Chaos within the Humanities: The Postmodern Conundrum
Type of Presentation
Paper
Location
D34005 (Room change)
Start Date
4-12-2019 1:35 PM
End Date
12-12-2019 2:35 PM
Abstract
The postmodern condition is a chaotic and convoluted one. It’s labyrinthian nature presents an awfully rigorous analysis for those who possess even extraordinary mental faculty; which those responsible for postmodernism’s foundational texts clearly possessed. For this reason I will define postmodernism strictly in terms of its relationship with academia, specifically the humanities. Within the scholarly works of the humanities is where one can find the most pernicious qualities of postmodernism. This presents a problem, one which I intend to present and contend with; as well as establish the importance of understanding what the postmodern condition truly is.
Here within the contents of this paper I will build upon the works of scholars such as Alan Sokal and Jordan B. Peterson. I seek to discuss and portray the decrease in enrollment and academic quality of the humanities. The postmodern tenets of deconstruction, denaturalization, and the essential claim that everything is a power struggle are disastrous for academia. The application of deconstructive analysis within academia has led to a dulling of academic work. The deconstructive insistence on total linguistic relativism and gross over-representation of subjective reality are radical ones; therefore a damper to the quality of work accomplished within the humanities. Furthermore, postmodernism’s insistence upon denaturalizing hierarchies and that all things in life are based on power, detract from academic endeavors. These induce an emotive and activist state amongst scholars instead of a traditionally academic one. Such qualities not fit for the post-secondary have been expressed through instructors, academic journals, and the humanities as a whole; permeating throughout the political landscape. As a result we have borne witness to a decrease in scholars going into the humanities proportionally, and a vast majority of Humanities papers never receiving a single citation.
Chaos within the Humanities: The Postmodern Conundrum
D34005 (Room change)
The postmodern condition is a chaotic and convoluted one. It’s labyrinthian nature presents an awfully rigorous analysis for those who possess even extraordinary mental faculty; which those responsible for postmodernism’s foundational texts clearly possessed. For this reason I will define postmodernism strictly in terms of its relationship with academia, specifically the humanities. Within the scholarly works of the humanities is where one can find the most pernicious qualities of postmodernism. This presents a problem, one which I intend to present and contend with; as well as establish the importance of understanding what the postmodern condition truly is.
Here within the contents of this paper I will build upon the works of scholars such as Alan Sokal and Jordan B. Peterson. I seek to discuss and portray the decrease in enrollment and academic quality of the humanities. The postmodern tenets of deconstruction, denaturalization, and the essential claim that everything is a power struggle are disastrous for academia. The application of deconstructive analysis within academia has led to a dulling of academic work. The deconstructive insistence on total linguistic relativism and gross over-representation of subjective reality are radical ones; therefore a damper to the quality of work accomplished within the humanities. Furthermore, postmodernism’s insistence upon denaturalizing hierarchies and that all things in life are based on power, detract from academic endeavors. These induce an emotive and activist state amongst scholars instead of a traditionally academic one. Such qualities not fit for the post-secondary have been expressed through instructors, academic journals, and the humanities as a whole; permeating throughout the political landscape. As a result we have borne witness to a decrease in scholars going into the humanities proportionally, and a vast majority of Humanities papers never receiving a single citation.