Critical Conditions - Postmodernity and the Question of Foundations

The postmodern debate has been heavily influenced by often contradictory conclusions about the foundations of knowledge: hermeneutics challenges epistemology, politics challenges science, identity theory challenges critical theory, pragmatism challenges formalism, and so on. Horace Fairlamb contends that philosophy's foundationist quest has usually been misconceived as a choice between a 'super-science' and theoretical anarchy. Through an examination of the history of foundationism, and detailed analysis of the work of leading theorists including Fish, Foucault, Derrida, Gadamer and Habermas, Dr Fairlamb argues for a less reductive and less arbitrary conception of knowledge and meaning. The result in this 1994 book is a sophisticated critique of contemporary theory with implications for philosophers as well as literary theorists, and an important contribution to the re-evaluation of theoretical discourse.

Table des matières

Introduction; 1. Fish's strong conventions: the mind's own world; 2. Brave new words: postmoderism on epistemology; 3. Theory and/or deconstruction: Derrida slippage; 4. Gadamer's universalism: the limits of hermeneutic authority; 5. Critical politics: deconstruction for Americans; 6. Foucault's microphysical politics: big brother is missing; 7. Habermas' neo-formalism: theory as praxis; 8. Critical theory and postmodern localism: rebels without a cause; Conclusion.

Résumé

The postmodern debate has been heavily influenced by often contradictory conclusions about the foundations of knowledge. In this 1994 book, Horace Fairlamb examines the history of foundationism and analyses the work of leading theorists including Fish, Foucault, Gadamer and Habermas, in order to argue for a less reductive and less arbitrary theory of knowledge and meaning.

Détails du produit

• Auteurs: Horace L. Fairlamb, Fairlamb Horace L.
• Edition: Cambridge Academic
• Langues: Anglais
• Format d'édition: Livre Relié
• Sortie: 26.05.1994
• EAN: 9780521450478
• ISBN: 978-0-521-45047-8
• Dimensions: 140 mm x 216 mm x 21 mm
• Poids: 510 g
• Thèmes: Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics; Cambridge Textbooks in Linguis; Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics; Literature, Culture, Theory
• Catégories: Littérature spécialisée > Philosophie, religion > Philosophie: général, ouvrages de référence; Sciences humaines, art, musique > Linguistique et littérature > Littérature générale et comparée; LITERARY CRITICISM / Semiotics & Theory, Literary theory