The Postmodern Condition
Cover of the French edition | |
| Author | Jean-François Lyotard |
|---|---|
| Original title | La condition postmoderne: rapport sur le savoir |
| Translators | Geoffrey Bennington and Brian Massumi |
| Language | French |
| Subjects | Postmodern culture, technology, epistemology |
| Published |
|
| Publication place | France |
| Media type | |
The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge (French: La condition postmoderne: rapport sur le savoir) is a 1979 book by the philosopher Jean-François Lyotard, in which the author analyzes the notion of knowledge in postmodern society as the end of 'grand narratives' or metanarratives, which he considers a quintessential feature of modernity. Lyotard introduced the term 'postmodernism', which was previously only used by art critics, into philosophy and social sciences, with the following observation: "Simplifying to the extreme, I define postmodern as incredulity towards metanarratives". Originally written as a report on the influence of technology in exact sciences, commissioned by the Conseil des universités du Québec, the book was influential.