Editing Postmodernism (section)

===Richard Rorty's neopragmatism===
[[Richard Rorty]] was an American philosopher known for his linguistic form of [[neopragmatism]]. Initially attracted to [[analytic philosophy]], Rorty later rejected its representationalism. His major influences, rather than the poststructuralists, include [[Charles Darwin]], [[Hans Georg Gadamer]], [[G. W. F. Hegel]], and Martin Heidegger.{{sfn|Grippe|loc=lead section}}

Rorty challenged the notion of a mind-independent, language-independent reality. He argued that language is a tool used to adapt to the environment and achieve desired ends. This [[naturalism (philosophy)|naturalistic]] approach led him to abandon the traditional quest for a privileged mental power that allows direct access to things-in-themselves.{{sfn|Grippe|loc=lead section}}

Instead, Rorty advocated for a focus on imaginative alternatives to present beliefs rather than the pursuit of independently grounded truths. He believed that creative, [[secular humanism]], free from authoritarian assertions about truth and goodness, is the key to a better future. Rorty saw his neopragmatism as a continuation of the Enlightenment project, aiming to demystify human life and replace traditional power relations with those based on tolerance and freedom.{{sfn|Grippe|loc=lead section}}