Judged by the yardstick of science, the majority of them prove to be fables. Apr 20, 2020 jean francois lyotard is one of the staple philosophers of postmodern thinking. Jeanfrancois lyotard 19241998 french poststructuralist philosopher, best known for his highly influential formulation of postmodernism in the postmodern condition. Jean francois lyotard stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. Jeanfrancois lyotards postmodernism and the contemporary world. In the years after the publication of lyotards the postmodern condition, critical readers such as axel honneth, richard rorty, seyla benhabib, dana villa and allen dunn questioned what they interpreted as a purely negative vision of politics, based on the disavowal of universality, existing institutions, consensus and communication without. Lyotard begins the postmodern condition by pointing out how the field of knowledge has changed in the years since world war ii. In the postmodern condition jeanfrancois lyotard extends that analysis to postmodernism by looking at the status uf science, technology, and the arts, the significance of technocracy, and the way the flow of information and knowledge are controlled in the western world. Key theories of jean francois lyotard literary theory and. Jean francois lyotard, born in 1924 in versailles, france, was a literary theorist and philosopher.
Apr 04, 2014 jeanfrancois lyotard 1927 1998 the metanarrative. This paper offers lyotards intellectual biography, describes his political writings and subsequent turn to philosophy, and discusses his views on capitalism in the postmodern condition and the problem of the legitimation of knowledge. A report on knowledge theory and history of literature, volume 10 by jeanfrancois lyotard 1st first edition paperback1984 jeanfrancois lyotard on. In this new critical biography, kiff bamford traces the multifaceted, sometimes surprising, journey of lyotards life and work. Oct 29, 2006 lyotards analysis of the postmodern condition has been criticized as being internally inconsistent. The postmodern condition a report on knowledge jeanfrancois. He is most noted for his analysis of postmodernism in his 1979 work, the post modern condition. The postmodern condition university of minnesota press. Lyotard may be one of the doyens of postmodernism but personally i found this irrelevant and tedious.
Jeanfrancois lyotard is considered by many as the preeminent nonmarxist philosopher of the postmodern condition. Jean francois lyotard stated in the postmodern condition 1979 that postmodernism was a reaction to the failings of modernism. Jeanfrancois lyotard 19241998 was a french philosopher whose best known workoften to his chagrinwas his 1979 the postmodern condition. A report on knowledge is a nonfiction book by jeanfrancois lyotard. How do we define knowledge in a postindustrial society equipped with new media, instantaneous communication technologies and universal access to information. The postmodern condition quotes by jeanfrancois lyotard. About jeanfrancois lyotard jeanfrancois lyotard 19241998 was one of the most important french philosophers of the twentieth century. Best known in the englishspeaking world for his book the postmodern condition, jeanfrancois lyotard was one of the most important and complex french thinkers of the twentieth century. A straightforward introduction to lyotards work, broader in scope that malpas 2003, covering the development of lyotards thought from his early marxist writings on algeria and the struggle for algerian independence to his writings on the postmodern. A report on knowledge theory and history of literature, volume 10 by jean francois lyotard 1st first edition paperback1984 jean francois lyotard on. In the postmodern condition jean francois lyotard extends that analysis to postmodernism by looking at the status uf science, technology, and the arts, the significance of technocracy, and the way the flow of information and knowledge are controlled in the western world.
A report on knowledge 1979 a brief book, a small study, an occasional one that lyotard himself did not consider either important or a work of philosophy, the postmodern condition. A report on knowledge, theory and history of literature, vol. This paper examines the thought of jeanfrancois lyotard in relation to the problems of justice and the constitution of a postmodern politics. Eric ed408657 lyotard, education, and the problem of. Though he is often neglected as a philosopher in recent days, he still has a lot of influence to modern thinking by giving his account on knowledge which highly influenced postmodernism. In the postmodern condition jeanfrancois lyotard extends that analysis to postmodernism by looking at the status uf science, technology, and the arts, the. As a youth, lyotard considered becoming a monk, a painter, and a historian. Written at the request of the council of universities of the provincial government of quebec on the state of knowledge in the contemporary world, this work brought the term postmodernism, already in use in other fields, such as the arts and. In that work, lyotard attempted to define the principle aspects of postmodernity.
For example, thinkers like alex callinicos 4 and jurgen habermas 5 argue that lyotards description of the postmodern world as containing an incredulity toward metanarratives could be seen as a metanarrative in itself. Email citation a straightforward introduction to lyotards work, broader in scope that malpas 2003, covering the development of lyotards thought from his early marxist writings on algeria and the struggle for algerian independence to his writings on the postmodern. He was cofounder of the international college of philosophy with jacques derrida, francois chatelet, and gilles deleuze. A report on knowledge 1979 acclaimed for his innovative investigation of postmodernity, jean francois lyotards wellreferenced tome, the postmodern condition. A report on knowledge jeanfran ois lyotard translation from the french by geoff bennington and brian massumi foreword by fredric jameson theory and history of literature, volume 10. Reading lyotards the postmodern condition today, its easier to see how much he got right, and why so much that was done in postmodernisms name was an aberration. The ideas and philosophies set down in his many other works depict a wide range of interests from culture to politics and the arts. No field has grown faster than computer science and its corollary. Key theories of jean francois lyotard literary theory. Many definitions of postmodernism focus on its nature as the aftermath of the modern industrial age when technology developed dynamically. A report on knowledge 1979 was initially commissioned by conseil des universites quebec as an investigation into how society should reevaluate our.
Jeanfrancois lyotard 19241998 was a french philosopher, sociologist, and literary theorist, best known as a pioneer of postmodernism. Our working hypothesis is that the status of knowledge is altered as societies enter what is known as the postindustrial age and cultures enter what is known as the. The postmodern would be that which, in the modern, puts forward the unpresentable in presentation itself. The 1979 publication of the postmodern condition brought lyotard worldwide fame, and in the 1980s and 90s he. Apr 17, 2020 jeanfrancois lyotard, french philosopher and leading figure in the intellectual movement known as postmodernism.
A report on knowledge is a 1979 book by the philosopher jeanfrancois lyotard, in which the author analyzes the notion of. Lyotard, in discussing the nature of technology, regards the economic drive and output of things related to technology and computers as a majorly important topic. In the spirit of freshness and as a way of providing what i hope is a unique angle on the philosophers abstract theory, below are quotes from the text along with my observations incorporating what i judge to be a nearperfect literary example of. Lyotards subtitle, a report on knowledge, is key to understanding the nature of his exercise. A report on knowledge 1979 came to be his bestknown and most referenced book for those seeking to define the. Despite its popularity, however, this book is in fact one of his more minor works. L9 1984 001 8314717 isbn 0816611661 isbn 0816611734 pbk. In the postmodern condition jean francois lyotard extends that analysis to postmodernism by looking at the status uf science, technology, and the arts, the significance of technocracy, and the way the flow of information and knowledge are controlled in the. A report on knowledge 1979 came to be his bestknown and most referenced book for those seeking to define. The narrative of the postmodern condition moves along two temporal periods, one being modernity. Bamfords book is the first to consider lyotards work and ideas in the. Welcome to the postmodern condition by french philosopher jeanfrancois lyotard 19241998. Jeanfrancois lyotard is one of the staple philosophers of postmodern thinking. Say what you will of this perspective, this book is necessary reading in understanding the subject.
He distinctly discusses the nature of how knowledge itself is being commodified to the point of being sought after for the sake of knowledge. A report on knowledge theory and history of literature, volume 10 9780816611737. Other articles where the postmodern condition is discussed. Jean francois lyotard postmodern condition the postmodern condition a report on knowledge. Key theories of jean francois lyotard by nasrullah mambrol on may 25, 2017 8 a french philosopher of the poststructuralist school, jean francois lyotard 19251998 is perhaps best known for his book the postmodern condition. Lyotards analysis of the postmodern condition has been criticized as being internally inconsistent. The postmodern condition work by lyotard britannica. Jeanfrancois lyotard postmodern condition the postmodern condition a report on knowledge. Apr 19, 2018 reading lyotards the postmodern condition today, its easier to see how much he got right, and why so much that was done in postmodernisms name was an aberration.
Jeanfrancois lyotard at european graduate school biography, bibliography, quotes and web resources the postmodern condition. First published in 1979, the book questions the nature of knowledge in a rapidly changing world, and it questions what postmodernity means for science and technology. A report on knowledge the first 5 chapters international symposium. A report on knowledge is a nonfiction book by jean francois lyotard. He was the author of classic philosophical texts such as discourse, figure. Lyotard, jeanfrancois internet encyclopedia of philosophy. Jeanfrancois lyotards postmodernism and the contemporary. This work, by jean francois lyotard, is one of the signature works of postmodern theory. Lyotard was not primarily prescribing what knowledge should be but attempting. After studying at the sorbonne, he completed an agregation teaching degree in philosophy in 1950 and joined.
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