RICHARD RORTY AND THE LITERARY CULTURE

RICHARD RORTY AND THE LITERARY CULTURE

The intervention of post-analytic philosopher Richard Rorty in the field of literary studies in recent years may be seen as a sign of the times: the philosophers turn to the rhetorical strategies or discursive practices of their trade, which are generally considered to be the domain of literary studies; while the literary critics, at the same time, show greater interest in the more or less philosophical (mainly epistemological) aspects of literary production and consumtpion. To a certain degree, Rorty's efforts consist in a reconceptualization of the historicity and contingency of the professional concerns of his field. Rorty finds the project of philosophical formalism-namely, Anglo-American analytical philosophy-a problematic one and embarks upon an examination of the historical origins and developments of such representationalist and linguistic interests. In his narrative, he emphasizes the contextuality of the discursive practices that make up his professional field and advocates such a critical move as a means to resist the isolating and de-historicizing tendencies in philosophical formalism. In that respect, Rorty's efforts converge nicely with the developing concerns of literary studies. To be more precise, the relevance of Rorty's writings lies in its deconstruction of the systematic view of knowledge (Truth) that has provided justification and foundation for those dominant and formalistic modes of perception and interpretation that have lodged themselves in the field of literary studies. In the following pages, I hope to trace Rorty's emergence in the field of philosophy, placing special emphasis upon those aspects of his thought that carry implications for literary studies; then I will examine Rorty's timely intervention in the debate surrounding the status of literary theory, which provided the gateway for his enry into the field of literary studies.