Question 1

Postmodernism differs from poststructuralism in which of the following ways
A) It is more critical of society
B) It is less critical of society
C) It focuses on structure
D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

A

Question 2

Modernism, as an aesthetic movement, is seen as a response to the _______ age
A) Premodern
B) Modern
C) Postmodern
D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

Modernism arose as an artistic and cultural response to the social, political, and technological changes of the Modern Age, particularly during the early 20th century. It rejected traditional ways of artistic representation in favor of experimentation and innovation in form, style, and technique.

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of modernism:
A) Self-consciousness
B) Individualism
C) Decentering
D) Rejection of traditional forms of art

Accepted Answer

Decentering is more associated with postmodernism, which often involves questioning or rejecting the idea of a central, unified meaning or narrative. Modernism, on the other hand, often focuses on self-consciousness, individualism, and the rejection of traditional forms of art.

Question 4

Modern has come to mean a variety of things, including _________ as opposed to communal
A) Atomistic
B) Structural
C) Interactionist
D) Reductionism

Accepted Answer

The term "atomistic" refers to a way of thinking that focuses on individual components or parts rather than their relationships or connections to a larger whole. In a modern context, this can refer to an emphasis on individualism and personal autonomy, as opposed to traditional or communal values.

Question 5

Jürgen Habermas's views of modernity can best be described as
A) Hostile
B) Antithetical
C) Optimistic
D) Ignorant

Accepted Answer

Jürgen Habermas's views of modernity are generally optimistic. He believes that modernity, with its emphasis on reason, individual autonomy, and communication, has the potential to create a more just and democratic society. However, he also acknowledges the downside of modernity, such as the potential for bureaucratic control and the loss of traditional values. Overall, Habermas believes that modernity can be a force for good if its potential is realized and its shortcomings are addressed.

Question 6

Habermas's theory that focuses on the drive for consensus, democratic order, and universal understanding through the use of language is called the theory of
A) Symbolic interaction
B) Linguistic action
C) Discursive action
D) Communicative action

Accepted Answer

Habermas's theory that emphasizes on achieving consensus and universal understanding through language is called communicative action theory. It emphasizes the importance of communicative exchanges in promoting democratic practices and social order. The theory posits that language has the power to create social reality and should be used in a way that promotes understanding and agreement among people.

Question 7

For Habermas, the ideas of the Enlightenment had
A) Potential for creating progress
B) Fatal flaws
C) Thwarted progress
D) Harmed social integration

Accepted Answer

Habermas sees the ideas of the Enlightenment as having the potential to create progress. He believes that rational discourse and public debate are essential for a free and democratic society to function properly. He also argues that the concept of human rights, which emerged during the Enlightenment, is a critical component of modern democracy. While he acknowledges that the Enlightenment had its flaws and limitations, he argues that its ideas and values remain essential for any society that aspires to be free and just.

Question 8

For Giddens, "the regularized control of social relations across indefinite time-space distances" is
A) Surveillance
B) Communication
C) Modern social organization
D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

Giddens refers to the concept of "time-space distanciation" in modern social organization, where social relations are stretched across time and space, allowing for regularized control and coordination.

Question 9

Time-space distanciation means
A) That the physical sciences have proven the relationship between time and space renders premodern forms of social interaction useless.
B) Space and time are no longer connected through place as they have been in more traditional societies
C) Space and time are more connected through place now than they were in traditional societies
D) Time will always be bound by space, which presents problems for further globalization

Accepted Answer

Time-space distanciation refers to the idea that modern society has experienced a shift in the relationship between time and space, with the two becoming disconnected from each other through the advancement of technology and communication. This means that we no longer need to be physically present in a specific place in order to communicate and interact with others, like we did in more traditional societies.

Question 10

Which of the following is a key dilemma that the modern individual does NOT face, according to Giddens?
A) Fragmentation of the self vs. unification
B) Powerlessness vs. appropriation
C) Authority vs. uncertainty
D) Structure vs. agency

Accepted Answer

Giddens' theory of structuration addresses the duality of structure and agency, but it is not framed as a dilemma faced by the modern individual. The other options are dilemmas related to identity and social dynamics in modernity.

Question 11

As technology changes time, space, and our interactions, society becomes characterized by a higher degree of
A) Constitutive Reflexivity
B) Alienation
C) Social harmony
D) Fragmentation

Accepted Answer

Constitutive Reflexivity refers to the idea that technology shapes and is shaped by society, leading to a higher degree of interconnectedness and self-awareness.

Question 12

Ihab Hassan has provided a list of terms used to liberate the term from postmodern from modern. Which of the following does he use to describe postmodern?
A) Play
B) Purpose
C) Metaphysics
D) Structure

Accepted Answer

Ihab Hassan uses the term "play" to describe postmodernism, as it emphasizes the idea of exploring multiple meanings and interpretations, as opposed to the modernist emphasis on purpose and function.

Question 13

One of the features of postmodernism, according to Hassan, is its focus on "the unrepresentable." What does this mean?
A) A rejection of a division between the real and the artificial, or the imagined from the perceived
B) The loss of the modern notion of the stable self in which there exists both a subject and an object
C) Opposition to totalization because of the trust only of fragments.
D) Thought constructs reality and fiction is as vital as fact.

Accepted Answer

"The unrepresentable" refers to aspects of experience or reality that cannot be fully captured or represented through language, art, or other modes of expression. Postmodernism highlights the limits of representation and challenges the idea that language and other systems of meaning can fully capture the complexity and richness of the world. This often leads to a rejection of a strict division between what is considered "real" and what is considered "artificial" or "imagined."

Question 14

For David Harvey, postmodernism is
A) A decentering of social relations
B) A marginal movement aimed at remedying injustices
C) A legitimate reaction to the monotony or universal modernism vision of the world
D) Really no different than modernism, it is best described as "late modernism."

Accepted Answer

David Harvey sees postmodernism as a legitimate reaction to the universal modernism vision of the world. Rather than being a marginal movement aimed at remedying injustices, he argues that postmodernism represents a decentering of social relations and a rejection of the dominant ideology of modernism. He sees postmodernism as fundamentally different from modernism, and not simply a continuation or extension of it.

Question 15

For Andreas Huyssens, what does post-modernism do to the division between high culture and mass culture?
A) It intensifies it
B) It negates it
C) It transcends it
D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

According to Andreas Huyssens, post-modernism transcends the division between high culture and mass culture by blending them together and blurring the lines between them. This can be seen in phenomena like pop art and the increasing influence of popular culture on high culture.

Question 16

Deleuze and Guattari, in their book Anti-Oedipus, launch an assault against "aborescence," which is
A) Social sanctioning of people, things, and situations that are not normative
B) A type of knowledge structure that emphasized taxonomies and hierarchical ways of knowing
C) The fragmentation and decentering that characterizes the postmodern condition
D) Reproductive politics and the governmental assault on women's bodies

Accepted Answer

Deleuze and Guattari criticize "aborescence," which is a type of knowledge structure that emphasizes hierarchical and taxonomic ways of knowing. They argue that this way of thinking is limiting and restrictive, and seek to disrupt it in their work.

Question 17

Deleuze and Guattari classify desire into two categories:
A) Constructive and destructive
B) Proactive and reactive
C) Social and psychological
D) Reactive and productive

Accepted Answer

Deleuze and Guattari classify desire into two categories: reactive and productive. Reactive desire involves responses to external stimuli or lack, while productive desire creates new possibilities and connections.

Question 18

Lyotard argued that _________ is central to all knowledge and feeling-central to truth
A) The mind
B) The body
C) Consciousness
D) Imagination

Accepted Answer

Lyotard argued that the body is central to all knowledge and feeling, as it shapes our understanding of the world and our experiences. This idea is related to his concept of the "libidinal economy," which emphasizes the role of desire and physical pleasure in shaping our perceptions and actions. According to Lyotard, truth cannot be separated from the bodily experiences that give rise to it.

Question 19

In his book The Postmodern Condition, Lyotard argues that there has been a radical shift in science toward a concern with
A) Positivism
B) Categories
C) Language and narrative
D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

The answer of In his book The Postmodern Condition, Lyotard...

Question 20

Zygmunt Bauman argues that postmodern theory needs to focus on the habitat of _______
A) Agency
B) Structure
C) Objectivity
D) Mental life

Accepted Answer

Zygmunt Bauman argues that postmodern theory needs to focus on the habitat of agency, as opposed to structure, objectivity, or mental life. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the social conditions and power dynamics that shape individuals' choices and actions.

Quiz 5: Exploding the Boundaries of Reason: Postmodernity

Postmodernism differs from poststructuralism in which of the following ways

Modernism, as an aesthetic movement, is seen as a response to the _______ age

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of modernism:

Modern has come to mean a variety of things, including _________ as opposed to communal

Jürgen Habermas's views of modernity can best be described as

Habermas's theory that focuses on the drive for consensus, democratic order, and universal understanding through the use of language is called the theory of

For Habermas, the ideas of the Enlightenment had

For Giddens, "the regularized control of social relations across indefinite time-space distances" is

Time-space distanciation means

Which of the following is a key dilemma that the modern individual does NOT face, according to Giddens?

As technology changes time, space, and our interactions, society becomes characterized by a higher degree of

Ihab Hassan has provided a list of terms used to liberate the term from postmodern from modern. Which of the following does he use to describe postmodern?

One of the features of postmodernism, according to Hassan, is its focus on "the unrepresentable." What does this mean?

For David Harvey, postmodernism is

For Andreas Huyssens, what does post-modernism do to the division between high culture and mass culture?

Deleuze and Guattari, in their book Anti-Oedipus, launch an assault against "aborescence," which is

Deleuze and Guattari classify desire into two categories:

Lyotard argued that _________ is central to all knowledge and feeling-central to truth

In his book The Postmodern Condition, Lyotard argues that there has been a radical shift in science toward a concern with

Zygmunt Bauman argues that postmodern theory needs to focus on the habitat of _______