Exercise 2.

Pair Work
Instructions: Aside from the three intellectual revolutions discussed in this section, other
intellectual revolutions also took place across history in many parts of the world, such as in
North America, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. In pairs, research a particular intellectual
revolution that took place in any of the four geographical locations mentioned. Prepare a five-
slide PowerPoint presentation and report the highlights of your chosen intellectual revolution.
Use the following guide questions for your presentation.

Chosen Intellectual Revolution: African Intellectual Revolution

1. What is the intellectual revolution all about?

- Among the world's earliest civilizations still in existence, African culture has a rich and
diverse heritage of science and technology. They initiated the first intellectual revolution
in society since they contributed to the early knowledge that humanity utilized. Moreover,
the Ancient African Civilization was the first to employ applied science in the realms of
field sciences, textile and engineering industries, metallurgical sciences, and ancient
natural remedies. African products like coffee, palm oil, African rice, and other
agricultural crops were also incorporated into Asian civilization and culture. The
stimulant known as kola nuts, which are largely found in West Africa, is the basis for the
widely consumed cola beverages. Kola nuts and Ethiopian coffee are two products
made in Africa that have become globally recognized. They were also proficient in the
art of nature. They were the inaugural shamans to perform natural medicine and use
herbal remedies. They also developed distillation techniques based on the fermentation
of beverages and the brewing of beers in diverse African regions. Hence, Africa made
contributions to the collection of knowledge. Its prolonged and outstanding intellectual
contributions in linguistics, mathematics, science, and technology have had a profound
impact on many contemporary nations and cultures throughout the world.

2. Who are the key figures in the revolution?

● Kwame Nkrumah - He served as President and Prime Minister during Ghana's battle for
autonomy. Neocolonialism and pan-Africanism were his two areas of expertise.
● Patrice Lumumba - The Democratic Republic of Congo's inaugural legitimately elected
prime minister (DRC). He makes an effort to consolidate and liberate the continent from
the dominance of the European nations that previously governed it. Since then, the
political landscape in Congo has been impacted by his death.
● Jamila Abass - By utilizing readily available portable technology to deliver essential
real-time information and encourage mass movement, she assists farmers who are
entrenched in subsistence agriculture in transitioning to commercial farming.
Furthermore, Jamila's digital platform connects farmers with buyers, creating an industry
of knowledge sharing, aggregation, and opportunity spotting that aids in the
transformation of farmers into prosperous commercial farming. As a result, with Jamila's
 guidance, these farmers will be able to escape poverty and meet the region's escalating
dietary needs.
● Arthur Zhang - He developed the first portable medical computer for cardiologists,
which helps with patient diagnosis. Medical staff can do complex assessments like
electrocardiograms at remote places due to the 25-centimeter touchscreen tablets. The
medical community in Cameroon has nevertheless confirmed that Arthurs' Cardiopad is
quite beneficial, and it is currently being tested in a number of Cameroonian facilities.
● Kelvin Doe - By the time he was 13 years old, he had completely self-taught himself and
had constructed a battery that could fuel the nearby communities as well as his own
ongoing work. He also established his own community radio station, which had a radio
transmitter, sound amplifier, three-channel mixing, and microphone reception.
● William Kamkwamba - William Kamkwamba, a Malawian inventor, built a windmill that
produces power out of abandoned components and debris after quitting school at the
age of 14. In addition, his windmill in rural Malawi not only powers his home but also
generates water. Since then, he has built two additional windmills and a solar-powered
water pump that supplies the village's primary source of clean water. As a result, Auburn
University decided to make his autobiography, "The Kid Who Tamed the Wild," a
compulsory literature for all incoming students.

- In conclusion, these innovators have had a positive impact on the communities

and raised awareness of Africa's scientific and technological excellence.

3. How did the revolution advance modern science and scientific thinking at the time?
- They revolutionized the application of science to the agricultural sector of the economy.
African leaders have also committed to devoting more funds to the advancement of
science and technology, a field that is essential for economic progress but is frequently
neglected or impoverished in many countries. They came up with a strategy to improve
and broaden Africa's Comprehensive Plan of Action for Science and Technology. The
scientific plan intends to establish an African research and technological innovation
system to support AU and NEPAD endeavors in fields like agriculture, the environment,
infrastructure, industry, and education. It anticipates a diverse scientific and
technological industry that makes use of the technical expertise and concepts of
malevolent politicians. They include scholars from universities, members of the business
community, and representatives of the government and industry. This includes research
projects divided into 12 "Clusters," each with a distinct objective, such as developing
biotechnology, securing and utilizing African indigenous knowledge, developing
sustainable water and energy resources, battling drought and desertification, enhancing
manufacturing engineering capability, and implementing new information technologies.

4. What controversies met the revolution?

- The major challenges to such advancement of science and technology in Africa include
the brain drain—the migration of highly proficient individuals to other regions—poor
infrastructure, low literacy rates, and a shortage of women in the sciences. The
interconnections between academic and technological institutions and industries are
also insufficient. The local business community, especially small and medium-sized
enterprises, consequently rarely use scientific data.
- Acknowledging the year for science innovations is a significant beginning, but it will need
strong support in order to generate positive demonstrations and useful scientific work to
the public consciousness, as Dr. Stephen Agong, Director of the African Academy of
Sciences in Nairobi, remarked. He also emphasizes that "politicians will need ample
opportunity to organize, mobilize, and spend funds to aid this pursuit".
- Residents in African communities are still creating and modifying technology to fulfill
their particular needs. Villagers in Mali, for instance, developed a hand-operated
groundnut shelling device. Concrete, wood, and recycled metal make up this $10-
equivalent artifact. In contrast to more complex shellers, which need more than one
person to control a single machine that can satisfy the demand for 2,000% off, it can be
conducted by one individual and has a longevity of about 25 years.
- African countries must therefore create effective policies on their own. However, they
ought to be included in government legislation, and investors ought to be given
incentives. Authorities that remain passive or push technology that is irrelevant to
business partners, on the other hand, are condemned to fail.