进入21世纪的后现代主义——以美国文论家里奇和德意新实在论为中心

Postmodernism in the 21st Century: Pros and Cons

后现代主义在世界范围内都是一个颇具争议性的话题。但任何有意义的争辩和讨论都必须首先搞清对手的真实意谓,但恰恰在什么“是”后现代主义的问题上,不少人已经是自说自话了。文章选取赞成后现代主义的美国理论家文森特·B.里奇作为一方,反对后现代主义的德意新实在论作为另一方,进行粗线条梳理和简要评论。赞成方将后现代主义作为一种风格、一种哲学、一个时期;反对方概括其特征为反讽化、非崇高化、去客体化,两方各有胜景和洞见。在这看似不同的描述中,实则存在着根本性的一致,即均将后现代主义作为一种话语建构主义,突出话语对实在的遮蔽和取代。这一点确为把握后现代主义的关键,不挣脱实在的牵制和限制,后现代主义哲学就不可能完成对主体性的解构,后现代主义艺术就不可能做到任意的拼贴。要之,后现代主义用话语颠覆了人类与世界的现代性关系。

Any meaningful debate must be based on a thorough understanding of the opponents. This is especiallytrue when it comes to such a highly controversial topic as postmodernism. However, on the question of what“is” postmodernism, many are engaging in not so much a dialogue as a monologue. This paper attempts to putVincent B. Leitch, an American theorist and advocate of postmodernism into interaction with the German-Ital⁃ian New Realism which opposes postmodernism. While the former conceptualizes postmodernism as a style, aphilosophy and a period, the latter characterizes it with ironization, desublimation and deobjectification. E⁃qually insightful but distinctively different, the two sides converge on their fundamental understanding of post⁃modernism as Constructivism, highlighting the cover and replacement of the real by discourse. Constructivismis the key to understanding postmodernism, because only by breaking free from the shackles of the real canpostmodern philosophy deconstruct subjectivity, and can postmodern art make bricolage. With discourse, post⁃modernism subverts the modernity-defined relationship between man and the world.