Uncritical Theory: Postmodernism, Intellectuals and the Gulf War

Uncritical Theory: Postmodernism, Intellectuals and the Gulf War by Norris, Christopher. Paperback edition. ISBN: 9780870238185.

On 29 March 1991, shortly after the cessation of hostilities in the Gulf War, Jean Baudrillard published an article entitled "The Gulf War has not taken place", in which he argued that "the true belligerents are those who thrive on the ideology of the truth of this war". It is in response to such excesses of post-modernism that Christopher Norris has written this extended polemical essay. He argues that the extreme cognitive scepticism and relativism of this school of thought is profoundly disabling for critical theory. Reviewing the writings of Derrida, Foucault, Lyotard and Baudrillard, as well as the American neo-pragmatist school as represented by Rorty and Fish, he meticulously examines the flaws in their arguments, and makes an impassioned plea for the continuance of the philosophers role as intellectual critic of real world politics and governments.