Pyschologizing Philosophy and Philosophizing Environmentalism: Seeking for a Sustainable Human Values Framework for Africa in the 21st Century

Abstract

The traditional paper about the environmental decadence discusses the degradation and despoliation occasioned by consistent human abuse, misuse and exploitation. A critical examination of those negative cli- ches throws into the equation the disciplinary injections from philosophy, psychology and environmental management. In the African world, words have meanings and connotations that outweigh their daily commonalities. These words are colored by the cosmological, ontological and axiological backgrounds that are informed by African belief systems and human values. Most importantly, the mind of the African man and woman is tempered by the beliefs and value systems which form his/her attitudes towards the environment. This interpenetration and interoperationality generate a unique multidisciplinary mobilization of associated concepts and principles of philosophy and psychology that could sustain the African personality in successfully meeting up with the challenges of his environment. In coming up with human values of environmental ethical management, philosophy engages psychology adequately in empowering the mind and personality of the African man and woman to establish sustainable environmental management systems. This is the methodology of psychologizing philosophy and philosophizing environmentalism in creating new and better human attitudes towards our environment in Africa.