THE CONCEPT OF HUMANITY IN MAHATMA GANDHI’S “ALL MEN ARE BROTHERS’’: AN APPRAISAL

One of the fundamental problems of contemporary human society is the issue of violent eruption or global violence caused by the emergence of terror and terrorism, Islamic fundamentalism, lawlessness, social disorderliness, man’s inhumanity to man and the problem of lack of religious tolerance in contemporary society. The philosophy of nonviolent resistance has been championed by Mahatma Gandhi and others such as Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and David Henry Thoreau. This study delves into the intricate exploration of the philosophy of nonviolence, and presenting a critical analysis of Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence. The philosophical investigation unfolds against the backdrop of nonviolent philosophy shedding light on how cultural intricacies influence temporal perceptions. By scrutinizing Gandhi’s theoretical framework through the lens of nonviolent philosophy in attaining social change; and this critique seeks to unearth alternative perspectives on the framework of nonviolent philosophy within the African and the Nigerian context. This scrutiny and critique is not merely a rejection of Gandhi’s ideas but rather a nuanced exploration seeking to highlight the need for the philosophy of nonviolence. By expatiating on Gandhi’s perspectives, the study aims to contribute to a more comprehensive and inclusive discourse on the intricate tapestry of temporal concepts within the Nigerian context. To ensure this, therefore, this work adopts the critical analysis and phenomenological methods to examine Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence. This research concludes therefore that there are vital points to note in Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence and there are also interesting facts in the philosophical investigation of Gandhi’s concept of nonviolence which when placed together will lead to a more holistic view of the Gandhian concept of nonviolence as against the one-sided, rather overgeneralized view of the metaphysical implications of violence in an emancipated global society.