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favorite moments from derrida
There are two interpretations of interpretation, of structure, of sign, of freeplay. The one seeks to decipher, dreams of deciphering, a truth or an origin which is free from freeplay and from the order of the sign. The other, which is no longer turned toward the origin, affirms freeplay and tries to pass beyond man and humanism, the name man being the name of that being who, throughout the history of metaphysics or of ontotheology -- in other words, through the history of all his history -- has dreamed of full presence, the reassuring foundation, the origin and the end of the game.
"Structure, Sign, and Play in the Discourse of the Human Sciences," by Jacques Derrida, in Writing and Difference, trans. Alan Bass. London: Routledge, pp 278-294. A somewhat flawed version available online.
By Swifty | July 29, 2006 in Postmodernism | Permalink
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Comments
It's Derrida citing John Ransom!
Posted by: | Jul 29, 2006 2:07:46 PM
you have said;
"the name man being the name of that being who, throughout the history of metaphysics or of ontotheology -- in other words, through the history of all his history -- has dreamed of full presence, the reassuring foundation, the origin and the end of the game."
but it seems to me that this is true only for european man, and not for all men. some cultures have different attitudes. the entire corpus of derrida is devoid of any reference to eastern cultures. he seems to be the victim of same eurocentrism which he despised. there are cultures who are without metaphysics. or who have acquired metaphysics only through colonial encounter. i am native of punjab. people here love to live as freely as possible. this freedom is not similar to liberal democratic freedom as in america. i dont think that is a freedom even. i wanna say that they are free from any anxiety to conceptually and theoretically grasp reality. they love to take risks.
heidegger also made the same mistake when he identified westen human condition with all of humanity. i think a healthy dialogue with the Other (eastern/non-western cultures) can point towards a way beyond presence, metaphysics, ontotheology and nihilism.
Posted by: Prabhsharanbir Singh | Jul 31, 2006 6:30:54 AM
You have seemed to cite Derrida. But even this remains within play. Is Derrida saying this, or are you? What essay is this from? It bears the mark, the signature of Derrida, but there is always doubt. I find this a bit unsettling. Shouldn't I recognize the master when I see him? But is he in the text or outside of it? Surely not inside of it, or else he wouldn't be human. Derrida is human, but who isn't? Can it be the author, the true author, of this text? Who is not, perhaps, present, yet can be see.
Posted by: Justin Dobbs | Jul 31, 2006 1:47:56 PM
Rereading this, somehow I feel that all of Derrida's writings are really a footnote to this quote.
Posted by: Burhanuddin | Aug 3, 2006 12:51:14 PM
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