Postmodernism

Question 1

Knowledge

What does PM argue about knowledge?

Answer 1

There is no sure foundation to knowledge - no objective criteria to prove whether a theory is true or false

Question 2

Knowledge

What are two consequences of this?

Answer 2

1. EP is dead - if we cant guarantee kn is correct how can we improve society
2. Any all embracing theory such as marxism is a meta narrative

Question 3

Knowledge

What position does PM take?

Answer 3

• A relativist position
• They argue that all views are true for those that hold them
• We should celebrate the diversity of views rather to seek one

Question 4

Knowledge

Jean Francois Lyotard?

Answer 4

• Language games - better to have many versions than one dominant meta narrative
• Knowledge is just a series of different ‘language games’ or ways of seeing the world
• Postmodern society, with its many competing views of the truth, is preferable to modern society with meta-narratives claiming monopoly of the truth

Question 5

Knowledge

Baudrillard?

Answer 5

• Knowledge - Buying and selling it in the form of simulacra
• Aruges that knowledge is central to pomo society
• Society is no longer based on the production of material goods, but on buying and selling KNOWLEDGE in the form of image and signs - these bear no relation to physical reality

Question 6

Culture, identity and politics

What do pomos argue about culture and identity?

Answer 6

• Differs to modern society, especially the ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN CREATING A HYPER-REALITY
• The media are all prevading and produce an endless stream of images and truth

Question 7

Culture, identity and politics

What happens to culture?

Answer 7

• Becomes fragmented and unstable
• No longer a coherent set of fixed values shared by society, all the different messages and idea undermine peoples faith in meta narratives

Question 8

Culture, identity and politics

What happens to identity?

Answer 8

• Becomes destablised
• We can now construct our own identity
• Picking and mixing cultural goods and media produced images to define ourselves

Question 9

Evaluation

Evaluation of postmodernism

Answer 9

• Ignores power and inequality - i.e. the idea that media is unconnected with reality ignores the ruiling class’s use of media to perpetuate domination
• If we construct our identites using consumerism, people in poverty have restricted ability
• By assuming all views are equally true, it becomes equally valid to deny the holocaust
• Its self defeating, Lyotard claims that ‘no thoery has the truth’