Revista de Ciências Políticas e Assuntos Públicos
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Postmodern Relativism and Richard Rorty's Humanistic Philosophy

Thomas Hauer

Text analyzes the two main themes. Firstly, the treatise attempts at an philosophical analysis of the category– public space. It points out the dissension between the traditional and postmodern definition of this conception and the consequences resulting from these different attitudes. As far as the methodology is concerned, the study is based on French postmodern philosopher J F Lyotard, presenting the postmodern approach as a greater contribution. In postmodern public area we can meet two basic types of dissentions, while only the first of them can be solved by further grow of specialization and the expert like know.

The second part of the study discusses Richard Rorty’s philosophy, influence of Rorty’s ideas on solving some traditional philosophical topics, especially the question of relativism. Richard Rorty’s untraditional, provocative and inspiring version of neo-pragmatism enables us to view all the theories created so far by human culture as a case with tools. The main motto of the article is the statement that if we take care of free and critical public space, the truth will take care of itself.