AN EXAMINATION OF THE METHODS OF PHILOSOPHY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN SOCIETY
Every field of human endeavor has its ordered ways through which it carries out its systematic enquiry and study. Philosophy in its own right as an area of human discipline does not go about its business without certain rules by way of procedures. However, the question one may ask is how it is possible that philosophy is guided by certain methods, when it has no generally accepted definition, given the fact of the nature of the subject matter of its concern, which is reality in its entirety. Is it really possible to have any peculiar procedure of examining and studying reality called the method of philosophy distinct from the procedures used in other disciplines? In other words, are there methods that are distinct and sui generis to philosophy? How can these methods help human development in the society? In this work, our main contention is to examine how the philosophic methods can help human society in its quest for development. Africa for instance is a society where interminable attempts at development have been observed, it is therefore recommendable that a combination of the methods of philosophy as observed in this article can help human society especially African in the improvement of its conundrum of underdevelopment. We end by averring that Philosophy, mankind’s greatest intellectual achievement is not being utilized enough as it is supposed to in order to help mankind in its developmental drive for excellence
Keywords: development, examination, human, implications, methods, philosophy, society