Reflection On Modernity In Postmodern Perspective

Modernity is an important issue in contemporary philosophy research. Many philosophers studied it with different theories, viewpoints and methods, and put forward a lot of different opinions and propositions. Neo-Marxism of Eastern Europe ideologist Agnes Heller surveyed modernity on the post-modernity angle of view, and put forward distinctive modernity theory. Firstly, Heller defined the modernity as the historical consciousness stage of “universal consciousness by reflecting”(Grand Narrative), and defined the post-modernity as the historical consciousness stage of “general historical consciousness by reflecting”(post-modernity consciousness) in the theory of historical consciousness by stages. She thought modernity and post-modernity were on different historical stages. However, post-modernity is not a stage coming after modernity; It isn’t the remedy of modernity, but a part of modernity; It is “the self-reflection of modernity consciousness itself”. Afterwards, on the post-modernity angle of view, on the base of critically analyzing the modernity theory from Hegel, Marx and Weber, Heller illuminated the two kinds of element, three kinds of logic, and cultural connotation; gave her own realization and understanding on modernity theory; uncovered the post-modernity characteristic of modernity and the modernity essence of post-modernity.This text – taking modernity issue as total problem domain; taking Neo-Marxism of Eastern Europe as general studying background; taking Agnes Heller’s modernity theory as specific research object; and taking “A Theory of Modernity”, “The Theory of History”, and “A Philosophy of History in Fragments” as research text – reorganizes, unscrambles, and analyzes the thought, viewpoint and method of Heller’s modernity theory; uncovers the purport and connotation of her modernity theory; illuminates her unique opinion and proposition; and provides abundant ideological resources and academic value for our lucubrating modernity issue.