Overview of Postmodernism Worldviews-Slideshow 5

Postmodernism: Introduction Included a picture of postmodern architecture and a Calvin and Hobbs comic strip about facts being irrelevant in school.

Postmodernism: Origins Just as some people began to turn to ideas from Eastern religions in the mid-1900s to look for meaning, others who were disillusioned with the rigid, “scientific” approach to truth reacted by denying that we can know anything The question became: “How do you know that you know?” and their answer was: “You can’t be certain about that.” Postmodernism: Origins

Postmodernism: Beliefs (Questions) How can a person be certain about anything? How do you know that you are not dreaming? How do you know that your senses aren’t playing tricks on you? How do you know that words mean the same thing to everybody? Postmodernism: Beliefs (Questions)

Postmodernism: Beliefs (Conclusions) Postmodernists reject all “metanarratives” (an overarching framework for understanding the world); i.e. “no one can say that anything is absolutely true or absolutely right They say that since the things that people say that they believe are made up of words and humans assign definitions to those words that people are just “creating” meaning when they use words There is no “essential” self: (there’s no real “you”; you are whatever you say you are) Everyone has to create their own meaning, beliefs, and morality in life Postmodernism: Beliefs (Conclusions)

Postmodernism: Practices “Don’t accept anyone else’s truth: create your own” Don’t worry about what is “real” and “right”—those are just words that everyone has to define for themselves This equals radical personal freedom When you read something, don’t ask what the text means—just decide what you want to take from it Postmodernism: Practices