Grenz Review

TY 170 February 23, 2009 Grenz Re assimilate As period passes, different themes are presented by dint of with(predicate)out society. These themes tend to make attempts at disproving its predecessor. In Stanley J. Grenz book, A Primer on Post new-fang leadism, he discusses the two most recent roots supported by the public newfangledism and postmodernistism. The opposition is patent amid the sequences of contemporaneousness and postmodernity. As described by Grenz, modernity taperes on the individual, using reasoning as a source of the trueness. This belief causes rectitude to be relative.Postmodernitys focal point is the company, so superstarr than the individual. Truth, in the postmodern cyclorama, is created by intuition and feeling, causing it to be constructed. Grenz likewise discusses some(prenominal) the problems postmodernity pose on Christianity and the similarities amid postmodernism and Christianity. Grenz portrait of postmodernism is accurate for what soci ety is facing today. In order to understand the differences between modernism and postmodernism as Grenz has defined them, first understanding of how each was created is needed.Modernity is found around meta-narratives stories that connect everyone together. The most profound meta-narrative of modernity is the universal truth of science. One of the most big constructs of modernity is individualism, upon which all modern thinkers based their work. or so historians suggest that the modern sequence was born when the Enlightenment brought new hope to war-ravaged Europe (57). The Enlightenment had cardinal principles Reason, nature, autonomy, and harmony (68). These principles created the cognitionableness for modern thinkers.Many modern thinkers throughout the era, regardless of their discipline, Turned to the reasoning subject rather than divine revelation as the starting point for knowledge and reflection (65). Through these foundations order for modernity, the modern philosoph ers turned to science in support for their hypotheses. Thinkers much(prenominal) as Descartes, Newton, and Kant provided the intellectual foundation for the modern era (80). Rene Descartes was one of the first modern thinkers of his time, often macrocosm referred to as the father of modern philosophy (63). When Descartes irst set out on his journey for knowledge, he set out with doubt, in search of absolute truth that doubt could not deny (64). Like many new(prenominal) thinkers of that period, he Attempted to introduce the gruesomeness of mathematical demonstration into all fields of knowledge, because he conceived that the truths of mathematics were more concrete than knowledge based on observation (64). Descartes in the end reached the destination of his searching the one thing that could not be doubted was ones proclaim existence. His new way of thinking led to a different prognosis of the adult male person.His work defined The human being as thinking substance and the human person as an autonomous rational subject (64). This new definition supported Augustines philosophy Cogito ergo trade union I think, therefore I am, (64). Although Descartes work did not discover subjectivity, the chief importance of his contribution lies in his emphasis on personal experience and personal knowledge, on knowledge arising from the individuals comical point of positioning (64). His role in the Enlightenment paved the path for his modern-thinking successors.Following Descartes work, Newton began making his own imprint on the cosmos, emphasizing the importance of science. His work foc utilise on trying to explain the whole kit of his universe that he saw as a Grand, orderly machine, (67). Newtons intellection of the gentlemans gentleman as a machine provided the framework for modernity. Newton believed that by regarding the world as a machine, he would be able to know its movements because it would follow a set of distinct laws (67). His design led modern t hinkers to have a mechanistic understanding of the world, as foreign to a natural moot (50).Although Newton looked at the scientific explanations of the world, his intent was to explain the existence of God. Similar to Descartes, Newton used the take awayice of reason to enhance the meaning of theology. The modern world turned out to be Newtons mechanistic universe populated by Descartes autonomous, rational substance (67). Through Newtons work, separate philosophers had the foundation needed to make their own impressions on the world of modernity. Eventually, philosophers began questioning the Enlightenment and modernity as a whole.Through Immanuel Kants work, he strengthened the ties between society and modernity, which associated himself-importance with the beginning of the Enlightenment. Kants most important contribution to modernity was his publication of Critique of Pure Reason (57). His critique strengthened the support of modernity and terminated all questioning of it. Kant sought to create a more concrete platform for metaphysics through his compose (76). He hypothesized that the mind is systematical in organizing sensations from the external world. According to Kant, the human person is not notwithstanding a creature capable of sense experience bus also a moral being (77).Kant believed that by living morally, one lives the way he wishes all mickle would live. He argued that the moral looking of human existence is essentially rational (78). This view of existence created the earth of practical reason, which encouraged different modern philosophers to concentrate on the individual self. This attentiveness came from Kant introducing the idea that the self is not just the focus of philosophical prudence but the entire subject matter of philosophy (79). Through this notion, Kant directed his attention to the individual imposing pragmatism.Kants work provided future philosophers with the concepts needed to understand and eventually deconstruc t modernity. Johann Gottlieb Fichte operated off of Kants discoveries. He accepted Kants work but also Was enabled to explode it from the inside (87). Fichte did not want to eliminate Kants ideas, but instead wanted To expose the Kantian fiction of an prey world existing in its own right beyond the self, (87). Through his work, Kant emphasized the idea that the self creates and determines the objects that constitute its own external world (87). Hence, the realm that Kant claims to know through pure reason, Fichte claims to produce through the exercise of practical reason (87). His work has created a freedom that is important because it h middle-ageds the potential of liberating us from a single way of understanding the world, (88). Fichte managed to dissolve Kants idea of an absolute reality through eliminating the noumenal realm (88). Although he worked against Kant in many ways, Fichte managed to uphold Kants concept of the absolute self (87).Fichte, along with other thinkers, be liefs led to what is now considered to be the postmodernism era by questioning the context of modernity and its constructors. Postmodernism is the mere rejection of the ideas that modernism and the Enlightenment support. The main theory that postmodernism rejects is the construct of individualism. In its denunciation of modernism, it also rejects the modern theme of meta-narratives, overlook for its own. The postmodern world does not believe that all knowledge is good, nor that knowledge is objective. They view life on earth as fragile and believe that the continued existence of humankind is dependent on a new attitude of cooperation rather than conquest (7). Postmodern beliefs have a more pessimistic view on the world, as opposed to the modern idea. Postmoderns believe that the world is historical, relational, and personal (7). The main postmodern view is that everything is different from everything (7). Many voices have joined the postmodern chorus. But of these, three loom as bo th central and paradigmatic Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, and Richard Rorty.They constitute a trio of postmodern prophets (123). Michel Foucault was persistent in the rejection of the modern worldview. He argued that reason and rational discourse are problematic.. , because they require that we squeeze the variety of reality into the artificial homogeneousness that accommodates our concepts (127). His intentions were not to present the ideas of a better society, but to understand order. This new society that Foucault presented was called heterotopia, as opposed to the modern view of utopia (20).Foucault focused on the connection between knowledge and power in regards to well-disposed systems, stating that every interpretation of reality is an assertion of power (6). Foucault believed that this power was the power of violence (59). He used genealogy to gain a better understanding of how we arrived to the beliefs supported by society (135). According to Foucault, the charge of genealogy informs us that history is not controlled by destiny or some regulative appliance but is the product of haphazard conflicts (136).He reveals himself to be the model postmodern by making the assertion that no natural order lies behind what we invent through our use of language (137). Foucault provided a new number for the newly formed notion to be interpreted by future philosophers. Subsequent to Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida reinterpreted some ideas of postmodernism. impertinent Foucault, Derrida had different views on what was in correct about modernism. He focused on defying logocentrism The philosophical order that looks to the word as the carrier of meaning (141).He began, in a sense, where Kant left of by questioning what foundation can we offer for our use of reason (140). Derrida was critical of Western philosophers in saying that they view writing as a demonstration of speech. He spent his lifetime of work trying to deconstruct the idea that written languag e represents reality. Unlike Foucault, Derrida did not try to create new ideas for postmodernism on the basis of old ideas he rather deconstructed or disproved the foundations of modernism. Derrida wanted to demolish the modern construct that views philosophy as pure, munificent inquiry (148).Along with that, he also wanted to renounce the popular idea that there is a invite link between language and the external world, (148). Derridas primary goal is to divest us of logocentrism by showing the impossibility of drawing a capable line between reality and our linguistic representations (148). Overall, Derridas target for deconstruction was Western philosophy as a whole. The ideas represented by the philosophy were viewed as hopeless by Derrida. The notions that Derrida brought to the table allowed thinkers to move past the modern ways and seek refuge in postmodernism.After Derrida, came a philosopher with a new way of thinking, Richard Rorty. Unlike his predecessors, Rorty expresse d his belief in a clear style. Rorty is considered to be the central figure behind the renewed interest in the American pragmatist tradition (151). His pragmatist outlook abandoned an Enlightenment idea The mind is the mirror of nature (151). In pragmatism, the view of truth is that it is a result of human convention, thus it is constructed. Similar to Derrida, Rorty believes that language does not have the capability to represent the world accurately.He views language as a device used to satisfy ones wants and needs. Working against modernism, he also states that we give up the idea that the goal of science is to produce models that correspond perfectly with reality (154). Rorty believes that science is just one way to view the world, but there are many other ways to perceive it. Through the work of Foucault, Derrida, and Rorty, a new way of thinking was born which assailable the world up for questioning. Postmodernism and Christianity have a working relationship. That is, Christi ans support and also disagree with some postmodern concepts.When postmodernism was first presented as an idea, Christians did not know how to approach it. A concern that Christians have with the postmodern view is the rejection of meta-narratives. The concept of stories uniting a group as one is the foundation for Christianity. As Grenz states, We simply do not share the despair over the loss of universality that leads to the radical skepticism of the emerging era (165). In addition to the rejection of meta-narratives, postmodernism focuses on the inability to discover an all-encompassing truth. Here lies the major dilemma Christianity has with postmodernity.Christians believe that God includes the truth about everything, but postmodern thinkers do not believe that an all-encompassing truth is possible to reach (163). The postmodern rejection of individualism worries Christians because they moldiness always keep in view the biblical themes of Gods concern for each person, the respo nsibility of every human before God, and the individual predilection that lies within the salvation message (168). On the other hand, Christians support the rejection of the Enlightenment idea that the rational, scientific method acting is the sole measure of truth (166).Also, the postmodern denial that all knowledge is good and objective strengthens the ties between Christianity and postmodernism (168). Christians also support the postmodern finding that no person can be separate from creation. As years pass, Christians are more judge of postmodern concepts and are more rejecting of the modern ideas they once supported. Grenz view of the postmodern world is acceptable for what society faces today. The postmodern views have been mirrored throughout the public. Even in school, teachers focus more on group projects and group activities rather than the individuals.Children judge each other on the amount of time they spend with others, as opposed to the ability to spend time alone. Now , it is a must for children to always be with their friends. It is also represented in the working world. Bosses would prefer group presentations rather than individual. around people do not like to be alone or even to be singled-out. Also, as the economy is closer to being in a recession, the postmodern idea that the world is not get better every day is strengthened. People no longer believe that humanity ordain be able to solve the worlds greatest roblems or even that their economic situation will surpass that of their parents, (7). Every day it seems as though the world is not capable to overcome what it has started, such as wars. It seems as though the world is no longer a happy place at most times. The postmodern pessimistic view is presented daily. It is awkward for others when people are optimistic about their life. Overall, people seem accepting to the postmodern views. Over the years, the world has seen different phases sweep through, and each one is eventually accepted. The most current themes are modernity and postmodernity.The modern views were set forth by Rene Descartes, Isaac Newton, and Immanuel Kant. Modernism is the idea of focusing on the individual in means of scientific explanations. Also, modern thinkers believe that all knowledge is inherently good. Johann Gottlieb Fichte is partially responsible for the beginning of questioning modernity. Once Fichte opened the doors, Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, and Richard Rorty put an end to the modern way of thinking. What their idea created was postmodernity. The postmodern thinker steps away from the individual, focusing more on group relations.Also, postmodernism denies that all knowledge is essentially good. This new way of thinking has made Christians question how to respond. Christians agree, but also disagree with some of the postmodern views. As a whole, the world has come to terms with postmodernism by accepting it. What is going to happen when philosophers begin to question postmod ernity? How will the world be viewed once people moderate accepting postmodernism? Works Cited Grenz, Stanley J. A Primer on Postmodernism. Grand Rapids William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1996.