[Fzob]

His paper argued that gravity is “postmodern” because it is “free from any dependence on the concept of objective truth.” Yet it was accepted and published.

It is ironic that gibberish like this is too easily accepted simply because of post modern ideology.

[dr_lew]

I have it! I have it!

Ross complained sullenly about Sokal's crowing, and I believe he had a point. Sokal was an invited outsider in this SCIENCE WARS issue of SOCIAL TEXT, and Ross claimed that he was given extra latitude, as such. That's what you get for trying to be a nice guy! Sokal's writing is actually rather pedestrian compared to the usual jargon he is imitating so assiduously.

Where Sokal goes over the top it is with declarations that science supports the postmodern agenda ... "Third, the postmodern sciences overthrow the static ontological categories and hierarchies characteristic of modernist science."

His discussion of quantum gravity etc. are actually in tune with this, and however weak or foolish one might feel such arguments are, they are far from arbitrary gibberish.

[IronJack]

It is ironic that gibberish like this is too easily accepted simply because of post modern ideology.

Speaking of post-modernism, if you ever want to read turgid gibberish, try reading anything by Jurgen Habermas, a post-modern philosopher. First of all, it's philosophy, which is nearly impossible to read regardless of who writes it. Secondly, it's translated from the German, and German does not translate to English well. And lastly, it's post-modern, which means that even if it was written in crayon with a pop-up version, it wouldn't make any sense.