The discussion so far. Questions:<\/p>\n
Is postmodernism foundational<\/a>? Is Buddhism foundational? And if so, what is the nature of this \u201csomething extra?\u201d and how do you \u201cget at it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Are transgressional novels<\/a> representative of postmodernity? Putting aside, for now, whether on not it is a fair\/complete\/out of context respresentation, are the attributes of being superficial, rejecting the division of authentic\/inauthentic and the flattening of emotion what postmoderity would\/does look like \u201cas lived?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Q1: Foundationalism <\/span>\u2013 My guess is that no, PoMo itself is not foundational. Buddhism, I would argue, is. But I think Buddhism posits an anti-foundational \u2018moment\u2019 that is very much in line with PoMo (see below).<\/p>\n
Q2: I know little of such works \u2013 thanks for the link. I\u2019ll be interested to hear Nacho\u2019s and others\u2019 thoughts.<\/p>\n
My own thoughts: I can\u2019t really address the second part of Q2, but I think Nacho\u2019s earlier comment<\/a> comparing Zen and PoMo helps here,<\/p>\n
Zen for me centers on a constant undercutting of that which we may deem \u201cknowable\u201d including notions of authenticity of the self, it tells us the world is but illusion or construction of our egos, and postulates a moment in which a break might reveal a more essential understanding of reality, yet one that has always been present, and is not otherworldly.<\/span><\/p>\n
and later in that post:<\/p>\n
I find nihilism a necessary \u201cmoment\u201d in removing the veil of metaphysical realism from our eyes.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
To refer again to my increasingly insufficient chart<\/a>, I would place PoMo firmly in the grey area of Philosophical discourse, looking back at and criticizing the naivet\u00e9 of the lower level. I agree with Nacho that this is a \u2018necessary \u201cmoment\u201d\u2026\u2019 One of the professors here at UM espouses a Postmodern Realism<\/span> which is<\/p>\n
\u201can orientation that accepts the lessons of the postmodernist critique and resolves the ambiguities of the postmodern condition in an attitude of patient vigor for a common order centered on communal celebrations\u201d<\/span> (Borgmann 1992, Crossing the Postmodern Divide<\/span>, 116). [discussed in the Mullins article here<\/a>]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
This expresses the position possible above<\/span> the grey area of Philosophical discourse. Borgmann is a Christian, and that certainly colors his expression of what constitutes this area (and may in fact keep him wrenched in the grey \u2013 I\u2019m not one to judge), but I think he has a point. That point is similar to the one of the Sa\u1e43yutta Nik\u0101ya <\/i>I mentioned before<\/a>, namely that there is a truth or law beyond the words we feebly use to describe it.<\/p>\n
From my chart again, the epistemological commitments of the three levels might go as follows:<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/photos1.blogger.com\/blogger\/4804\/510\/400\/diagram-yogacara-madhyamaka.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/tracker\/7907151-113182961924464019?l=americanbuddhist.blogspot.com\")
<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"