This book examines the concept of post-truth and the impact it is having on contemporary life, bringing out both its philosophical and political dimensions. Post-truth is contextualised within the philosophical discourse of truth, with particular reference to theories of scepticism and relativism, to explore whether it can take advantage of these to claim any intellectual credibility. Sim argues that post-truth cannot be defended on either sceptical or relativistic grounds – even those provided by recent iconoclastic philosophical movements such as poststructuralism (...) and postmodernism. The affinity between post-truth and conspiracy theory is emphasised, and the extent to which post-truth plays a role in religious doctrine is also considered. Post-truth is seen to constitute a threat to liberal democratic ideals and our Enlightenment heritage, raising the question of whether we are moving into a post-liberal age where the far right would hold power. To prevent this, post-truth urgently needs to be countered. (shrink)

What does "postmodernism" mean? Why is it so important? Now in its second edition, The Routledge Companion to Postmodernism combines a series of in-depth background chapters with a body of A-Z entries to create an authoritative, yet readable guide to the complex world of postmodernism. Following full-length articles on postmodernism and philosophy, politics, feminism, religion, post-colonialis, lifestyles television, and other postmodern essentials, readers will find a wide range of alphabetically-organized entries on the people, terms and theories connected with postmodernism, including: (...) Peter Ackroyd; Jean Baudrillard; Chaos Theory; Death of the Author; Desire; Fractals; Michel Foucault; Frankfurt School; Generation X; Minimalism; Poststructuralism; Retro; Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak ; and Trans-avant-garde; Students interested in any aspect of postmodernist thought will find this an indispensable resource. (shrink)

Stuart Sim explores how Lyotard's brand of pragmatism can provide a focus for political theory and action in our cultural climate, especially in light of the dramatic resurgence of right-wing extremism.

This book traces the crystallisation of post-Marxism as a specific theoretical position in its own right and considers the role played in its development by post-structuralism, postmodernism and second-wave feminism. It examines the history of dissenting tendencies within the Marxist tradition and considers what the future prospects of post-Marxism are likely to be.

This is the first source-book for this cross-disciplinary area. It takes students through a wide range of readings from philosophy, politics, and sociology, to human geography, international relations, and feminist studies. Bringing together statements from leading twentieth-century thinkers such as Derrida, Lyotard, Baudrillard, and Laclau and Mouffe, and with the editor's substantial introduction, this is an ideal teaching text, inspiring debate about the future of Marxism as a cultural theory.

The first dictionary dedicated to the work of Jean-Francois Lyotard. Drawing on a multidisciplinary team of experts, the 168 entries in The Lyotard Dictionary explain all of his main concepts, contextualising these within his work as a whole and relating him to his contemporaries. * 118 entries cover all of Lyotard's concepts and concerns, from 'Addressee' and 'Aesthetics', through 'I don't know what' and 'Is it happening?' to 'Unpresentable' and 'Writing' * A further 50 'linking' entries contextualise Lyotard within the (...) wider intellectual currents of his time, from concepts such as Nazism and Memory to thinkers from Aristotle to Jean BaudrillardJean-Francois Lyotard's postmodern thought is massively influential across a host of academic disciplines, from philosophy and the social sciences through to literary, media, and cultural studies. (shrink)

This text presents a comprehensive survey of the intellectual developments that have brought about a shift in cultural perspectives of postmodernism. It is divided into three sections: essays; biographical entries; and a glossary of terms.

Postmodernism is an important part of the cultural landscape which continues to evolve, yet the ideas and theories surrounding the subject can be diverse and difficult to understand. Fifty Postmodern Thinkers critically examines the work of fifty of the most important theorists within the postmodern movement who have defined and shaped the field, bringing together their key ideas in an accessible format.

One.The Glass is Always Half-full? Countering the Optimists -- Two. The `Doomsday Clock' is Always with Us: Pessimism in History -- Three. Optimists v. Pessimists: Economics and Politics -- Four. I Think, Therefore I Expect the Worst: Pessimism in Philosophy -- Five. A World Without Meaning: Pessimism in Literary Fiction -- Six. Visions of Despair: Pessimism in the Arts -- Seven. The Benefits of a Half-empty Glass: Pessimism as a Lifestyle.

Jacques Derrida, Jean-Francois Lyotard, Jean Baudrillard and Geoffrey Hartman all claim to have found a way to transcend value judgment. This book confronts these assertions and argues that tinkers such as these have, by their rejection of conventional methods of constructing value judgments, succeeded in problematizing the entire area of aesthetics. Stuart Sim treats posttructuralism and postmodernism as forms of anti-aesthetics and contextualises the movements within a longer-running tradition of anti-foundationalism and radical skepticism in Western philosophy. Arguing from a broadly (...) socialist, historical materialist position he demands that discourses be made to declare their ideological commitments. While the radical skepticism of Derrida, Lyotard, Baudrillard, and their followers is shown to be ultimately philosophically unsustainable and ideologically suspect form a left-wing point of view, Sim concludes that these critics nevertheless point to a need for reassessment of methods and objectives among critical theorists on the left. (shrink)

Contemporary continental philosophy is a widely used but in many ways problematic term, and its exact frame of reference is not always clear. In French manifestations in particular, it continues to arouse considerable controversy and create bitter divisions, with especially hostile reactions to the work of Derrida and others. Much work in the recent continental tradition can be fitted into a longer-running philosophical tradition of scepticism and scepticism has always had the power to provoke and unsettle the philosophical establishment.

Celebrated by some, abused by others, Derrida is the most discussed philosopher at the end of this century.

Challenges all forms of fundamentalism and unexamined belief systems from a philosophical and sceptical viewpoint. Is unquestioning belief making a global comeback? The growth of religious fundamentalism seems to suggest so. For the sceptically minded, this is a deeply worrying trend, not just confined to religion. Political, economic, and scientific theories can demand the same unquestioning obedience from the general public. Stuart Sim outlines the history of scepticism in both the Western and Islamic cultural traditions, and from the Enlightenment to (...) postmodernism. Setting out what a sceptical politics might be like, Empires of Belief argues that we need less belief and more doubt: an engaged scepticism to replace the pervasive dogmatism that threatens our democracies. (shrink)

This book is designed to trace the critical history of the postmodern paradigm.

This is the first dictionary dedicated to the work of Jean Baudrillard. It explains and contextualises more than a hundred key concepts, terms, influences and topics within his thought. An essential reference for students and scholars of Baudrillard, it also serves as an authoritative overview of how his ideas have shaped a broad range of disciplines, from art, architecture, film and photography to sociology, philosophy, human geography, media studies and cultural studies. The entries are written by 35 leading Baudrillard specialists (...) from around the world, including Rex Butler, Mike Gane, Gary Genosko, Victoria Grace, Diane Rubenstein and Andrew Wernick. (shrink)

In this new study the authors examine a range of theories about the state of nature in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century England, considering the contribution they made to the period's discourse on sovereignty and their impact on literary activity. Texts examined include Leviathan, Oceana, Paradise Lost, Discourses Concerning Government, Two Treatises on Government, Don Sebastian, Oronooko, The New Atalantis, Robinson Crusoe, Dissertation upon Parties, David Simple, and Tom Jones. The state of nature is identified as an important organizing principle for narratives (...) in the century running from the Civil War through to the second Jacobite Rebellion, and as a way of situating the author within either a reactionary or a radical political tradition. The Discourse of Sovereignty provides an exciting new perspective on the intellectual history of this fascinating period. (shrink)

"The Routledge Critical Dictionary of Postmodern Thought constitutes an authoritative, yet truly readable guide to the complexity of postmodernism. This resource contains in-depth essays grouped by subject along with an A-Z list of key words and biographical entries. The contributors trace the impact of postmodern thought in their respective fields, which range throughout the arts, social sciences, politics, science and technology, popular culture, the media, and feminism."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved.