THE ROLE OF PHILOSOPHY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES IN NATIONAL COHESION: A REFLECTION ON GABRIEL MARCEL'S INTERSUBJECTIVITY

Abstract

This paper is a reflection on the practical utility of Gabriel Marcel's thought in the face of st rising social crises and division in the society. At the dawn of the 21 century, humanity seemed to have slowly descended into chaos. Although the world experienced scientific and technological breakthroughs, the products of these achievements have further caused a lot of harm to man. Man's social identity is threatened as individuals and communities wage wars against one another. Men have closed themselves against one another and have failed to reflect on another's self-worth. Socially, humanity have lived in dread of what Marcel described as the 'broken-ness' of the society. As a solution, Marcel advocated humanity to live intersubjective life. This paper employs descriptive and analytic methods. It argues that as a task for social revolution, Marcel's thought has to be engaged to bring about national cohesion. The paper asserts that the practical benefit of intersubjectivity appears most clearly in the value it assigns to unity of purpose, and ideas of human worth, camaraderie, shared aims and brotherhood to resolve the growing tensions in the society.