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Derrida and Differance
A collection of six essays by British and American philosophers, Derrida and Différance represents recent appropriations of Derrida's thought at the Warwick Workshops on Continental Philosophy. With an introductory letter by and interview with Derrida, Derrida and Différance focuses on the celebrated term "différance," a neologism devised by Derrida to denote the influence of differentiation in the structuring of all signification.
- GenresPhilosophy
98 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 1988
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About the author
David Wood
17 books4 followersDavid Wood teaches Continental Philosophy at the University of Warwick, where he is Director of the Centre for Research in Philosophy and Literature. He is the author of Exceedingly Nietzsche (1988) and The Provocation of Levinas (1988), editor of Writing the Future (1990), and co-editor of Philosopher's Poets (1990), all published by Routledge.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
November 10, 2019
This short work provides a varied sample of the early English reception of Derrida's thought, focused especially on his essay "Différance."
The opening lettwr by Derrida to a Japanese friend on the difficulties of translating 'deconstruction' provides ample insight into just how this term operates within his thinking - many disciplines could have, and still should, be attentive to what 'to deconstruct' means or signifies.
Krell's short piece opens some interesting lines between Derrida and psychoanalysis, some of which have subsequently been (over)analyzed, other which have perhaps fallen by the wayside.
Bernasconi's contribution is the reason that I came to this work - he problematizes the use of the trace in Derrida's writing on Levinas, complexifying the often too dimple reception of Derrida's "Violence and Metaphysics."
Brogan's essay is interesting, but remains inherently blind to the break that Derrida makes from Heidegger. This is because Brogan remains enclosed within Heideggerian appropriation, and fails to account for the radical différance which disrupts Heidegger's thinking from before its inception.
The essay by Ormiston left me without anything to say either way.
Llewlyn's contribution provokes many questions, yet remains a bit disjointed and sketchlike.
Wood is essentially defending his critique of Derrida, which is a bit limited and perhaps only half-relevant.
Finally, the interview with Derrida has a few interesting points, besides the biographical elements. The reflections on Sartre were unexpected, but not unappreciated.
The transcription of the discussion which followed the original presentation of Derrida's "Différance" was interesting to possess, but not of much value - most, if not all, of the interlocutors seemed to misunderstand or misrepresent just what it was that Derrida was attempting to explicate. But perhaps this is not to be unexpected.
The opening lettwr by Derrida to a Japanese friend on the difficulties of translating 'deconstruction' provides ample insight into just how this term operates within his thinking - many disciplines could have, and still should, be attentive to what 'to deconstruct' means or signifies.
Krell's short piece opens some interesting lines between Derrida and psychoanalysis, some of which have subsequently been (over)analyzed, other which have perhaps fallen by the wayside.
Bernasconi's contribution is the reason that I came to this work - he problematizes the use of the trace in Derrida's writing on Levinas, complexifying the often too dimple reception of Derrida's "Violence and Metaphysics."
Brogan's essay is interesting, but remains inherently blind to the break that Derrida makes from Heidegger. This is because Brogan remains enclosed within Heideggerian appropriation, and fails to account for the radical différance which disrupts Heidegger's thinking from before its inception.
The essay by Ormiston left me without anything to say either way.
Llewlyn's contribution provokes many questions, yet remains a bit disjointed and sketchlike.
Wood is essentially defending his critique of Derrida, which is a bit limited and perhaps only half-relevant.
Finally, the interview with Derrida has a few interesting points, besides the biographical elements. The reflections on Sartre were unexpected, but not unappreciated.
The transcription of the discussion which followed the original presentation of Derrida's "Différance" was interesting to possess, but not of much value - most, if not all, of the interlocutors seemed to misunderstand or misrepresent just what it was that Derrida was attempting to explicate. But perhaps this is not to be unexpected.
Displaying 1 of 1 review