Is Postmodern Education Possible? A Study of Rorty’s Liberal Ironist View of Education

Author: Ruyu Hung(Department of Education, National Chiayi University)

Vol.&No.：Vol. 52, No. 1
Date：April 2007
Pages：45-62
DOI：10.3966/2073753X2007045201003

Abstract：

Postmodernism is the most striking cultural trend in the contemporary intellectual climate. Because of its tendency to negate or reject the theories and values cherished by traditional philosophy, postmodernism is regarded as being skeptical and even nihilistic. Then what course should education take in a postmodern society, inasmuch as the task of education has always been taken to be the transmission of culture? Is it possible to establish a “postmodern education” which denotes the affirmation of the value of education in the postmodern ethos? This paper argues for the feasibility of a postmodern education from a Rortyan point of view. The first part of the paper provides a brief introduction; the second part demonstrates that the goals of Rorty’s educational philosophy are to cultivate the “liberal ironist” and to build a liberal utopia; the third part sets forth some critiques of Rorty’s views; the fourth part provides responses to these critiques; and in the last part the author concludes that Rorty’s view is really a “constructive postmodernist” view which can provide a foundation for, or make possible, postmodern education.

Keywords：liberal ironist, liberal utopia, postmodernism, postmodern education, Rorty

《Full Text》