Discussion for Postmodernism: 

1.  Bourdieu and Foucault might say that Internet access to books and knowledge could avoid the structures of power by allowing us to learn on our own.  Lyotard worries about technology eliminating the need for teachers.   He believes in the necessity of face to face exchanges.  Habermas might agree; communication is key.  Do you think we are moving in this direction?  Think about popularity of Distance Education courses, academic chat rooms and discussion groups.  

2.  Habermas thinks capitalist society is reaching the end of its usefulness.  We are beginning to sense the need for something different.   The logic of the system, i.e., instrumental reason, is starting to supplant the "lifeworld".  Do you see signs of this happening?

3.  In this course there have been no textbooks.   The idea behind this was to help students financially, especially when tuition has been raised.  However, this raises a moral question:  how are authors to receive payment for their work?  With free access to books on the Internet, it is difficult to control intellectual property.  Maybe this is a natural outgrowth of a need for greater access to learning and the direction we are taking is inevitable.  But what about the authors who labor to advance our society and ideas?  What do you think is fair?