Exploring the core questions of African science

The question of African science interrogates the possibility of devising an African- oriented methodology for scientific theorising. Apologias of African science propose at least three evidential rationales in defence of a scientific method claimed to be African – namely, (i) utility, (ii) uniqueness and (iii) secrecy. These three justifications enact theories of African science according to the article’s proposal of three major methodological perspectives – namely, (i) a functionalist perspective, (ii) a metaphysico-religious perspective and (iii) a critical-rationalist perspective. In an effort to explore the credentials of the discipline, scholars, by and large, have neglected a detailed analysis of the worth of the justifications that sustain African science. Consequently, the neglect has blurred an opportunity to appreciate the various ways in which the methodological justifications in themselves hand African science a spade to dig its own grave of stagnation. In this work, we take a holistic approach to enrich the discourse by examining the supposed justifications along with the methodological perspectives. Using the method of concept analysis, we establish that the sole focus on the much-exalted virtues used in justifying the legitimacy of African science inhibits growth by subtly echoing competition rather than complementarity. As such, consideration for growth should redirect the discipline to look beyond the interests of such justifications in pursuit of complementarity

Transformative learning · African cultural and philosophical studies · Families in Therapy and Culture · Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Agriculture

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• Knowledge Cultures

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• Muthi, Medicine and Witchcraft

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• Traditional Healers in the Nigerian Health Care Delivery System and the Debate over Integrating Traditional and Scientific Medicine

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• African Traditional Thought and Western Science

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