Transmodernism
Encyclopedia
Transmodernism is a philosophical and cultural movement which was founded by Argentinian
-Mexican
philosopher Enrique Dussel
, a critic of postmodernism who instead refers to himself as a transmodernist and wrote a series of essay
s criticising the postmodern theory and advocating a transmodern way of thinking. Transmodernism is a development in thought following the periodisation of postmodernism
(as a matter of fact, transmodern thought is often labelled as a variant of postmodernism). As a movement, it also develops from modernism
, and, in turn, critiques modernity and postmodernity, viewing them as the end of modernism.
Transmodernism is, in turn, influenced by a great deal of philosophical movements. The movement's emphasis on spirituality
can be said to have been influenced by the many esoteric movements during the Renaissance
. Transmodernism is also highly influenced by transcendentalism
and idealises different figures from mid-19th century United States
, most notably Ralph Waldo Emerson
. Transmodernism also seems to be related to different aspects of Marxist
philosophy; nonetheless, it has much common ground with the Roman Catholic Church
's liberation theology wing.
Transmodernism's philosophical views contain elements of both modernism and postmodernism. It bases much of its core beliefs on the Integral Theory
, those of creating a synthesis of "pre-modern", "modern" and "postmodern" realities; in transmodernism, there is a place for both tradition and modernity, and it seeks as a movement to re-vitalise and modernise tradition rather than destroy or replace it. The honouring and reverence of antiquity and traditional lifestyles is very important in transmodernism, unlike modernism or postmodernism. Transmodernism criticises pessimism
, nihilism
, relativism
and the counter-Enlightenment
, yet embracing, all to a limited extent, optimism
, absolutism
, foundationalism
and universalism
. It has an analogical
way of thinking, viewing things from the outside rather than the inside. As a movement, transmodernism puts a strong emphasis on spirituality
, alternative religions and transpersonal psychology
. Unlike its postmodern counterpart, it disagrees with the secularisation of society, putting an emphasis on religion, and it criticises the rejection of worldviews as false or of no importance. Transmodernism places a strong emphasis on xenophily
and globalism
, promoting the importance of different cultures and cultural appreciation; it seeks for a worldview on cultural affairs, and is anti-Eurocentric
and anti-imperialist
. Environmentalism
, sustainability
and ecology
are important aspects of the transmodern theory; not only does transmodernism embrace environmental protection, yet it also stresses the importance of neighbourhood life, building communities as well as order and cleanliness. Other prominent aspects of transmodernism are those of democracy
and listening to the poor
and suffering
. Transmodernism on addition takes strong stances on feminism
, health care
, family
life
and relationship
s, promoting the emancipation of women and female rights
, yet also promoting several traditional moral and ethical family values; the importance of the family is particularly stressed.
Today, whilst transmodernism still remains a minor philosophical movement in comparison to postmodernism, and is relatively new to the North, it has a large set of leading figures and philosophers. Enrique Dussel, its founder, is indeed an important philosophical figure. Ken Wilber
, the inventor of Integral Theory, argues from a transpersonal
point of view, Paul Gilroy
, a cultural theorist, has also "enthusiastically endorsed" transmodern thinking, and Ziauddin Sardar
, an Islam
ic scholar, is a critic of postmodernism and in many cases adopts a transmodernist way of thinking. Several acclaimed essays and works arguing from a transmodernist point of view have been published throughout the years.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
-Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
philosopher Enrique Dussel
Enrique Dussel
Enrique Domingo Dussel Ambrosini is an Argentine-Mexican writer and philosopher.-Biography:...
, a critic of postmodernism who instead refers to himself as a transmodernist and wrote a series of essay
Essay
An essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition...
s criticising the postmodern theory and advocating a transmodern way of thinking. Transmodernism is a development in thought following the periodisation of postmodernism
Postmodernism
Postmodernism is a philosophical movement evolved in reaction to modernism, the tendency in contemporary culture to accept only objective truth and to be inherently suspicious towards a global cultural narrative or meta-narrative. Postmodernist thought is an intentional departure from the...
(as a matter of fact, transmodern thought is often labelled as a variant of postmodernism). As a movement, it also develops from modernism
Modernism
Modernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
, and, in turn, critiques modernity and postmodernity, viewing them as the end of modernism.
Transmodernism is, in turn, influenced by a great deal of philosophical movements. The movement's emphasis on spirituality
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
can be said to have been influenced by the many esoteric movements during the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
. Transmodernism is also highly influenced by transcendentalism
Transcendentalism
Transcendentalism is a philosophical movement that developed in the 1830s and 1840s in the New England region of the United States as a protest against the general state of culture and society, and in particular, the state of intellectualism at Harvard University and the doctrine of the Unitarian...
and idealises different figures from mid-19th century United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, most notably Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American essayist, lecturer, and poet, who led the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century...
. Transmodernism also seems to be related to different aspects of Marxist
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
philosophy; nonetheless, it has much common ground with the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
's liberation theology wing.
Transmodernism's philosophical views contain elements of both modernism and postmodernism. It bases much of its core beliefs on the Integral Theory
Integral Theory
Integral Theory is a philosophy posited by Ken Wilber that seeks a synthesis of the best of pre-modern, modern, and postmodern reality. It claims to be a "theory of everything," and offers an approach "to draw together an already existing number of separate paradigms into an interrelated network of...
, those of creating a synthesis of "pre-modern", "modern" and "postmodern" realities; in transmodernism, there is a place for both tradition and modernity, and it seeks as a movement to re-vitalise and modernise tradition rather than destroy or replace it. The honouring and reverence of antiquity and traditional lifestyles is very important in transmodernism, unlike modernism or postmodernism. Transmodernism criticises pessimism
Pessimism
Pessimism, from the Latin word pessimus , is a state of mind in which one perceives life negatively. Value judgments may vary dramatically between individuals, even when judgments of fact are undisputed. The most common example of this phenomenon is the "Is the glass half empty or half full?"...
, nihilism
Nihilism
Nihilism is the philosophical doctrine suggesting the negation of one or more putatively meaningful aspects of life. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of existential nihilism which argues that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value...
, relativism
Relativism
Relativism is the concept that points of view have no absolute truth or validity, having only relative, subjective value according to differences in perception and consideration....
and the counter-Enlightenment
Counter-Enlightenment
"Counter-Enlightenment" is a term used to refer to a movement that arose in the late-18th and early-19th centuries in opposition to the 18th century Enlightenment...
, yet embracing, all to a limited extent, optimism
Optimism
The Oxford English Dictionary defines optimism as having "hopefulness and confidence about the future or successful outcome of something; a tendency to take a favourable or hopeful view." The word is originally derived from the Latin optimum, meaning "best." Being optimistic, in the typical sense...
, absolutism
Absolutism
The term Absolutism may refer to:* Absolute idealism, an ontologically monistic philosophy attributed to G.W.F. Hegel. It is Hegel's account of how being is ultimately comprehensible as an all-inclusive whole...
, foundationalism
Foundationalism
Foundationalism is any theory in epistemology that holds that beliefs are justified based on what are called basic beliefs . This position is intended to resolve the infinite regress problem in epistemology...
and universalism
Universalism
Universalism in its primary meaning refers to religious, theological, and philosophical concepts with universal application or applicability...
. It has an analogical
Analogy
Analogy is a cognitive process of transferring information or meaning from a particular subject to another particular subject , and a linguistic expression corresponding to such a process...
way of thinking, viewing things from the outside rather than the inside. As a movement, transmodernism puts a strong emphasis on spirituality
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
, alternative religions and transpersonal psychology
Transpersonal psychology
Transpersonal psychology is a form of psychology that studies the transpersonal, self-transcendent or spiritual aspects of the human experience....
. Unlike its postmodern counterpart, it disagrees with the secularisation of society, putting an emphasis on religion, and it criticises the rejection of worldviews as false or of no importance. Transmodernism places a strong emphasis on xenophily
Xenophily
Xenophily or xenophilia means an affection for unknown objects or peoples. It is the opposite of xenophobia or xenophoby. The word is a synthesis from the Greek "xenos" and "philia" .-In fiction:...
and globalism
Globalism
Globalism can have at least two different and opposing meanings. One meaning is the attitude or policy of placing the interests of the entire world above those of individual nations...
, promoting the importance of different cultures and cultural appreciation; it seeks for a worldview on cultural affairs, and is anti-Eurocentric
Eurocentrism
Eurocentrism is the practice of viewing the world from a European perspective and with an implied belief, either consciously or subconsciously, in the preeminence of European culture...
and anti-imperialist
Imperialism
Imperialism, as defined by Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationships, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years,...
. Environmentalism
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
, sustainability
Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
and ecology
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
are important aspects of the transmodern theory; not only does transmodernism embrace environmental protection, yet it also stresses the importance of neighbourhood life, building communities as well as order and cleanliness. Other prominent aspects of transmodernism are those of democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
and listening to the poor
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
and suffering
Suffering
Suffering, or pain in a broad sense, is an individual's basic affective experience of unpleasantness and aversion associated with harm or threat of harm. Suffering may be qualified as physical or mental. It may come in all degrees of intensity, from mild to intolerable. Factors of duration and...
. Transmodernism on addition takes strong stances on feminism
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
, health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
, family
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
life
Life
Life is a characteristic that distinguishes objects that have signaling and self-sustaining processes from those that do not, either because such functions have ceased , or else because they lack such functions and are classified as inanimate...
and relationship
Relationship
Relationship or relationships may refer to:* Interpersonal relationship* Intimate relationship* In mathematics and statistics:** Binary relation** Causal relationship** Correlation and dependence** Direct relationship** Inverse relationship...
s, promoting the emancipation of women and female rights
Women's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
, yet also promoting several traditional moral and ethical family values; the importance of the family is particularly stressed.
Today, whilst transmodernism still remains a minor philosophical movement in comparison to postmodernism, and is relatively new to the North, it has a large set of leading figures and philosophers. Enrique Dussel, its founder, is indeed an important philosophical figure. Ken Wilber
Ken Wilber
Kenneth Earl Wilber II is an American author who has written about mysticism, philosophy, ecology, and developmental psychology. His work formulates what he calls Integral Theory. In 1998, he founded the Integral Institute, for teaching and applications of Integral theory.-Biography:Ken Wilber was...
, the inventor of Integral Theory, argues from a transpersonal
Transpersonal
The term transpersonal is often used to refer to psychological categories that transcend the normal features of ordinary ego-functioning. That is, stages of psychological growth, or stages of consciousness, that move beyond the rational andprecede the mystical...
point of view, Paul Gilroy
Paul Gilroy
-Biography:Born in the East End of London to Guyanese and English parents , he was educated at University College School and obtained his bachelor's degree at Sussex University in 1978. He moved from there to Birmingham University where he completed his Ph.D...
, a cultural theorist, has also "enthusiastically endorsed" transmodern thinking, and Ziauddin Sardar
Ziauddin Sardar
Ziauddin Sardar is a London-based scholar, writer and cultural-critic who specialises in Muslim thought, the future of Islam, futures studies and science and cultural relations...
, an Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic scholar, is a critic of postmodernism and in many cases adopts a transmodernist way of thinking. Several acclaimed essays and works arguing from a transmodernist point of view have been published throughout the years.
See also
- TransmodernityTransmodernity"Transmodernity" is a philosophical concept coined by the Spanish philosopher and feminist Rosa María Rodríguez Magda in 1989 in her essay La sonrisa de Saturno. Hacia una teoría transmoderna....
- Ziauddin SardarZiauddin SardarZiauddin Sardar is a London-based scholar, writer and cultural-critic who specialises in Muslim thought, the future of Islam, futures studies and science and cultural relations...
- RemodernismRemodernismRemodernism revives aspects of modernism, particularly in its early form, and follows postmodernism, to which it contrasts. Adherents of remodernism advocate it as a forward and radical, not reactionary, impetus....
- Alex KatzAlex KatzAlex Katz is an American figurative artist associated with the Pop art movement. In particular, he is known for his paintings, sculptures, and prints and is represented by numerous galleries internationally.-Life and work:...
- PostmodernismPostmodernismPostmodernism is a philosophical movement evolved in reaction to modernism, the tendency in contemporary culture to accept only objective truth and to be inherently suspicious towards a global cultural narrative or meta-narrative. Postmodernist thought is an intentional departure from the...
- ModernismModernismModernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
- Integral TheoryIntegral TheoryIntegral Theory is a philosophy posited by Ken Wilber that seeks a synthesis of the best of pre-modern, modern, and postmodern reality. It claims to be a "theory of everything," and offers an approach "to draw together an already existing number of separate paradigms into an interrelated network of...
- Ken WilberKen WilberKenneth Earl Wilber II is an American author who has written about mysticism, philosophy, ecology, and developmental psychology. His work formulates what he calls Integral Theory. In 1998, he founded the Integral Institute, for teaching and applications of Integral theory.-Biography:Ken Wilber was...
External links
- "Islam and the West in a Transmodern World" by Ziauddin SardarZiauddin SardarZiauddin Sardar is a London-based scholar, writer and cultural-critic who specialises in Muslim thought, the future of Islam, futures studies and science and cultural relations...
- "The Rise of Integral Culture" by Paul H. Ray
- "Transmodernism, Marxism, and Social Change: Some Implications for Teacher Education" by Mike Cole