Strategy of Subversive Rationalization for Development – More Science and Less Faith?

Here’s an extract from a rather lengthy but highly intellectual and engaging article on how to apply the afore-mentioned strategy for uniquely and uncontaminatedly modernizing Nigeria and Africa.

PS: You may need a dictionary to fully grasp the message of this short extract as the author utilized his full arsenal of words and expressions.

The strategy (of subversive rationalization) emphasizes the internalization of the scientific method and rational modes of thinking as well as the assimilation of key scientific knowledge, as the epistemological foundation of any kind of modernity. It also stresses the necessity of renovating conformist, traditionalist or totalizing belief and knowledge systems, worldviews and cultures, that stand in the way to essential changes on the road to modernity - a mega-project of autonomization, individuation, rationalization, demystification and feminization processes (less patriarchal forms). Modernity is also a project of democratization, liberalization, secularization, trans-nationalization, systematization, technocratization and humanization processes.

The strategy relies on scientific knowledge, which offers only incomplete and patchy theories of the real but nonetheless possibly the best models of reality, for reordering and reconstructing the African reality and for engaging it with up to date, robust and economically efficient technical know-how. More generally, it relies on calculative thinking and on the scientific tradition as the most viable civilizational horizon of a budding region, whose tortuous and uncertain transition to modernity may necessitate an imaginative strand of thinking.........................

In summary the strategy of Subversive Rationalization uses the power of scientific thought to launch a counter hegemonic offensive in order to subvert disabling traditional and repressive knowledge-power orders that stand in the way to a new realism, or to the rejuvenation and reconstruction of the African reality. The strategy may be valuable for bringing about a post-totemic, post-enchanted, post-Abrahamic, post-phallocratic, post-colonial and post-fragmented regional space and in moving Africa forward into a distinctive, creative, secular, democratic and authentic form of modernity.

You would concur that there are resounding, though unconventional truths in this discourse and the author certainly displayed advanced knowledge of theoretical development strategies for our continent. However, as much as I agree with the author that we need to apply proven methods and standard processes in accordance with logical procedures and empirical rationalizations, we would be critically mistaken to assume that total dependence on experiential and scientific knowledge would be effective as a panacea for our present challenges.

There is more than meets the eye to every occurrence and this is not superstition. How do we explain several instances of people (and societies) who seemingly ought to have completely lost hope based on prevailing circumstances, but still eventually came out victorious and later experienced such prosperity and peace that none could have predicted. If we were to solely depend on scientific methods to predict eventual outcomes, we would have been wrong on many occasions throughout human existence.

My view is that we ought to keep hope alive, have strong faith and display such defying confidence (not arrogance) that no matter how bad a situation might have been, there is still that possibility of experiencing victory and emancipation.

This realm is certainly above science and methods. Science, technology, formal methods and proven strategies are critical, but abstract ‘resources’ such as faith, confidence, tenacity, ethical traditions and constructive beliefs could prove even more decisive in making Nigeria and Africa uniquely and uncontaminatedly modern.