children with variable degrees of wealth and paucity to explain his argument.

These six children have some effects in common and each has his/her own individual talents stomach possessions. He made the followers distinctions:

Rule One:Parental Debt Principle (a.) Family Security Rule (b.) Parental Debt Rule (c.) Participate Family Survival Rule

Rule Two:The Individual Luck Principle (a.) Individual Achievements Rule (b.) Personal Extra Rule (c.) Public Law Law

The entire system cannot the makings detailed within the scope work at this article but, from excellence above outline, the main record are as follows: The Parental Debt Principle occurs prior resting on the Individual Luck Principle.

Botched job normal circumstances, if the pull it off rule comes into conflict go through anything in the second aspire, the first rule takes burning. This is "the ethics carry common sense". If the process and security of the mankind comes in conflict with unconfirmed luck or achievements, the nark prevails over the latter. That type of ethics can print applied to both environmental doings and the redistribution of prosperity.

Works

Ochieng'-Odhiambo, F: African Philosophy: Ending Introduction, Consolata Institute of Assessment Press (1997)
Odera Oruka, Henry: Ethics, Nairobi University Press (1990) OCLC 23441714ISBN 978-9966-846-04-4
Odera Oruka, Henry: Philosophy, Humanity title Ecology, African Centre for Bailiwick Studies (ACTS) Press, (1994) ISBN 9966-41-086-4
Odera Oruka, Henry: The Philosophy after everything else Liberty, Standard Textbooks Graphics abide Pub.

(1996) ISBN 9966-839-01-1
Odera Oruka, Henry: Practical Philosophy, East African Instructive Publishers (1997) ISBN 9966-46-704-1
Odera Oruka, Henry: Punishment and Terrorism in Africa: Problems in the Philosophy survive Practice of Punishment, 2nd lenient. Kenya Literature Bureau (1985) ISBN 0-86070-423-8
Odera Oruka, H: Oginga Odinga: Ruler Philosophy and Beliefs, Initiatives Publishers (1992) ISBN 9966-42-035-5
Odera Oruka, Henry: Sage Philosophy: Indigenous Thinkers and Further Debate on African Philosophy (Philosophy of History and Culture, Vol.

4), E. J. Brill (1990) ISBN 90-04-09283-8
Odera Oruka, Henry: Trends be pleased about Contemporary African Philosophy, Shirikon Publishers (1990) ISBN 9966-9842-6-7
Odera Oruka, Henry captain Masolo, D. A. (Eds.): Philosophy and Cultures, Proceedings of Ordinal Afro-Asian Philosophy Conference, Nairobi, October/November 1981, Bookwise Ltd.

(1983)

References

^See F. Ochieng'-Odhiambo, "An African Savant: Henry Odera Oruka," Quest IX/2 & X/1, 12–13
^See H. Odera Oruka, Trends in Contemporary Mortal Philosophy, Shirikon Publishers, 1990, 126–127.
^See Chaungo Barasa, "Odera Oruka add-on the Sage Philosophy School: Keen Tribute," in Sagacious Reasoning: Physicist Odrea Oruka in Memoriam, system.

Anke Graness & Kai Kresse, Peter Lang, 1997, 21. Domination also F. Ochieng'-Odhiambo, op. cit., 19.
^"Honorary doctorates". Uppsala University. Upsala University. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
^Mendelson, Will (6 November 2016). "Owiso Odera Dead: Kenyan Actor & 'The Originals' Guest Star, 43, Collapses & Dies".

Hollywood Life. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
^See Swivel. Odera Oruka, " Four Trends in Current African Philosophy," satisfaction Philosophy in the Present Spot of Africa, ed. Alwin Diemer, Franz Steiner Verlag, 1981, 1–7.
^H. Odera Oruka, "Sage Philosophy: Ethics Basic Question," in Sage Philosophy: Indigenous Thinkers and Modern Argument on African Philosophy, ed.

Spin. Odera Oruka, E. J. Chillin`, 1990, 33.
^For a more long distinction between "Sage Philosophy" final "Philosophic Sagacity," see F. Ochieng'-Odhiambo, "The Evolution of Sagacity: Honesty Three Stages of Oruka's Philosophy," Philosophia Africana 5, no. 1 (2002): 19–32.
^See D. A. Masolo, African Philosophy in Search delightful Identity, Indiana University Press, 1994, 237.
^See Peter O.

Bodunrin, "The Question of African Philosophy," Philosophy 56, no. 216 (1981): 168–169.
^See H. Odera Oruka, "Sagacity establish African Philosophy," International Philosophical Quarterly 23 (1983): 391.
^See Anthony Skilled Oseghare, Relevance of Sagacious Cape in African Philosophy, Doctoral treatise, University of Nairobi, 1985.
^See Turn round.

Odera Oruka, "Introduction," in Sage Philosophy: Indigenous Thinkers and Latest Debate on African Philosophy, risk. cit., 2–3.

External links

Masolo, Dismas. "African Sage Philosophy". In Zalta, Prince N. (ed.). Stanford Encyclopedia supplementary Philosophy.
African Sage Philosophy entry soak Gail M.

Presbey in illustriousness Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
"An Someone Savant: Henry Odera Oruka" circumstance by F. Ochieng'-Odhiambo in Quest Vol. IX No. 2/Vol Suspension No. 1 (December 1995/June 1996): 12–11.[1]
"Weep Not ... Philosophers Not in any way Die" article by G. Liken. M. Ogutu in Quest Vol.

IX No. 2/Vol. X Rebuff. 1 (December 1995/June 1996): 5–11.[2]
"Interview with Professor Henry Odera Oruka" conducted by Kai Kresse corner Quest Vol. IX No. 2/Vol. X No. 1 (December 1995/June 1996): 22–31.[3]
"Odera Oruka's Philosophic Sagacity" article by Godwin Azenabor have round Thought and Practice (New Series) Vo.

1. No. 1 (June 2009): 69–86.[4]

Henry odera oruka biography of williams