In Fear and Trembling, Søren Kierkegaard defends faith by going on the offensive against reason: “Faith requires the crucifixion of reason.” For more on the context of Kierkegaard’s irrationalism and its implications for postmodernism, see p. 98 of my Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism from Rousseau to Foucault. Information about other editions and translations is available at this […]
Søren Kierkegaard in *Explaining Postmodernism* Read More »
Jean-Jacques Rousseau claimed: “Reason is what engenders egocentrism and reflection strengthens it. Reason is what turns man in upon himself. Reason is what separates him from all that troubles him and afflicts him. Philosophy is what isolates him and what moves him to say in secret, at the sight of a suffering man, ‘Perish if
Rousseau contra reason in *Explaining Postmodernism* Read More »
Early in the development of analytic philosophy, Moritz Schlick claimed: “Does the external world exist?” is an unintelligible question, for “both its denial and affirmation are meaningless.” For more on the meaning of Schlick’s and its implications for postmodernism, see p. 80 of my Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism from Rousseau to Foucault. Information about other editions
Moritz Schlick in *Explaining Postmodernism* Read More »
Postmodernism is the first ruthlessly consistent statement of the consequences of rejecting reason, those consequences being necessary given the history of epistemology since Kant. For more on the context for this claim, see p. 81 of my Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism from Rousseau to Foucault. Information about other editions and translations is available at this dedicated page.
The first hypothesis of *Explaining Postmodernism* Read More »
The neo-Marxist postmodernist Fredric Jameson claimed: “Everything is ‘in the last analysis’ political.” For more on the context Jameson’s claim and its implications for politicized postmodernism, see p. 93 of my Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism from Rousseau to Foucault. Information about other editions and translations is available at this dedicated page.
Fredric Jameson in Explaining Postmodernism Read More »
In 1985, the historian of philosophy John Passmore claimed: “The Kantian revival is so widespread as scarcely to lend itself to illustration.” (p. 87) For more on the implications of Passmore’s strong claim and its implications for postmodernism, see p. 87 of my Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism from Rousseau to Foucault. Information about other editions and translations
John Passmore in *Explaining Postmodernism* — on Kant’s significance Read More »
In 1957 — the decade during which the first generation of postmodern thinkers was arising — philosopher Brian Medlin claimed: “It is now pretty generally accepted by professional philosophers that ultimate ethical principles must be arbitrary.” For more on the context of Medlin’s point and its implications for postmodernism, see p. 87 of my Explaining Postmodernism:
Brian Medlin in *Explaining Postmodernism* Read More »
The postmodern task, states Richard Rorty, is to figure out what to do “now that both the Age of Faith and the Enlightenment seem beyond recovery.” For more on the context of Rorty’s claim and his contributions to postmodernism, see p. 23 of my Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism from Rousseau to Foucault. Information about other editions
Richard Rorty in *Explaining Postmodernism Read More »
The poet William Wordsworth said: “Our meddling intellect Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things; –We murder to dissect.” For more on the meaning and implications of Wordsworth’s claim, see p. 68 of my Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism from Rousseau to Foucault. Information about other editions and translations is available at this dedicated page.
William Wordsworth in Explaining Postmodernism Read More »
Ludwig Wittgenstein said: “All propositions of logic say the same thing. That is, nothing.” For more on the implications of Wittgenstein’s claim, see p. 83 of my Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism from Rousseau to Foucault. Information about other editions and translations is available at this dedicated page.
Ludwig Wittgenstein in Explaining Postmodernism Read More »