1. The author compares the modern era to the original Star Trek and the postmodern era to the new Star Trek. Explain.
2. When did the modern era begin? When was the term postmodern coined?
3. Compare the ideas of power between Francis Bacon and Michel Foucault.
4. How does postmodernism bring into question the ideas of the Enlightenment?
Chapter 2 The postmodern Ethos
1. When did postmodernism officially begin? Why is that considered the beginning date?
2. What are the main points included in the Postmodern consciousness?
3. Most of you believed that the prescriptive approach was best for organizing a society or creating a workflow for a new invention. However, Postmodernism is a holistic approach. Explain what this means and how you think Postmodernism can survive with holism as its premise.
4. What book is the basis for the beginning of Postmodernism?
5. The modern era was named the industrial age. What age is the Postmodern era and why?
6. What is retribalization and how might it affect our world if left unchecked?
7. What art medium best illustrates Postmodernism?
8. Describe postmodernist architecture. If the World Trade Centers were to be rebuilt, what characteristics would the buildings have if designed by a Postmodernist architect?
9. What did artist Sherrie Levine do in her exhibition? Do you think this is legal? Why or why not?
10. Why is the spy novel considered a form of Postmodern fiction?
11. What Postmodern characteristics can be found in the television?
12. How have rock concerts come to express the Postmodern ideas?
Chapter 3 The Postmodern World View
- How can Postmodernism be considered the end of science?
- What is quantum theory? Who discovered it?
- How does the quantum theory contribute to the Postmodern ideas?
- From this reading about Postmodernism and science, do you believe there could be other inhabited planets?
