Abstract
This paper explores the proposition that the traditional belief-system and masquerade act of the Igbo of south-eastern Nigeria is a demonstration of Charles Peirce’s pragmatism. Pragmatism’s central theme is that only practice or action can validate the veracity or meaningfulness of any thought or concept. In like manner, masquerade act or practice in Igbo land is, in many respects, a manifestation of the traditional belief system of the Igbo (also known as Ndi-Igbo). In other words, masquerade act in Igbo land correlates with and validates a key concept communally shared by Ndi-Igbo, thus fulfilling the ultimate goal of Peirce’s pragmatism and the pragmatic maxim, namely, that the actual or potential consequence of a concept is the only true proof or validity of that concept.
Highlights
Charles Sanders Peirce’s pragmatism posits that a theory is a concept which has a practical effect or the possibility of a would-be practical effect
Masquerade act in Igbo land correlates with and validates a key concept communally shared by Ndi-Igbo, fulfilling the ultimate goal of Peirce’s pragmatism and the pragmatic maxim, namely, that the actual or potential consequence of a concept is the only true proof or validity of that concept
From the foregoing, it is apparent that there is a nexus between Igbo traditional belief system and its masquerade act, and that this link is pragmatic in nature
Summary
Charles Sanders Peirce’s pragmatism posits that a theory is a concept which has a practical effect or the possibility of a would-be practical effect. In other words, it stresses that there is a fundamental connection between thought and action. This paper explores the proposition that the traditional belief-system and masquerade act of Ndi-Igbo is a demonstration of Charles Peirce’s pragmatism. Culture is worth studying because it represents the soul of any given society, which includes its values, lores and mores All of these influence a society’s sense of what is right or wrong, good or bad, and how the individuals in the society socialize, learn and develop, and how the society itself is organized.
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