Comparative Analysis of Western Modernism, Postmodernism, and Iran’s Philosophical and Literary Heritage

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Senior Environmental Researcher from the Science and Research Branch of Islamic Azad University and an expert in Applied Physics with a focus on Atomic Physics from Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

This study critically compares the evolution of philosophical thought in Western and Iranian intellectual traditions. In the West, medieval ecclesiastical dominance suppressed intellectual freedom, sparking modernity’s emergence, which championed reason, empiricism, and individual subjectivity over metaphysical certainties. Modernity established new epistemological and ontological foundations, but its overreach led to contradictions, prompting postmodernism’s critique of grand narratives and rationalist claims. Postmodernism, however, often descended into relativism, resulting in cultural fragmentation. In contrast, Iran’s intellectual tradition, which harmonized rational philosophy, religious thought, and literary creativity from the 9th to 13th centuries, followed a unique trajectory. Without a centralized Church’s oppression or the transformative upheavals of a Renaissance or Enlightenment, Iran’s philosophical culture experienced cycles of vibrant inquiry and prolonged stagnation. Political instability and disconnection from global philosophical currents disrupted its epistemic development, leaving it unprepared for the abrupt arrival of modern science and technology as Western imports. This encounter destabilized traditional frameworks, triggering crises of authority, identity, and cultural continuity without providing a coherent, indigenous alternative. Employing rationalism, empiricism, and critical theory, this article traces the roots of this divergence and decline, proposing avenues for renewed intellectual engagement. It emphasizes feminist discourse as a critical lens for reevaluating modern and postmodern metanarratives and advocates for reconstructing dialogic, reasoned traditions to navigate between oppressive rigidity and chaotic dissolution in both Western and Iranian contexts, fostering balanced philosophical progress.

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References

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