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A late 20th-century movement in the arts, architecture, and criticism that rejects the idea of absolute truth and objective reality, emphasizing subjectivity, irony, and the blending of high and low culture.
Jean-François Lyotard defined postmodernism as 'incredulity toward metanarratives.'
This highlights the rejection of grand theories explaining universal truths.
Postmodern architecture often features eclectic styles and playful forms.
Buildings like the Portland Building blend historical references with modern materials.
Postmodernism emerged in the 1960s–1980s as a reaction against modernism's emphasis on progress and rationality.
A skeptical or relativistic worldview that denies the existence of universal truths or objective standards.
She adopted a postmodern perspective, arguing that all knowledge is culturally constructed.
This challenges the idea that facts exist independently of human interpretation.
Often criticized for promoting moral relativism or nihilism.
Postmodernism is not a single doctrine but a diverse set of ideas. Avoid using it as a blanket term for 'anything confusing or complex.'
In art or literature, postmodernism often involves irony, pastiche, or self-referentiality. In philosophy, it critiques foundationalism.
From 'postmodern' (post- 'after' + modern) + '-ism' (suffix denoting a system or doctrine). Coined in the mid-20th century to describe cultural shifts away from modernist ideals.
Often used critically to imply excessive skepticism or fragmentation. In academia, it refers to specific theoretical frameworks (e.g., Derrida's deconstruction).