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Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
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e-ISSN: 2395-0463
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April 2015
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Philosophy and the Pillars of Human Development
Charles Chukwuemeka Nweke
(nkesun2002@yahoo.com)
Department of Philosophy, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka-Nigeria
Abstract
The concept of human development involves
the attempt to address the challenges of
human living. By building human
capabilities, human development represents
the bid to improve human condition, given
that a society only presumes development
which pays insignificant attention to the
growth of its human resources. Efficient
and sustainable human development has
conceivably been anchored on equity,
sustainability, productivity, empowerment,
cooperation and security. Being basically
philosophical principles, these pillars of
human development remain essential basis
of measurement for United Nation’s Human
Development Index (HDI) which takes into
account statistics such as life expectancy at
birth, an education index and gross national
income per capita. With the philosophical
tool of critical analysis, this paper
establishes how these pillars are and remain
the philosophical foundations of human
development, the engine of societal
development. The paper identifies the
problems associated with non adherence to
these principles and proffers options for
bettering human condition through
strengthening the tenets of these pillars in
the face of multifarious global adversities.
Key words:
Human development, Humanism,
Philosophy
Introduction
The essential attribute of man is his
definition as a rational animal. A prominent
feature of this rationality consists in the
ability of self determination, self realization
and self actualization. In known history,
philosophy has been at the frontier of human
development. The social contract theories
represent man’s prime desire for an
organized society since the precarious state
of nature remains brute, unpleasant and
undesirable. Man can only have a retarded
and endangered development in a state of
war propelled by egocentric passion. With
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Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
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e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 01 Issue 03
April 2015
Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 219
nature’s bequeathal of inherent
potentialities, together with the provisions of
the natural environment, man is set on the
path of self realization.
But then, man’s self development is not
delimited. Emmanuel Kant would hold that
humans as rational agents should not be
ethically considered as a means to an end,
but as ends in themselves. But being at the
same time a social animal, man’s self
development is within the context of the
society. Without negating the import of
independent personal development for the
purpose of self actualization, human
development serves the ultimate purpose of
the preservation and advancement of
humanity within the context of society. The
historic paradigm shift of emphasis from
supernaturalism to naturalism cum
humanism was borne out of the need for a
scientific development of humanity and its
society. Issues revolving around this shift
have engaged humanists of various
inclinations.
Philosophy and Human Development
The homocentric outlook of the present
globe equally obtrudes man at the epicenter
of philosophy. From antiquity, philosophy
has championed the cause of human
development. Ancient philosophers like
Socrates, Pythagoras, Plato and Aristotle,
not only formally initiated what is today
regarded as the ‘mother of all sciences’, but
led the inroad into humanity’s cognitive
development. That Egypt is the cradle of
human civilization is African philosophic
claim. Inquiry into reality, a human specific
ability, is essentially motivated by the
ultimate need for human development.
Thus, the quest for the meaning of being and
ultimate reality necessitates metaphysics
which ordinarily would be misconstrued by
schools like naturalism, positivism and
empiricism to lack humanistic content. Jack
Powell(2014) had posited that:
The term "metaphysics" applies to a branch
of philosophy focused on defining reality.
The goal of metaphysics is to help those
who study it understand reality and the
world around them, and to help them
achieve enlightenment. Oftentimes people
turn to metaphysical studies when they are
unhappy with something in their lives or
when something is not working as they'd
like.
He stated furthermore that:
The two main questions all metaphysicists
ask regularly are "What is there?" and
"What is it like?" The goal of these two
questions is to gain clarity on major
philosophical questions, such as the meaning
of life and what happens after a person dies.
Answering these questions requires a
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different process for each individual, but the
process is personal and involves reflection
and
Self-discovery.
Metaphysics is important for the
development of the rational and spiritual
aspects of man. Various ontology, theism,
and aspects of medieval philosophy are
metaphysical strands found in philosophy of
religion. The dichotomy and reconciliation
between faith and reason, the sacred and the
secular are aspects of man’s spiritual
concern which philosophers of various strata
have grappled with and attended to.
Philosophy is essentially an epistemic
endeavour in so far as it thrives on the quest
for knowledge of which crucial purpose is
human enlightenment. For philosophy, man
is essentially a rational animal. His
rationality requires development through
education. If knowledge acquisition
(education) remains a vital aspect of human
development, enquiry into the meaning,
nature, source, subject and object of
knowledge constitute a more basic human
developmental apparatus. The lingering
debate between rationalism and empiricism
remain attempts at addressing staring
epistemological issues. Beaming its critical
search light on education, philosophy:
...address questions in and about pedagogy,
education policy, and curriculum, as well as
the process of learning, to name a few. For
example, it might study what constitutes
upbringing and education, the values and
norms revealed through upbringing and
educational practices, the limits and
legitimization of education as an academic
discipline, and the relation between
educational theory and practice.(Wikipedia)
Human development must take cognizance
of the moral aspect of man and thrives on
multifarious values spread across all facets
and spheres of human existence and
endeavour. Philosophy champions enquiry
into varieties and degrees of values defining
and refining, describing and prescribing as
well as multiplying human developmental
value options. Together with theories of
values, ethicists are concerned about human
conducts in terms of stipulation of moral
norms towards a stable humanity.
Utilitarianism, theories of justice, ethical
pragmatism, theories of equality, rights and
freedom are part of many philosophical
attempts at developing the moral aspect of
man.
Philosophy considers critical thinking very
vital to the development of the cognitive
aspect of man. With studies in logic,
philosophy champions humanity’s project of
valid reasoning. Man cannot claim to be
