The Concept of the Educated man in the Transition from Modernity to Postmodernity: An Inquiry, Comparison, and Critical Evaluation"

Abstract

This study aims to analyze, compare, and critically evaluate the concept of the "educated man" in the transition from modernity to postmodernity. To address the research questions, Michel Foucault's genealogical method is employed. The findings indicate that the concept of the "educated man" and its defining characteristics are continually redefined under the influence of the fundamental assumptions and socio-political-cultural developments of each era. Accordingly, from a Foucauldian genealogical perspective, the evolution of this concept has not been a continuous and uniform process but has rather undergone fundamental transformations in each epoch. Furthermore, the divergence in interpretations of humanity's educative telos (purpose) and the lack of full alignment among postmodern philosophers have led to the presentation of an "educated man" with mutable characteristics, marked by increased complexity and ambiguity. In contrast, modern philosophers, due to a greater convergence in their conception of the educative telos, offered a clearer and more transparent articulation of this concept. The overarching conclusion of this research is that the "educated man" is a function of the prevailing social developments and the political and educational discourses of each period, defined according to the exigencies and socio-political conditions of its time.