Enlightenment and Postmodernism: A Philosophical Analysis

Illustration and Postmodernism

Enlightenment can be defined as the movement for the spread of culture and knowledge that evolved during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Conversely, postmodernism, emerging in a world plagued by dramatic events such as world wars, is marked by skepticism, doubting both reason and faith.

The Enlightenment

The limits of the Enlightenment reach most of the seventeenth century, a time when Europe was embroiled in religious wars. The Age of Reason attempted to establish a philosophy based on axioms and absolutism as foundations for knowledge and stability. The goal was to base nature on theological principles that became purely experimental and rational.

Key Figures of the Enlightenment

• Montesquieu: Argued that all beings, by nature, have their own laws of rationality, which possess universal value.
• Rousseau: Stated that the government is responsible for implementing the general will of the people. The law, as an expression of that will, must apply to everyone rather than individuals.
• Voltaire: Defended human rights, provided they did not disturb the social order. He advocated for individual freedom of thought and religion, adhering to deism.

Postmodernism

Its origins date back to the 1960s, where exhaustion from war led to a questioning of trust in reason. Postmodernism does not place trust in absolute truths. Gianni Vattimo suggests that interpretations are more important than facts, encouraging individuals to concentrate on personal fulfillment. In the postmodern era, humanity began to prioritize feeling over reason.

Key Figures of Postmodernism

• Nietzsche: While not a postmodernist, he established one of its pillars: nihilism, the rejection of absolute meaning.
• Lyotard: Argued that society is governed by "metanarratives" that regulate behavior but fail to fully solve societal problems.
• Vattimo: Influenced by Nietzsche, he defines weak thought, asserting that "nothing is absolute; everything is relative."

Philosophy of Liberation

In this work, Dussel builds upon the premises of Marxist social relations but expands and critiques them, creating a new pattern of thought he calls analectics. Dussel proposes using philosophical thought as a tool for the liberation of all oppressed people, both past and present.