In our first reading of this site, we were happy to see Friedlander's generous assessment of Foucault's projects. We think he has a limited understanding of the philosophical problem posed by the Enlightenment, as it has played out through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. But his favorable view of Foucault's interests removes him from the ranks of the shallow cultural warriors who would "restore" the Virtues by fiat.
We were sympathetic to his attack on the more outlandish uses of postmodern thought in the critique of science and in the politics of culture. His serious intent, however, does not allow him to see the absurd hi-jinks of some postmodern writing, which does no harm and may act as a balm in the overheated life we lead. Productions like Panic Encyclopedia are like "Saturday Night Live" or the old "That Was the Week That Was." They provide a laxative of humor for a bound-up world living out the conditions of postmodernity. Hey, po-mo voices sometimes laugh loudest at po-mo.
Friedlander's thoughts are relevant to the Alan Sokal spoof of postmodernist views of science and reality.
They also are worth reading in light of our Deleuzeland Declaration.
Edward R. Friedlander, Why I Am Not a Postmodernist.