What does postmodernism mean? What are its characteristics and feelings?

Postmodernism came into being in 1960s and reached its peak in 1980s. It is a hot spot and mainstream in western academic circles. It is a criticism and reflection on modern western society, as well as a criticism and inheritance of modern western philosophy. It is a cultural trend of thought formed in the criticism and reflection on western society, philosophy, science and technology and rationality. Its famous representatives are Derrida, Lyotard, Foucault, Rorty, Jameson, Habermas and so on.

Theoretical characteristics of postmodernism

1 anti-logocentrism and anti-linguistic centralism

Postmodernism firmly denies metaphysics in the original sense, that is, metaphysics, ontology, the ultimate origin and essential existence, foundation and principle of the world. It is only a hypothesis to be considered "metaphysical"; Traditional philosophy also assumes that people's understanding is carried out through language, that is, language can reflect objects, express or express objects, and people can also know and understand the world and things through the language expression of the nature and laws of the world by the knower. Postmodernism believes that this is a kind of "meta-narrative" and a kind of "grand narrative way", which must be broken.

2 Anti-foundationalism and Anti-essential Reductionism

Traditional philosophy's understanding of things is the "initial foundation" of pursuing things, that is, the ultimate foundation of the world, that is, to find the ultimate essence of things by means of reduction. Postmodernism holds that "beginning" and "ultimate essence" are metaphysical "presence" and a manifestation of "logos", and this kind of thought and belief should be destroyed and deconstructed.

3 Deny wholeness and identity.

Postmodernism denies that the world is an interconnected whole, denies that there is some identity between similar things, and replaces it with fragmentation and relativity. It is believed that the meaning of things is relative and the connection between things is accidental. For example, every work is just a text, without the author and central idea, different people can interpret different meanings-interpretation is a misunderstanding, so the work does not have universality, identity and integrity.

4 Oppose the center and look for differences and uncertainties.

The existence of center means the existence of non-center, which means the existence of dualism such as master and servant, background and ending, inside and outside; It means that the essence determines the phenomenon, the internal determines the external, and the center determines the non-center; It also means that people's understanding always reveals the center through non-center. This is actually a kind of "on-the-spot metaphysics" and Logocentrism, which should be criticized and deconstructed. Postmodernism emphasizes non-centrality, difference and uncertainty, and opposes centrality and originality with disorder and uncertainty obtained by random communication.

5 Oppose rationality and dispel modernity

Modernity and scientific rationality have broken the root of slavery and oppression, but they have established another kind of slavery and oppression, and established a new "authority", "essence" and "center". Therefore, we should reject all theories of modernity and deconstruct and destroy the concept, theory and rationality of modernity.

Eliminate subjectivity

Modernity makes the subject lose its autonomy. Although modernism established the subject and subjectivity, with the development of industrial civilization, the subject lost its autonomy more and more. At the same time, they are also suffering from internal and external pressures and are anxious, depressed, hesitant, depressed, lonely and helpless, drifting with the tide and at a loss. Subject means the dichotomy of subject and object, and the existence of subject not only means the dichotomy of subject and object, but also reflects the defects of modernity. In fact, the subject is only a fabrication of modernity and does not exist at all. There is no relationship between people and things in the world, only the relationship between things and nothing.

Oppose the theory of truth correspondence and emphasize the pragmatic view of truth and the commercialization of knowledge.

The essence of things is not objective, but the result of people's interpretation. Things have no innate essence and foundation, waiting for people to reflect and grasp objectively and truly. The essence and significance of things only exist in people's reading and interpretation of things. We should adhere to the pragmatic view of truth. Knowledge is produced for sale. In post-modern society, knowledge is not the highest purpose of knowledge itself, but only for sale. Therefore, knowledge is just a commodity.