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'''Postmodernism''' is recent movement in the humanities characterized by denial of the possibility of knowing objective truth, and which asserts that assertions of objective knowledge are generally impossible.  For example, the postmodern will look at a statement primarily in terms of the motives of the person making it. It emphasizes the role of language, and of power relations involved in being male (versus female), straight (versus gay), white (vesus colored), and imperial (versus colonial).   

'''Postmodernism''' is a recent movement in the humanities characterized by denial of the possibility of knowing objective truth, and which asserts that assertions of objective knowledge are generally impossible.  For example, the postmodern will look at a statement primarily in terms of the motives of the person making it. It emphasizes the role of language, and of power relations involved in being male (versus female), straight (versus gay), white (vesus colored), and imperial (versus colonial).   

Postmodernity has influenced many disparate fields of the humanities, such as literary criticism, linguistics, art history, and photography.  It promotes the study of gay culture (called [[Queer Theory]]) as well as Women's Studies.  It is weakly represented in historiography and the social sciences, and practically does not exist in the sciences or engineering.

Postmodernity has influenced many disparate fields of the humanities, such as literary criticism, linguistics, art history, and photography.  It promotes the study of gay culture (called [[Queer Theory]]) as well as Women's Studies.  It is weakly represented in historiography and the social sciences, and practically does not exist in the sciences or engineering.

Postmodernist thought is an intentional departure from modern approaches that had previously been dominant.  The term "postmodernism" comes from its prejection of the "modern" scientific mentality created by the [[Enlightenment]].  Both movements coexist today, as does traditionalism.

Postmodernist thought is an intentional departure from modern approaches that had previously been dominant.  The term "postmodernism" comes from its rejection of the "modern" scientific mentality created by the [[Enlightenment]].  Both movements coexist today, as does traditionalism.

 

==History==

==History==

Postmodernism emerged from "structuralism" and "poststructuralism" in French philosophy of the 1960s, who were influenced by the German philosopher [[Nietzsche]] (1844-1900); it adopted a good deal of poststructuralism, but it broadened and extended poststructuralism to topics that focused on a wide-ranging critique of the modern world.<ref> Historian [[Arnold Toynbee]] first used the term "postmodern" in 1954, but in a very different sense.</ref>  Influential French postmodernists include  

Postmodernism emerged from "structuralism" and "poststructuralism" in French philosophy of the 1960s, who were influenced by the German philosopher [[Nietzsche]] (1844-1900); it adopted a good deal of poststructuralism, but it broadened and extended poststructuralism to topics that focused on a wide-ranging critique of the modern world.<ref> Historian [[Arnold Toynbee]] first used the term "postmodern" in 1954, but in a very different sense.</ref>  Influential French postmodernists include  

==Discredited in science==

==Discredited in science==

Alan Sokal famously exposed postmodern approaches to the hard sciences as deeply flawed in 1996 by successfully publishing nonsense in a postmodern humanities journal, making it a laughing stock among scientists.<ref>http://www.physics.nyu.edu/faculty/sokal/index.html</ref>

Alan Sokal famously exposed postmodern approaches to the hard sciences as deeply flawed in 1996 by successfully publishing nonsense in a [[Social Text|postmodern humanities journal]], making it a laughing stock among scientists.<ref>http://www.physics.nyu.edu/faculty/sokal/index.html</ref>

==See Also==

==See Also==