THE MEANING OF IRONY ACCORDING TO RORTY’S HUMAN PHILOSOPHY PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

The consideration of existence and the concept of nihilism bring about the writer’s understanding to
scrutinize the theory proposed by philosopher Richard Rorty. Nihilism and humanitarian crises of
cruelty are cases that could not be left alone; hence it underlies Rorty’s philosophic thought. One of his
basic ideas is that how humans have a particular attitude closing to reality which idea can be found in
terms of irony. This term provides human grounding as it is expected to cope with humanitarian issues
in the present day. In this regard, irony functions as a framer in an understanding extended by Rorty
within human selfhood.
This is literature research based on two materials namely primer literature and secondary literature.
Primer literature refers to the books written by Rorty, while secondary literature includes materials
obtained from books, journals, articles, research discussing Rorty and human philosophy, especially
existentialism and other literature related to the topic of the research. The research steps were data
inventory, classification, description, and analysis. Methodical elements applied in this research were
the interpretation, heuristic, comparation, and reflection.
The results of the research give an understanding of the use of Rorty’s word irony since humans tend
to overlook their position as human beings. A person is considered to be ironic as if that person sees
things critically, yet the person is capable to take steps in any condition. The meaning of irony has been
understandable that of humans at present-day act for others (in a social context). The virtue of ironists
is conscious thought that may exist regarding the presence of others inside themselves, language is
simply intermediately as it functions as a tool for dialectical need. Humans construct history considering
three things classified into moral, language, and social-built basic investigations. These three features
are categorized as language performance, social practice, and self-confidence. Lastly, these perspectives
extend the relationship between thought, experience, and philosophy