The Descriptive Technique

To describe something is to portray, illustrate or depict it. In strict terms, the

descriptive technnique is not part of the philosopher’s equipment, but rather that of

the social scientist’s, who is keen to state the causes, nature and manifestations of

social phenomena (see 3.2 below). Nevertheless, as alluded to in Maritain’s quotation

above, philosophers consult studies by natural and social scientists on whatever

1 Some writers, such as Njoroge and Bennaars (1986), refer to the techniques as “methods of philosophical inquiry”. However, I take the view that the philosophical method is one, namely, reflection, and that reflection manifests in various ways, each of which is a technique.

96 Reginald M.J. Oduor

phenomenon they wish to undertake reflection upon (Maritain 1979, 88-89). This

ensures that they do not conduct their reflections in a vacuum. Those philosophers

who choose to study ethnophilosophy and philosophic sagacity also use techniques

normally associated with the social sciences, especially interviews. However, their

use of such techniques is mainly for the purpose of gathering information on which to

undertake philosophical reflection. We now turn to the techniques that are

characteristic of philosophical reflection.

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