Final answer:
Jean-François Lyotard coined the definition of postmodernism as 'incredulity toward metanarrative.' Postmodernism rejects grand, universal explanations in favor of recognizing multiple, subjective realities shaped by individual perspectives and societal constructs.
Step-by-step explanation:
French philosopher Jean-François Lyotard is credited with coining the definition of postmodernism as being 'incredulity toward metanarrative.' This definition underscores a core aspect of postmodern thought: the skepticism towards overarching, totalizing narratives or philosophies that claim to explain entire systems of thought or large-scale historical phenomena. Postmodernism suggests that such narratives are not absolute and that reality consists of multiple, subjective realities rather than a single, objective truth.
Postmodernism is a broad term encompassing skepticism of grand explanations and embracing the existence of relative truths. It stands in contrast to the modernist thought of a singular reality and employs various critical theories, including deconstructionism and constructivism. In postmodernism, everything is interpreted through individual lenses, making reality a personal construct influenced by experience, language, power relations, and societal constructs.
In literature, authors like Don DeLillo and David Foster Wallace have engaged with postmodern techniques, exploring the very nature of storytelling and integrating elements of metafiction. The result is a form of narrative that doesn't just relay events but also comments on the processes and constructs of narrative itself, thus exemplifying postmodern characteristics. Postmodernism broadly impacts fields such as literature, art, architecture, and philosophy, marking a break from modernist ideals and creating a rich tapestry of cultural developments that challenge traditional boundaries, genres, and truths.