Global Journal of Humanities

Instrumentalism in science: Comments and criticisms

EO John

The affinity between our perception of ultimate reality and our judgement of what we find in the world with respect to the method of science cannot be contravened. That means, if science must be resultoriented, then there must be a definite method for achieving that aim. But it must be said here that the
method of science may not be codified. Thus, we shall define scientific method as the decision rules that guide the scientist in making his decisions or a perceived system of procedural rules. Against this backdrop, this paper attempts to defend the thesis that instrumentalism can and should, in fact, be accepted as a method of scientific investigation.

Representation without participation: An overview of Local Government in Ilorin division, Nigeria, 1947 – 1954

COO Agboola

The world over, one of the major phases in the evolution of a modern civilized system of government is the representational phase. Implicit in that concept is the objective of participation, by the generality of the people, in their administration through their representatives who, more often than not, are chosen through one form of election or another. In the course of nurturing its colonial dependencies in tropical Africa, as elsewhere, on the path to modern governmental system, the British government introduced and operated representative government in the dependencies. This study has taken a critical look at the process of representative government as it was introduced and operated at the level of Ilorin Division of Northern Nigeria between 1947 and 1954.

Statistics of exchange rate regimes in Nigeria

JC Ajaraogu

The three distinct exchange rate regimes of Nigeria were subjected to Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) modeling in order to compare them with respect to model structure. It was found that the
three regimes admit different models. Regime one admits Moving average model of order 2, Regime two admits Random walk model while Regime three admits Autoregressive Moving Average, ARMA (1,1) model. The implication of the study is that exchange rate data need to be considered differently
according to regimes in order to bring out the essential statistical features.

Ethics, religion and humanity: Rethinking religion in 21^st century Africa

UP Obioha

First and foremost, religion is a human activity. Part of this understanding is that man is at the center of religion. This holds two implications. One, man is religious for self-development and betterment. Two, since man is thrown into existence with other social beings, his religiosity directly and indirectly affects other social beings. He is therefore not alone in his religious activities. Thus, there is a relationship between religion, ethics and humanity. However, more often than not, religion is alleged for being a root cause of all human predicaments; that it provides viable and abundant fuel for conflict such that in every continent of the world, there are troubled spots rooted in religious conflicts. Although this allegation may have its older roots in Marx and Lenin, however, the condemnation it has received in recent times is sequel to the various lives and properties that have been wasted on account of it. More so, exploitation, corruption and other evils have been committed in the guise of religion. This, not withstanding the paper attempts to argue that religion qua religion is absolutely virtuous and not necessarily vicious and that the above allegations are the results of inhuman and unethical practices in religion and that these problems can be minimized when religious adherents appreciate the relationship between religion, ethics and humanity. The paper through its analytic and expository character exposes with concrete examples these inhuman and unethical practices in religion with reference to Nigerian experience and thereafter calls for reorientation on the part of religious practitioners and the consequent repositioning of religion for all- human benefits.

Legacies of blackface minstrelsy and contemporary American media: The political critique of spike lee’s bamboozled

P Nkang

This paper examines the extraordinary ways in which the America mainstream visual media have propagated and circulated racist myths which subvert the cultural identity of the black race. Using Spike Lee’s Bamboozled, the paper exposes the negative social stereotypes espoused by American entertainment media about blacks, and argues that Spike Lee’s film not only unravels that subversive Euro-American rhetoric, but also doubles as an intense social critique of that warped cultural dynamic.

Budgeting as a strategic tool for development in the arts

B Enamhe

This paper examines budgeting as a strategic tool for development in the Arts. Budgeting as a fundamental requirement to good management is being overlooked in Arts organizations. The study stresses the relevance of budgeting to arts organisations that ought to achieve their goals and
objectives. It evidences the difficulties faced by arts organisations to sustaining their institutions, proffering solutions to them. It concludes by giving recommendations thus clear, simple and userfriendly budgeting should be developed, budget should be standardized for continuous balanced
development in arts organizations. A budget committee should be set up and staff training and development should also be introduced to effect proper budgeting processes.

Imagery in visual arts: Managing the temperament of art criticism

C Echeta

Works of art can be described as narratives in shorthand where tangled mass of meaning and relationships are woven ‘seemingly’ inseparably by the instrumentality of a medium. The interpretation of this shorthand and the undoing of the ‘tangled mass of meaning, constitute the great area known as ‘art criticism’. The conservative intervention of personal emotions seems to be a fundamental characteristic of critical artistic judgment. This scenario attempts to invariably endorse the principle where “incorrect rights” and “correct wrongs” are equal to the answer, just as lullabies, in spite of tune differences, still lure babies to sleep. The tap root of emotional personification of judgment seems to continue to threaten the main line objectivity. This paper examines the issue of subjectivity in
interpretation vis-à-vis established principles of objective/impersonal judgment. Art criticisms or judgments establish their bridgeheads from the components of art object. In other words art criticisms ought to only be technically made through the channels provided by the components of an art work or object. Many of these principles are largely overlooked. Comments issuing from group or conference makings give away this subjectivity. The paper encourages the judges to play the game according to the rules.

Truth as determinant of religious faith

GI Emeng

This study investigates how varying religious truth has determined different religious faiths in the world. One God created all human kind and placed them in their different environments, but the allegiance, service, worship and honour to him varies due to the different truths at the foundations of the many faiths. This article does not proffer recipe for the unification of religions so analyzed which is engendered by either the myths of the religion or the historical personages. The truth we intend to establish here is the various truths with which mankind adopted in search for the ultimate reality based
on myths, cultural background, historical personages or any other source of enlightenment.

Textile and fashion production skills for sustainable development in the Niger Delta

U Ekpe

Nigeria is a country with abundant wealth in human, cultural and natural resources. It is one country noted for its people’s penchant for textiles, fashion and style. On the basis of Nigeria’s rich, vibrant and viable traditional textile and fashion industry vis-à-vis the need to keep Niger Delta youths out of violence, this paper this paper argues that imparting former militants with skills and techniques in textile design and production is a sustainable way to develop the region by keeping the youths fruitfully and economically engaged.