Abstract In his essay "Toward a Theory of Destiny," philosopher Segun Gbadegesin points out several inconsistencies in the Yoruba culture's traditional notion of destiny, but seems to conclude that the notion is not irrational. This paper examines Gbadegesin's account of destiny in the religious tradition of Nigeria's Yoruba culture and explores some philosophical problems with this notion of destiny.
From the Paper "Upon closer examination, the connection between destiny and personality is much more complex than a simple "destiny equals personality" claim. It is not as if a person's temperament is contained in his or her destiny, rather, if one does, in fact, have a destiny, then he or she must live out that destiny in order to form a personal identity through experience. So, even if the earthbound Yoruba was given a destiny first and then was asked to choose his or her body, there would still be no personal preference on which to base the choice."
