Philosophers’ debt to their students: The South African case

Bernard Matolino

doi:10.4102/the.v5i0.87

Abstract

Philosophy teachers owe their students a little more than mere formal instruction of topics popular in philosophy. What they owe their students is largely influenced by philosophy’s claims to be a discipline that is principally dedicated to the study and fostering of wisdom. Therefore, there is an obligation to be wise on the part of philosophy teachers so that they can deliver that wisdom. A big part of this would involve a sort of transformation in knowledge and character that the teachers themselves must go through as a result of engaging in philosophy. Such transformation will not only show in ways that philosophers live their private lives, as wise people, but will certainly show in the topics they teach their students and how they help their students to wisely respond to their environment through an enlightened, relevant and empowering curriculum. If philosophers fail at this task, they will only dispatch fragmented pieces of information about philosophical topics and method that are of no use to their students. If philosophers are unable to see the shortcomings of this approach, then they can just as well count themselves unfit to be called (wise) teachers but technical philosophers. The fees must fall and Rhodes must fall movement coupled with demands for decolonisation, caught philosophers underprepared for such demands from students. Hence, in this article, I seek to examine the legitimate demands for transformation of the curriculum and how philosophical instruction in the country contributed to this protest, which eventually was caricatured in some sections as unreasonable. I argue that beyond what appears as unreasonable demands by students, there is an obligation by philosophy teachers to be responsible and responsive to the students’ context in what they teach.

Highlights

In this article, I seek to present what I consider to be philosophers’ obligation to their students, as university teachers, in the South African context in the aftermath of the fees must fall movement and calls for the decolonisation of the curriculum
This article is divided into three sections, the first is a brief outline of the historical problem and how it has led to the present stagnation, the second is pointer to what needs to be done in the instruction of philosophy in South Africa and the third attempts to sketch the benefits of following the instruction I suggest in the second section
The only way to achieve this is for philosophy itself to engage its place in ways that show the seriousness that the place deserves. This place has been treated as if it could not fit into philosophical discussion, or when it is made to fit into philosophical discussion, a special category is created for it under dubious descriptors such as ‘we offer a course in African philosophy’

Summary

Introduction

I seek to present what I consider to be philosophers’ obligation to their students, as university teachers, in the South African context in the aftermath of the fees must fall movement and calls for the decolonisation of the curriculum. Whilst some moves (as a result of pressures of equity targets), are being made to fill junior positions with South African (born) junior academics, a lot still needs to be done at most of the formerly white universities to achieve an acceptable representation of South African philosophers of African descent If these tragedies are overcome and university lecturers are freed from the bondage of the need to defend a certain view of philosophy at the expense of their place and environment and are willing to embrace the philosophical promise and actual achievements of this place, we will possibly have a well-developed curriculum emerging from our departments. Their language will be much richer than an insurrectionist dictum

Conclusion

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