BEYOND THE POSSIBILITY QUESTION: THE REALITY AND NATURE OF AFRICAN LOGIC

By

Elijah Okon John

&

Patrick Achong Anoh

Department of Philosophy

University of Uyo, Nigeria

Abstract

This work on “Beyond the Possibility Question: The Reality and Nature of African Logic” seeks to go beyond the argument about the possibility of African Logic by affirming the reality of African logic and then elucidating the nature of African logic. There was a point in time, and there was a debate about whether or not there is an African philosophy. With that debate settled and the affirmation of the reality of African philosophy, Udo Etuk tries to fly a kite of the possibility of African logic. Arguing that since logic is a discipline in philosophy, and given that there is an African philosophy, he concluded that there must be an African logic. The crux of the doubt about the existence of an African logic seems to stem from the belief that reasoning and thus, logic is universal and cannot be a matter of cultures. Through the method of analysis, it will be the contention of this research work that given the role language plays in thinking and ultimately in reasoning and also given the limitations and nature of African languages, there is a particular nature of African reasoning. This work ends with some specific practical examples of the nature of African logic.