Final answer:
The 'grand narrative' or 'metanarrative' is a philosophical term for 'Big Story' that postmodernists reject, as they favor a more relativistic and subjectivist view of truth and reality, arguing against universal explanations and acknowledging the complexity of individual experiences.
Step-by-step explanation:
The philosophical word for "Big Story" that postmodernists reject is referred to as a 'grand narrative' or 'metanarrative'. Postmodernists critique such grand narratives because they often try to provide universal explanations that apply across all cultures and contexts, which postmodernists see as an oversimplification of the complexity of reality. These grand narratives are seen as too rigid and unable to account for the diverse and subjective experiences of individuals, leading postmodernists to promote a more relativistic view where truth and reality are considered pluralistic and constructed by social contexts and power dynamics.
Postmodernism challenges the idea that there can be a single objective truth or reality, arguing instead for a multitude of perspectives and interpretations. This idea stands in stark contrast to the structuralist approach, which looked to language and symbols as having definitive meaning. Instead, postmodernism embraces relativism and the idea that reality is a construct, subject to change based on sociocultural influences.
In this sense, the postmodern critique is a radical departure from the philosophical tradition that extends from ancient times to the modern period, rejecting the notion that human reason is capable of achieving a singular, absolute truth. This perspective enables a multiplicity of truths and interpretations, valuing the individual and subjective over universal grand narratives.