Question 1

Postmodern educational theory rejects master narratives and favors a curriculum that includes contributions by narratives

Accepted Answer

Postmodern educational theory emphasizes the inclusion of diverse narratives, particularly those that have been marginalized or underrepresented in traditional curricula. This does not necessarily involve rejecting all Eurocentric origins, nor does it promote a new ideology of cultural supremacy. The focus is on recognizing and valuing a range of perspectives and experiences.

Question 2

Neopragmatists criticize postmodernism for its nihilistic and negative tendencies when what is needed, they claim, is

Accepted Answer

Neopragmatists criticize postmodernism for its negative tendencies, but they do not advocate for a return to the certainty of scientific purity or a revival of Platonic search for social justice. Instead, they advocate for less confrontation and more dialogical encounter in a community of inquirers. They also support the idea of critiquing all knowledge claims, but not necessarily a reassertion of the Kantian program.

Question 3

If modernism sought unity and standardization modeled along the lines of science, postmodernism promotes

Accepted Answer

Postmodernism emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and valuing diverse perspectives, experiences, and knowledge systems that have been historically excluded or marginalized. Therefore, it promotes the exploration of alternative discourses, including those that are typically considered as "minority" or "marginal" knowledge. This approach emphasizes the importance of difference and plurality instead of universality or standardization.

Question 4

Critics charge that while postmodernism provides new insight into power relations in school and society, its fascination with difference and marginality may blind it to the

Accepted Answer

The critique of postmodernism is that its obsession with differences and marginality may lead to ignoring the characteristics that human beings hold in common, which is an essential aspect of building a cohesive and inclusive society.

Question 5

Henry Giroux believes the aim of education is to

Accepted Answer

Henry Giroux emphasizes the importance of engaging students in critical thinking and social discourse to help them become aware of human suffering and exploitation and empower them to reject it. He argues that education should not simply be about providing facts or skills, but should also address social, economic, and political issues, and encourage students to become active and responsible citizens.

Question 6

Jacques Derrida holds that the logocentrism of Western philosophy has led not to accurate representations of logos, but to

Accepted Answer

Jacques Derrida argues that the logocentrism of Western philosophy, which privileges the spoken word/logos over writing, has led to a privileging of discourses, writings, or texts. This means that written texts are seen as more reliable and representing reality better than oral communication. However, Derrida argues that written texts are also subject to interpretation and misinterpretation, and therefore cannot be a reliable representation of reality.

Question 7

Michel Foucault maintained that historical events are influenced by "regimes of truth" that are the result of

Accepted Answer

Foucault believed that truth is not fixed or absolute, but is rather a human invention that is shaped by specific historical and cultural contexts. He argued that different regimes of truth emerge in different historical periods, and influence how people understand and interpret events. Therefore, historical events are not simply the result of objective facts or natural laws, but are rather shaped by the dominant regimes of truth that exist at the time.

Question 8

Postmodernism is sometimes referred to as "parasitical" on modernism, but one characteristic that sets it apart from modernism is its

Accepted Answer

Postmodernism rejected the notion of a grand narrative or meta-narrative, which was central to modernism. Instead, postmodernism celebrates diversity and fragmentation, challenging the universal truths that modernism was based upon. Postmodernism is also critical of the cultural norms and values that underpin modernism and seeks to expose the underlying power dynamics in society. While postmodernism may draw on Marxist theory, it is not necessarily reliant upon it, nor does it use education to promote its central ideas.

Question 9

Generally speaking, postmodernists hold that the curriculum should not be viewed as discrete subjects and disciplines, but as studies of

Accepted Answer

Postmodernists reject the traditional view of a structured curriculum based on discrete subjects and instead argue that it should be focused on understanding power dynamics, cultural politics, history, and social criticism. This view aligns with postmodernism's rejection of the idea of absolute truth and the belief that knowledge is socially constructed.

Quiz 9: Analytic Philosophy and Education