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Before the Law: The Complete Text of Préjugés
Thinking judgment in relation to the work of Jean-François Lyotard
“How to judge—Jean-François Lyotard?” It is from this initial question that one of France’s most heralded philosophers of the twentieth century begins his essay on the origin of the law, of judgment, and the work of his colleague Jean-François Lyotard. If Jacques Derrida begins with the term préjugés , it is in part because of its impossibility to be rendered properly in other languages and also contain all its to pre -judge, to judge before judging, to hold prejudices, to know “how to judge,” and more still, to be already prejudged oneself. Striving to contain that which comes before the law, that is in front of the law and also prior to it, how to judge Jean-François Lyotard then becomes perhaps a beneficial attempt for Derrida to explore humanity’s rapport with judgment, origins, and naming. For how does one come to judge the author of the Differend ? How does one abstain from judgment to accept the term préjugés as suspending judgment and at once as taking into account the impossibility of speaking before the law, prior to naming or judging? If this task indeed seems insurmountable, it is the site where Lyotard’s work itself is played out. Hence this sincere and intriguing essay presented by Jacques Derrida, published here for the first time in English.
“How to judge—Jean-François Lyotard?” It is from this initial question that one of France’s most heralded philosophers of the twentieth century begins his essay on the origin of the law, of judgment, and the work of his colleague Jean-François Lyotard. If Jacques Derrida begins with the term préjugés , it is in part because of its impossibility to be rendered properly in other languages and also contain all its to pre -judge, to judge before judging, to hold prejudices, to know “how to judge,” and more still, to be already prejudged oneself. Striving to contain that which comes before the law, that is in front of the law and also prior to it, how to judge Jean-François Lyotard then becomes perhaps a beneficial attempt for Derrida to explore humanity’s rapport with judgment, origins, and naming. For how does one come to judge the author of the Differend ? How does one abstain from judgment to accept the term préjugés as suspending judgment and at once as taking into account the impossibility of speaking before the law, prior to naming or judging? If this task indeed seems insurmountable, it is the site where Lyotard’s work itself is played out. Hence this sincere and intriguing essay presented by Jacques Derrida, published here for the first time in English.
- GenresPhilosophyPsychoanalysis
96 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
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61 people want to read
About the author
Jacques Derrida
652 books1,798 followersJacques Derrida was a French philosopher best known for developing deconstruction, a method of critical analysis that questioned the stability of meaning in language, texts, and Western metaphysical thought. Born in Algeria, he studied at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, where he was influenced by philosophers such as Heidegger, Husserl, and Levinas. His groundbreaking works, including Of Grammatology (1967), Writing and Difference (1967), and Speech and Phenomena (1967), positioned him at the center of intellectual debates on language, meaning, and interpretation.
Derrida argued that Western philosophy was structured around binary oppositions—such as speech over writing, presence over absence, or reason over emotion—that falsely privileged one term over the other. He introduced the concept of différance, which suggests that meaning is constantly deferred and never fully present, destabilizing the idea of fixed truth. His work engaged with a wide range of disciplines, including literature, psychoanalysis, political theory, and law, challenging conventional ways of thinking and interpretation.
Throughout his career, Derrida continued to explore ethical and political questions, particularly in works such as Specters of Marx (1993) and The Politics of Friendship (1994), which addressed democracy, justice, and responsibility. He held academic positions at institutions such as the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales and the University of California, Irvine, and remained an influential figure in both European and American intellectual circles. Despite criticism for his complex writing style and abstract concepts, Derrida’s ideas have left a lasting impact on contemporary philosophy, literary theory, and cultural criticism, reshaping the way meaning and language are understood in the modern world.
Derrida argued that Western philosophy was structured around binary oppositions—such as speech over writing, presence over absence, or reason over emotion—that falsely privileged one term over the other. He introduced the concept of différance, which suggests that meaning is constantly deferred and never fully present, destabilizing the idea of fixed truth. His work engaged with a wide range of disciplines, including literature, psychoanalysis, political theory, and law, challenging conventional ways of thinking and interpretation.
Throughout his career, Derrida continued to explore ethical and political questions, particularly in works such as Specters of Marx (1993) and The Politics of Friendship (1994), which addressed democracy, justice, and responsibility. He held academic positions at institutions such as the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales and the University of California, Irvine, and remained an influential figure in both European and American intellectual circles. Despite criticism for his complex writing style and abstract concepts, Derrida’s ideas have left a lasting impact on contemporary philosophy, literary theory, and cultural criticism, reshaping the way meaning and language are understood in the modern world.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 12, 2022
Dictada en 1985, esta conferencia de Jacques Derrida, el afamado filósofo y crítico literario, abarca un profundo análisis acerca de la parábola más famosa (y la que más interpretaciones posee) de Franz Kafka: “Ante la Ley”.
Debo reconocer que el nivel intelectual e interpretativo de Derrida supera mi capacidad de entendimiento, dado que por momentos tuve que releer ciertos párrafos para lograr un acercamiento al objetivo del filósofo en su exposición.
Derrida establece una conexión y un planteamiento sobre la cuestión de la parábola y su inserción en la literatura y a partir de allí traza todo tipo de lazos para comprender su significado.
Un libro difícil, que posee para mí la misma complejidad que supe encontrar en el texto “Sobre Kafka” de Walter Benjamin pero que siempre agradezco tener en mi biblioteca acerca de la obra de mi escritor preferido.
Debo reconocer que el nivel intelectual e interpretativo de Derrida supera mi capacidad de entendimiento, dado que por momentos tuve que releer ciertos párrafos para lograr un acercamiento al objetivo del filósofo en su exposición.
Derrida establece una conexión y un planteamiento sobre la cuestión de la parábola y su inserción en la literatura y a partir de allí traza todo tipo de lazos para comprender su significado.
Un libro difícil, que posee para mí la misma complejidad que supe encontrar en el texto “Sobre Kafka” de Walter Benjamin pero que siempre agradezco tener en mi biblioteca acerca de la obra de mi escritor preferido.
November 10, 2025
I really gotta read Discourse, Figure already, don't I? And Lyotard on Duchamp...
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews