Jean Francois Lyotard Quotes

A collection of quotes by Jean Francois Lyotard.

Jean Francois Lyotard (1924-1998) was a prominent French philosopher and sociologist known for his influential work in the field of postmodernism. Born on August 10, 1924, in Versailles, France, Lyotard exhibited a passion for philosophy from an early age.

He studied philosophy at the Sorbonne, where he was influenced by thinkers such as Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Georges Bataille. Lyotard gained recognition for his groundbreaking work "The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge," published in 1979. This influential book challenged the established narratives of modernity and introduced the concept of "incredulity toward metanarratives."

Lyotard argued that society had entered a state of fragmentation, where grand narratives or overarching theories of history no longer held authority. Instead, he emphasized the importance of "micro-narratives" that reflect the diversity of human experiences.

Throughout his career, Lyotard explored various topics including language, art, politics, and ethics. He was interested in the relationship between knowledge and power, and his work often challenged dominant discourses and institutional frameworks.

Apart from his philosophical pursuits, Lyotard was also an accomplished teacher, serving as a professor at several universities in France and abroad. His works continue to be highly influential and widely studied in disciplines such as philosophy, sociology, literary theory, and cultural studies.

Jean Francois Lyotard passed away on April 21, 1998, leaving behind a rich legacy of critical thinking and a significant impact on the field of postmodern philosophy.

Eclecticism is the degree zero of contemporary general cultu

Eclecticism is the degree zero of contemporary general culture: one listens to reggae, watches a western, eats McDonald's food for lunch and local cuisine for dinner, wears Paris perfume in Tokyo and retro clothes in Hong Kong; knowledge is a matter for TV games. It is easy to find a public for eclectic works.

Jean Francois Lyotard

Culture

Knowledge is and will be produced in order to be sold, it is

Knowledge is and will be produced in order to be sold, it is and will be consumed in order to be valorized in a new production: in both cases, the goal is exchange. Knowledge ceases to be an end in itself, it loses its use-value.

Jean Francois Lyotard

Knowledge

Knowledge in the form of an informational commodity indispen

Knowledge in the form of an informational commodity indispensable to productive power is already, and will continue to be, a major --perhaps the major --stake in the worldwide competition for power. It is conceivable that the nation-states will one day fight for control of information, just as they battled in the past for control over territory, and afterwards for control over access to and exploitation of raw materials and cheap labor.

Jean Francois Lyotard

Information

A work can become modern only if it is first postmodern. Pos

A work can become modern only if it is first postmodern. Postmodernism thus understood is not modernism at its end but in the nascent state, and this state is constant.

Jean Francois Lyotard

Modern Modernism