Question

Whom would you associate the term 'simulacra' with?

• A. Noam Chomsky
• B. Jean Baudrillard
• C. Félix Guattari
• D. Michel Foucault

Hint:

Link "simulacra" and "hyperreality" directly with Jean Baudrillard. Always recall his work Simulacra and Simulation when this term appears.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understand the term.
'Simulacra' refers to representations or images that replace or distort reality. In postmodern philosophy, the concept is tied to the idea of hyperreality, where signs and simulations take precedence over the real itself.

Step 2: Identify the thinker.
Jean Baudrillard, the French postmodern philosopher, developed this concept extensively in his book Simulacra and Simulation (1981). He argued that in the contemporary media-driven world, signs and symbols no longer point to a real-world referent but generate a reality of their own (hyperreality).

Step 3: Eliminate other options.
- Chomsky is associated with linguistics and political critique.
- Guattari (with Deleuze) worked on schizoanalysis and capitalism/subjectivity.
- Foucault worked on discourse, power, and knowledge. Thus, only Baudrillard is directly linked to 'simulacra.' \[ \boxed{\text{Jean Baudrillard (Option B)}} \]