DOI: https://doi.org/10.36719/2663-4619/114/104-107
Zumrud Gasimova
Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University
https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3458-7941
zumrud.vahid@mail.ru
Existentialism and Postmodernism in the Works of Don Delillo and David
Foster Wallace: The Search for Meaninglessness in the Chaos of Information
Abstract
From the second half of the 19th century onward, many branches of philosophy shifted from individualism toward the pursuit of universal knowledge, seeking content and truth that would be the same for everyone. During this historical period, all universal laws were employed to uncover the essence of human nature. As it is known, until the mid-19th century, rationalist ideas dominated philosophy. However, certain difficulties arose in this endeavor. Consequently, dissatisfaction with various forms of philosophical thought emerged, leading to what could be described as a "philosophical rebellion" among scholars. The representatives of this "philosophical rebellion" later laid the foundation for existentialist philosophy.The primary issue raised by existentialists was to clarify the meaning of life, the place of human beings in the world, and the process of choosing one's own path in life.
Postmodernism, in turn, encompassed new worldviews and perspectives on life that emerged after modernism. In essence, postmodernism surfaced as a kind of repetitive thought model that operated with the "residual effects" of modernism, and poststructuralist characteristics were observed in all its spheres of activity. Poststructuralism presented postmodernism as a mode of modern thought.
The presented article examines the perspectives of existentialism and postmodernism in the works of Don DeLillo and David Foster Wallace, specifically focusing on the problem of searching for meaninglessness in the chaos of information.
Keywords: Philosophical movements, existentialism, modernism, postmodernism, literary movements