CRITICAL INTERSECTIONS BETWEEN RELIGION AND SCIENCE IN TRADITIONAL AFRICAN WORLDVIEW

  • Evaristus Emeka Isife
Keywords: Religion, science, Africa, Knowledge, world, principles, hypotheses, theories, sophistication

Abstract

That religion and science are after one common objective which is to understand the external world is not in doubt. The difference however in the quest for this objective is the cultural method employed, the kind of question asked as well as the attitude towards the outcome of such an inquiry. Since science from the Latin root word “scientia” translate as “knowledge,” it becomes compelling to ask if there is such thing as knowledge of the external world by African forebears? If there is, what does it look like and how is it different or similar from science that emanates from the Western culture and tradition? The paper highlights areas of intersections such as hypotheses and theory formulation, observation and experimentation as well as mathematical language as important features of science. The paper, adopting the method of critical analysis, engaged religion (belief in a Supernatural creator) and science (knowledge of matter) from the angle of their focus on the understanding of the laws found in nature. The novelty of the paper is in the interrogation of the scientific attitude as it is known today in western culture and the quest to see if this is present in traditional African worldview and practice.

Published
2022-10-12
Section
Articles