Postmodernism

*Neue Staatsgalerie* (1977–84), Stuttgart, Germany, designed by architects James Stirling and Michael Wilford, showing an eclectic, postmodern mix of classical architecture and colorful ironic detailing.

Postmodernism is an intellectual stance or mode of discourse^[1]^[2] characterized by skepticism towards elements of the Enlightenment worldview. It questions the "grand narratives" of modernity, rejects the certainty of knowledge and stable meaning, and acknowledges the influence of ideology in maintaining political power.^[3]^[4] Objective claims are dismissed as naïve realism,^[5] emphasizing the conditional nature of knowledge.^[4] Postmodernism embraces self-referentiality, epistemological relativism, moral relativism, pluralism, irony, irreverence, and eclecticism.^[4] It opposes the "universal validity" of binary oppositions, stable identity, hierarchy, and categorization.^[6]^[7]

Emerging in the mid-twentieth century as a reaction against modernism,^[8]^[9]^[10] postmodernism has permeated various disciplines^[11] and is linked to critical theory, deconstruction, and post-structuralism.^[4]

Critics argue that postmodernism promotes obscurantism, abandons Enlightenment rationalism and scientific rigor, and contributes little to analytical or empirical knowledge.^[12]

^ Nuyen, A. T. (1992). "The Role of Rhetorical Devices in Postmodernist Discourse". Philosophy & Rhetoric. 25 (2). Penn State University Press: 183–194. JSTOR 40237717.
^ Torfing, Jacob (1999). New theories of discourse : Laclau, Mouffe, and Z̆iz̆ek. Oxford, UK Malden, Mass: Blackwell Publishers. ISBN 0-631-19557-2.
^ Cite error: The named reference SEP-2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Duignan, Brian. "Postmodernism". Britannica.com. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
^ Bryant, Ian; Johnston, Rennie; Usher, Robin (2004). Adult Education and the Postmodern Challenge: Learning Beyond the Limits. Routledge. p. 203.
^ "postmodernism". American Heritage Dictionary. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2019. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2019 – via AHDictionary.com. Of or relating to an intellectual stance often marked by eclecticism and irony and tending to reject the universal validity of such principles as hierarchy, binary opposition, categorization, and stable identity.
^ Bauman, Zygmunt (1992). Intimations of postmodernity. London New York: Routledge. p. 26. ISBN 978-0-415-06750-8.
^ Lyotard 1989; Mura 2012, pp. 68–87
^ "postmodernism". Oxford Dictionary (American English). Archived from the original on 17 January 2013 – via oxforddictionaries.com.
^ "postmodern". The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (4th ed.). 2000. Archived from the original on 9 December 2008 – via Bartleby.com.
^ Hutcheon 2002.
^ Hicks 2011; Brown 2013; Bruner 1994, pp. 397–415; Callinicos 1989; Devigne 1994; Sokal & Bricmont 1999

[Nuyen,_A.T._1992._pp.183-1] Nuyen, A. T. (1992). "The Role of Rhetorical Devices in Postmodernist Discourse". Philosophy & Rhetoric. 25 (2). Penn State University Press: 183–194. JSTOR 40237717.

[Torfing_1999-2] Torfing, Jacob (1999). New theories of discourse : Laclau, Mouffe, and Z̆iz̆ek. Oxford, UK Malden, Mass: Blackwell Publishers. ISBN 0-631-19557-2.

[SEP-2015-3] Cite error: The named reference SEP-2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[britannica-4] Duignan, Brian. "Postmodernism". Britannica.com. Retrieved 24 April 2016.

[Bryant,_Johnston_&_Usher-5] Bryant, Ian; Johnston, Rennie; Usher, Robin (2004). Adult Education and the Postmodern Challenge: Learning Beyond the Limits. Routledge. p. 203.

[6] "postmodernism". American Heritage Dictionary. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2019. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2019 – via AHDictionary.com. Of or relating to an intellectual stance often marked by eclecticism and irony and tending to reject the universal validity of such principles as hierarchy, binary opposition, categorization, and stable identity.

[7] Bauman, Zygmunt (1992). Intimations of postmodernity. London New York: Routledge. p. 26. ISBN 978-0-415-06750-8.

[8] Lyotard 1989; Mura 2012, pp. 68–87

[Oxford-9] "postmodernism". Oxford Dictionary (American English). Archived from the original on 17 January 2013 – via oxforddictionaries.com.

[postmodern-10] "postmodern". The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (4th ed.). 2000. Archived from the original on 9 December 2008 – via Bartleby.com.

[FOOTNOTEHutcheon2002-11] Hutcheon 2002.

[12] Hicks 2011; Brown 2013; Bruner 1994, pp. 397–415; Callinicos 1989; Devigne 1994; Sokal & Bricmont 1999

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