Neplusultra
Puritan Board Freshman
One of the things I see being thrown around the blogosphere is the idea that postmodernism isn't relativism at all. It seems the Emergents have caught on to this argument and are beginning to move away from that thought, combating it and claiming that postmodernism is anything but relativistic, but instead it reveals more meaning than most people would be wiling to admit.
One blog in particular puts it this way:
"Postmodernism, in spite of the contradictory cries of Modernism’s loudest preachers, neither thrives on relativism, nor does it reduce all to the relativistic. Postmodernism challenges modernity’s definition of truth by asking meaningful questions as concerns its (Modernism) celebrated Enlightenment principles and the success of these principles. ... It also challenges all to break through the thin boundaries erected by Enlightenment thinking and Modernity by subverting the boundaries themselves. It also urges understanding that is freed from meta-narrative, but that’s another post completely. For now, it should be understood that Postmodernism is a search for meaning in a world reeling from a failed Modern philosophy and its Enlightenment thinking. Is this all that postmodernism is? Of course not, there is much more to it than this (e.g., deconstruction, ethics, process, truth, etc.), and postmodernism as a whole should be openly investigated. For this post, however, it is sufficient to simply say that Postmodernism is much deeper than the Modern charge of relativism. Relativism, ironically, is a very, very Modern/Enlightenment idea."
Everything I read about postmodernism points to or shows great comparison with relativism. What can be said for this line of new thought? Thanks.
One blog in particular puts it this way:
"Postmodernism, in spite of the contradictory cries of Modernism’s loudest preachers, neither thrives on relativism, nor does it reduce all to the relativistic. Postmodernism challenges modernity’s definition of truth by asking meaningful questions as concerns its (Modernism) celebrated Enlightenment principles and the success of these principles. ... It also challenges all to break through the thin boundaries erected by Enlightenment thinking and Modernity by subverting the boundaries themselves. It also urges understanding that is freed from meta-narrative, but that’s another post completely. For now, it should be understood that Postmodernism is a search for meaning in a world reeling from a failed Modern philosophy and its Enlightenment thinking. Is this all that postmodernism is? Of course not, there is much more to it than this (e.g., deconstruction, ethics, process, truth, etc.), and postmodernism as a whole should be openly investigated. For this post, however, it is sufficient to simply say that Postmodernism is much deeper than the Modern charge of relativism. Relativism, ironically, is a very, very Modern/Enlightenment idea."
Everything I read about postmodernism points to or shows great comparison with relativism. What can be said for this line of new thought? Thanks.