Valentine Ehichioya Obiyan

One thing we people tend to forget is that Karl Marx’s theory of alienation is a central theme in his critique of capitalism, where he tries to point out how labor under capitalist production estranges or alienate individuals, humans, laborers, workers, or what he clearly identifies as species-being from their work, their essence, production and society. However, the paradox founded in his non-violent humanism visualize his ideal of human emancipation seemingly contrasts with the revolutionary implications of his thought. This project research explores the inconsistencies within Marx’s humanist as well as his non-violence framework, particularly in relation to alienation. It examines how Marx’s commitment to non-violent humanism struggles to reconcile with the structural violence of capitalism, his advocacy for proletarian revolution, and the potential coercion in his vision of a classless society. By analyzing key texts and interpretations, with the critical analysis method, this research questions whether Marx’s theory of alienation can truly align with a peaceful transformation of society, we shall find out. The work concludes that while Marx’s humanism emphasizes human flourishing, his solutions inevitably involve tensions that challenge the feasibility of non-violent admiration.

This research explores the intricate relationship between human freedom and spiritual determinism within the framework of African metaphysics. It examines whether human beings can act freely in a universe governed by mystical beings such as ancestors, deities, and spirits, who are believed to influence destiny and moral conduct. The study departs from Western dualisms that separate freedom and determinism, proposing instead a relational understanding grounded in African ontology. African metaphysical thought views existence as holistic and interconnected, where the physical and spiritual realms coexist in continuous interaction. Within this worldview, mystical beings are not tyrannical forces dictating fate but moral agents who guide human behavior, ensure justice, and maintain cosmic harmony. Human destiny (chi, akala, ori) is understood not as an unchangeable script but as a divine framework within which individuals exercise will, responsibility, and moral choice. Through philosophical analysis and interpretation of African cosmology, this research reveals that freedom in African thought is not the absence of constraint but the responsible participation in the moral and spiritual order of existence. True freedom is realized when individuals act ethically, align with communal values, and harmonize their personal will with the divine purpose. The study concludes that man can indeed act freely in the world of mystic beings, but such freedom is relational, moral, and deeply contextual. It affirms a vision of human existence where agency is exercised within divine order, and where freedom finds its fullest expression through cooperation with the unseen forces that shape reality