Frederic Jameson's Thought Of Cognitive Mapping

Frederic Jameson is an important contemporary Marxist critic and theorist, and he has wide implications in the western area of Marxist cultural criticism. After the 90's of the 20th century, drastic changes in Eastern Europe. Jameson involved in the reform of the socialist political discussion. His theory also demonstrated the enthusiasm of radicalism. This enthusiasm makes his theory with an open general. He stood firm position of Marxist on the eclectic theory of Western Marxist. In the fully equipped with the inherent tension of Western Marxist and post-modernist theory, he provided us with an imposing the logical but fragmental of the theory of Marxism.Jameson concerns to participate in many discussions, especially in some field that are many controversial and groundbreaking theories and left a distinctive mark of his own. In his theory of post-modern, the thinking of space is an important domain. Based on this thinking that "cognitive mapping" itself is derived from the reality of the plight of practice and theory. In the post-modern culture, the linear concepts of progressive are collapse. Space as a basic resource allocation is more and more important, with the capitalist political, economic, and cultural of the globalization process, and so on. "Exist" has the priority of "Generate", and the importance of historic time gives way to the importance of place. This tells us that modernist culture's time-logic is being replaced by the logic of space in post-modernist culture. But in post-modern times, space conversion is too multiplex, and place only exist on the very vulnerable level. Social space and experience now has been debris and homogenization. We can hardly tell the whole space, in other words, that is, in post-modern times, "totality" absent. Our feeling is a sense of space without direction, or a fracture with the environment itself. The true reality of history was covered up, and the truth of the social contradictions and social relations were eroded. So, how to define ourselves in the new space, and organize our own surroundings, is the problem "cognitive mapping" to solve. Through mapping, the principal can take hold of their positions, get the correct assessment of the world, and get the ability of re-operations. Jameson wants to re-build a theory of culture-political in the whole of society in which all levels inter-linked as a entire network. It is not only a response to globalization, but also a response to the argument of "say goodbye to Marxism" and a political practice.This provides a theoretical platform for the Marxist political culture. Therefore, Jameson's theory of "cognitive mapping" has important theoretical and practical significance.The first section is about of the background of Jameson's "cognitive mapping" thought. Jameson's idea named "cognitive mapping" stems from the reality of practice and theoretical difficulties. Capitalism has a long history of 200 years, still reflects a strong vitality. But there is reformation in the economic, politics and cultural areas. In addition, the force of socialism has been hit after the drastic changes of the Soviet Union and East. So what is real socialism and how to build socialism were repute on the agenda. Jameson was impacted by the social environment of the United States, he used the concept of "cognitive mapping", which looks like a geography concept for social research. These factors above show us the background of the times of Jameson's "cognitive mapping" ideas generated. In its theoretical foundation, Jameson combines a variety of ideas, which are from Sartre, Lukacs, Althusser, Lefebvre and Marx.In the second part, the connotations of Jameson's "cognitive mapping" will be discussed. Jameson insight that the priority of space in relative with time in post-modern time, and put forward his own super-space concept. On this basis, the "cognitive mapping" thinking is a metaphor, but also a kind of cultural-political aesthetic. Under the guidance of his "cognitive mapping" theory, Jameson is trying to carry out the mapping of the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism and the mapping of contemporary globalization. In my view, his Theory embodies the dialectical way of thinking, the totality method, the intermediary methods and historical methodology.The third section deals with evaluation of Jameson's cognitive mapping. It should be evaluated in two side.In theory, his theory firmly defend the Marxist at the same time flow a number of specific areas such as post-modern theory, Marxist class theory, cultural studies, etc. His theory is a new element, and promotes a new development, giving us a new inspiration, but the theory always walks a middle line which often put his theory in a very tense situation and a theoretical dilemma. In practical terms, it reminds individuals, countries, especially vulnerable groups and the location of the socialist countries should strengthen awareness. It would be conducive to a harmonious society and harmonious world building. Jameson made two kinds of mapping are also trying to provide us with an effective template, and his conclusions are reasonable and guide us grasp the characteristics of the times and culture. But in practice the limitations is that since his personal contradical understanding, especially since he did not propose specific programs of "cognitive mapping", which makes his theory in practice face difficulties in operation.This paper will use literature method, theoretical and practical method, combining history and logic of unity, as well as a comparative analysis of methods and inductive study cited method. Through research, the conclusions are:Jameson stood on a basis of the totality, inspired by the theory of post-modern space. The theory of "cognitive mapping" has great significance of theoretical and practical. Despite the domestic and foreign academics believe that this idea is impossible in practice, but I think behind the idea there is a set of methodology system. The system of methodology will guide the operation of this theory. Once the methodology of this macro-system specific, detailed, then "cognitive mapping" thinking will no longer only be a set of theory.