Postmodern Philosophy

By
Greeshma Raj
1st year M.Ed
Mar Theoplius Training College

Post modernism has refused most of modernism's main
ideas. The most important point in modernism educational
opinion is rationality
In modern education, teachers try to educate a logical
person who can live in rational society. In this situation,
teachers dominate and control students. Also teachers know
everything and determine students’ positions and futures

Postmodern philosophy reject objectivity, absolute fact,
traditional Epistemology, metaphysics and universal
moral values. In contrast, the emphasize on subjectivity,
local facts, interdisciplinary methods, individual and
cultural differences and creativity
Creative education is tied to making opportunity for
new ideas. If we want to motivate students, instead of
introducing a theory, we should talk about it as a problem. In
this way students try to solve this problem and they can
discover the theory

Learners should know that famous theories
weren't complete at the beginning. They
became perfect after continuous experiments.
Learners should pay attention to deficiency of
present knowledge and know the most of things
that today are accepted, in the past was
denied. So today it is possible to question
about all hypothesis and this subject needs to
risk and having ability to be brave and don't
be afraid of making mistakes. So the other
dimension of creative thinking is emotional
dimension.

Postmodern philosophers emphasize on creative
thinking, individual differences and teacher's role as a
guide. There is diversity, democracy, awareness and
freedom in educational process.
The main work of education is to be questioner
of accepted hypothesis, so doubt and skepticism
about custom hypothesis necessary for creative
thinking.
Postmodern philosophers believe that instead of
transferring and reproducing steady fact in
educational process, it should be considered
invention, innovation and change.

Philosophers
Jacques Derrida
Founder of
“deconstruction”
Michel Foucault
Associated with the
structuralism and
post- structuralism
movements
Martin Heidegger
Associated with
phenomenology and
existentialism

 A French philosopher, was well known for his
controversial approach to understanding the world, the
deconstruction method, and was a major contributor to
postmodernism.
The deconstruction method is a process of criticizing
literary texts, philosophical texts, and political theories. It
entails a breakdown of the rational purposes, or logos, of
earlier Western philosophy that was believed to govern
the universe.

Derrida can be regarded a great educational figure. His
innovative and uncommon methods created new
perspectives in education.
Avoid over generalization in a text. Overgeneralization
is senseless and nonsense. So in presenting
instructional materials, one should avoid commands
which are frank, strict and prevail all.
Derrida rejects any hierarchy and he is after its collapse
and deconstruction. Hence in education, one should not
be after a rigid interpretation of issues. To Derrida,
interpretation is shaky and transient, excluding the ones
which are imposed by force and authoritatively

According to Derrida, tutors should encourage pupils
to interact with texts rather than teaching them a series
of constant interpretations so that they can have their
own interpretation of the texts. Hence, pupils should be
encouraged to become critical readers and pay attention
to contradictions and gaps in texts and do not be
indifferent towards such contradictions and
inharmonious
Tutors are not information transfer agents but rather
they are facilitators so that it is the pupil who acquires
knowledge, they coordinate pupils' learning experience.

German philosopher, is known for creating the
concept of existentialist phenomenology.
Existentialist phenomenology concludes that we
construct our own truths from within, as opposed to
theories that advocate one universal truth.
Furthermore, Heidegger inferred that we are not born
into an existing reality but construct our own reality
based on our involvement in the world and on our
innate intuitions.

Existential-phenomenology seeks to
develop an in-depth, embodied
understanding of human existence. It
deepens our understanding of the
experiences and perspectives of others
through its focus upon the meanings that
we make in our lives and the choices that
are reflected in our understandings and
actions

French philosopher who examined the theories of,
and relationship between, truth and power. Foucault
established the presence of episteme in philosophy.
Episteme are the knowledge or understanding that
contribute to a society at a particular time in history. He
claimed that there is not one universal truth, but several
truths, unique to each individual. These multiple truths
result in a constant shift in the relationship of truth and
power. As a result, power is not something that can be
possessed, but something that can be implemented.

Teaching and learning in the postmodern world
addresses these points:
Knowledge about ways in which to live and learn in an open
system in which there is considerable ambiguity and
development
 The postmodern instructor leads their students through the
data and information to the knowledge that is involved with
the purposes of the course of studies and with the meaning
relative to the life of each individual student

Creation of individual plans wherein the learner is an active
participant; creation of partnerships between teachers and
students in learning a body of knowledge within a
contemporary context
Ideas are brought together through a holistic approach to
form new ways of knowing the world; new learning
relationships and knowledge creation potential are heightened
and are an exciting aspect of the postmodern class

Meta-strategies (or meta-cognitive strategies) are required;
students learn how to learn;
Learners are encouraged to find personal meaning from the
learning, as the teacher is allowed to discard the mask of
authority and be more themselves, modeling the lifelong
learning value of postmodernism

Postmodern Philosophy

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