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How do postmodernists view science and technology as sources of progress?
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Postmodernism
French philosopher and historian Michel Foucault, 1979.
Postmodernists reject the Enlightenment faith that science and technology serve as reliable instruments for human progress.12
Rather than viewing these fields as neutral tools for improving society, many postmodernists regard them with deep skepticism. Key aspects of this perspective include:
- Rejection of Progress: Postmodernists deny the modern assumption that reason, logic, and scientific advancement will inevitably lead to a more humane, just, or prosperous future.12
- Instruments of Power: Science and technology are often viewed as "suspect instruments" of established power structures rather than objective vehicles for human betterment.2
- Potential for Destruction: Many postmodernists argue that the unguided pursuit of scientific and technological knowledge has historically facilitated massive destruction, such as the development of weaponry used during World War II.1
- Oppressive Potential: Some postmodernists contend that science, technology, and even reason itself are inherently oppressive, as they have been utilized to marginalize or silence alternative perspectives and discourses.12
Ultimately, postmodernism challenges the "grand narratives" of historical progress that fueled scientific rationalism, viewing such systems as totalizing and potentially harmful to social diversity.134