From Modernity to Postmodernity: A Paradigm Shift

Note: This record corresponds to the first version of the article. A revised version correcting several passages and citations has been published. These changes do not affect the conclusions of the paper. The updated version is available at DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18950443. Abstract: This study explores the transition from modernity to postmodernity, emphasizing the profound transformations in thought, culture, and social structures. Modernity, defined by rationality, progress, and the pursuit of objective truth, has progressively given way to postmodernity, which foregrounds relativism, fragmentation, and subjectivism. The analysis examines the implications of these shifts across key domains, including epistemology, art, religion, and politics, highlighting the crisis of metanarratives and the emergence of interpretative pluralism. Additionally, the paper traces the evolution of postmodernism, from its Marxist intellectual foundations to the contemporary era of digital information, assessing its broader ramifications for communication and economic structures. Ultimately, the study argues for the necessity of balancing postmodern critique with a concurrent need for stability, thereby facilitating a nuanced engagement with the complexities of contemporary reality. Keywords: Modernity, Postmodernity, Reason, Truth, Relativism, Subjectivism, Objectivity, Pluralism