In this podcast, Coop and Taylor discuss Jean Francois Lyotard's 'The Postmodern Condition' and explore topics such as meta-narratives, language games, science, and the downfall of grand narratives. They touch on the shift from modernity to postmodernity, the role of doubt and uncertainty in science, and the desires and limits of knowledge. The podcast also delves into the concept of language games, the implications of imposing a grand meta-narrative, and the role of narratives in legitimating scientific knowledge.
Language games in science involve observability, verification, and consensus within the scientific community.
Interrogating and challenging existing language games promotes progress and creativity.
Avoiding terror and cultivating dissent allows for the flourishing of diverse and dynamic language games.
Deep dives
The Role of Language Games in Science
Language games play a crucial role in the discourse of science. Scientists make new moves by providing proof and argumentation within the language game of science. The rules of the game are based on observability, verification, and repeatability. The game requires consensus among the scientific community, with new scientists being trained in the language game through pedagogy and didactics.
The Importance of Interrogation in Language Games
Leotard emphasizes the need for constant questioning and interrogation in language games to prevent the consolidation of a single language game or discourse. Interrogation promotes progress and creativity in language games, allowing for new moves and inventions. It involves challenging and doubting the foundations and legitimacy of existing language games, including scientific and prescriptive discourses.
The Negative Role of Terror in Language Games
Leotard warns against the use of terror in language games, which he describes as the exclusion of certain moves or players in order to impose a single consensus or meta-narrative. Terror stifles creativity and invention in language games, as it seeks to standardize and hierarchize discourses. Leotard advocates for the cultivation of dissent and the avoidance of totalizing systems to allow for the flourishing of diverse and dynamic language games.
The Paradox of Incredulity and Credulity in the Postmodern Condition
Leotard defines the postmodern condition as a simultaneous incredulity and credulity towards meta-narratives. He argues that progress in the sciences, which promotes doubt and critical thinking, is both a product of and presupposes this incredulity. Science needs other discourses, such as prescriptive and evaluative language games, to legitimize its own discourse and findings. Leotard highlights the importance of self-questioning and the constant re-evaluation of the foundations of knowledge in order to foster progress and avoid stagnation.
The Importance of Language Games
Language games play a crucial role in society, as they provide the minimal social bond and enable communication. According to Leotar, language games are not about always winning or consensus, but rather about inventing and experiencing the delight and pleasure within the moves themselves. For Leotar, language games are heterogeneous and non-hierarchical, allowing for the exploration of different narratives and perspectives. He warns against closed systems and totalitarian language games, which can lead to terror and conformity. Leotar calls for the cultivation of dissent and the acceptance of little narratives rather than the resurrection of grand meta-narratives.
The Paradox of Science and Narrative
Leotar delves into the paradox between scientific knowledge and narrative knowledge. He highlights that while narrative knowledge, like storytelling, can accommodate science as a language game, science itself cannot fully encompass or replace narrative knowledge. Science has a duty to hold narrative suspect and must question anecdotal evidence to establish itself as reliable knowledge. Leotar emphasizes the importance of sitting with paradoxes rather than attempting to resolve or erase them. He critiques the naive view of society and communication presented by information theory, which reduces everything to the transmission of information without considering persuasion and seduction.
This week Coop and Taylor discussed Jean Francois Lyotard's famous book, The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge. We discuss meta-narratives, language games, science and more.
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