Jacques Derrida

In "Structure, Sign, and Play in the Discourse of Human Sciences," Jacques Derrida discusses the concept of "decentering," questioning traditional structures of thought. He introduces "play" as the...

Derrida's concept of the "transcendental signified" refers to a universal truth or center of meaning that all language and literature supposedly point to. The "transcendental signifier" is the means...

Jacques Derrida's definition of "play" challenges the traditional structured approach to knowledge, arguing that the precise meaning of words is always open and never fixed. "Play" involves the...

In "Differance," Derrida deconstructs binaries such as presence/absence, being/nothingness, and speech/writing. He demonstrates that each side of a binary depends on the other and is marked by...

Montaigne's quote illuminates Derrida's essay "Structure, Sign, and Play in the Discourse of the Human Sciences" by emphasizing the necessity of questioning foundational interpretations. Derrida...

Aporia, as defined by Derrida, refers to a paradox where the elements that make something possible also make it impossible. It involves a situation where a concept, like hospitality or a gift,...

Derrida's "Plato's Pharmacy" critiques Plato's dialogues, particularly Phaedrus, by challenging structuralist ideas about text and meaning. Derrida argues that Plato's binaries, such as speech over...

Derrida's deconstruction theory posits that language and reality are culturally constructed and inherently unstable. Influenced by Saussure, Derrida argued that meaning is derived from the...

In "Plato's Pharmacy," Derrida examines the role of myth in Plato's The Phaedrus as a parallel to writing, highlighting its dual nature as both beneficial and harmful. He uses the myth of Theuth to...

The concept of "différance" in deconstruction, introduced by Derrida, challenges traditional linguistic and literary interpretations. It suggests that meanings are both deferred to future contexts...

Derrida's concept of "différance" combines "to differ" and "to defer," suggesting that meaning is always deferred to other words, creating an endless chain of signification. This implies that words...

Jacques Derrida, a pioneer of deconstruction, was influenced by the following philosophers, who also served as precursors to post-modern theorists: Nietzsche and Freud. Derrida would contend that...

Literature and language show the differences that are implicit in meaning, as evidence by différance. The question's answer has been summarized already in the essay: "Différance."

Derrida's philosophy, particularly deconstruction, significantly influences postmodernism. Deconstruction examines how binary oppositions shape understanding, revealing them as arbitrary and...

Jacques Derrida's key ideas about literature revolve around deconstruction, emphasizing that stable, coherent meanings in texts are impossible. He argued that all language, especially written texts,...