Chapter 1: Introduction: The Contemporary Era Naming and dating postmodernity Just the West? The ethical dilemma Chapter 2: Truth or Truths? Truth as a kind of fiction? Emotion as the new truth? Truth, Act II Chapter 3 Ethics: "How I feel at the time" Moral dilemmas Skepticism about ethical foundations Traditionalist ethics Science-based (modernist) ethics Postmodern ''other''-based ethics Market-based ethics Contractarian ethics Chapter 4: Individualism: "I Believe in Me" The costs of postmodern individualism Self-indulgence Civility Decline of empathy Lack of larger commitments beyond the self Social distancing Pleasure Case study: The novels of David Foster Wallace The goods and limits of postmodern individualism Freedom - completing the work of modernity Blysspluss Chapter 5: Adventures in Cyber-culture Internet gains Internet losses A decline of memory and literacy A decline of reason Illusory gains in multi-tasking A decline of human connections More democratic? More resolutely into simulation ''Layered'' reality Internet addiction and mediated lives Next step, transhuman? Hunger for the unreal Chapter 6 :The Nation Individualism: distrust of the political Consumer, not citizen Decline of the public sphere Multilateralism and globalization Deregulation Reassertions of the national grand narrative Global rule of law Selective national sovereignty Chapter 7 :Faith and Other Grand Narratives "Evil Spirits" Traditional beliefs diminishing in a postmodern context Traditional beliefs continuing New grand narratives: science, environment The undecided middle Ego-based personal narratives Small narratives Selective adherence Pluralist adaptation Humanism Case study: Humanist chaplain Bart Campolo Chapter 8: Conclusion.