It is difficult to define Deconstruction because it is not possible like all other terms to define it and Derrida refuses to define it.
2. Is Deconstruction a negative term?
No, Deconstruction is not a negative term because deconstruction is not destructive activity to breaking down something but rather an inquiry into the foundations and to transform what people think.
3. How does Deconstruction happen on its own?
Deconstruction happens on its own. The foundations of meanings are inquired in the process and thus the inquiry into foundations destroys the institution.
1. The influence of Heidegger on Derrida
Heidegger's many themes that are continued by Derrida. Heidegger thought that the Western philosophy neglected the question of Being of Being. Thus Heidegger wanted to destroy the Western tradition of philosophy by pursuing The Question of Being of Beings. He is trying to transform the way western people think . Derrida continued these thoughts in terms of Deconstruction or transforming Western Philosophy.
2. Derridean rethinking of the foundations of Western philosophy
He wanted to rethink the foundation of language as well as wanted to reinvent the language of philosophy. Because in the Western philosophy language is considered as speech rather than writing.
1. Ferdinand de Saussureian concept of language (that meaning is arbitrary, relational, constitutive)
The relation between the word and its meaning is not natural but conventional. The Meaning of the word is arbitrary but when it is connected with a particular meaning or convention it gets the exact meaning.
2. How Derrida deconstructs the idea of arbitrariness?
Derrida deconstructs the idea of arbitrariness is that the meaning of the word is nothing but another word and one never arrives at its meaning. It creates binary oppositions.
3. Concept of metaphysics of presence
Metaphysics of Presence is a binary opposition inherent in language and in philosophy. Like if something is present there will always be the presence of opposite force or ideas for instance, Man-Woman, Black-White. Such oppositions let one thing in inferior position in comparison to the one which have it, the presence of something.
4. Derridean concept of DifferAnce
Derridean concept of DifferAnce is a combination of Difference and Deferenece. This combined word Derrida presents the difference between word and speech. and the word is both negative as well as positive.
2. Infinite play of meaning
When we want to understand the meaning of a word, we will come across the another group of meaning. So the meaning is always postponed to its ultimate meaning but we think that we have understood the meaning. And according to Derrida Ultimate meaning of the word is myth.
3. DIfferAnce = to differ + to defer
Derrida combines two words Difference and Deference. Difference is to differentiate a word from another to understand its meaning. We do not define, actually, we differentiate.
Deference means the meaning of the word is postponed. Through the combination of both the words, he tried to differentiate the speech and the word
5.1. •Structure, Sign and Play in the Discourse of the Human Sciences
This essay is a critique of Claude Levi-Strauss's 'Structural Anthropology'. Structuralism began as criticism on metaphysics and science. Derrida here argues how Levi-Strauss is using the same assumptions that are found in Metaphysics and science.
5.2. •Explain: "Language bears within itself the necessity of its own critique."
Language do not have any center for the sake of meaning. When go for one meaning we will come across the another group of meaning and at the end the ultimate meaning is never grasped. Thus such interplay or the free play of meaning indicated the necessity of its own critique to fill it which can be done only through language.
6.1. •The Yale School: the hub of the practitioners of Deconstruction in the literary theories
The Yale School has played a pivotal role in propagation of Derridean thoughts of philosophy. Deconstruction in Yale became very passional and the four philosopher Paul de Man, J Hillis Miller, Harold Bloom and Geoffrey Hartman at Yale made deconstruction popular in America and Deconstruction became the school of literary criticism for the first time because of Yale. So the Yale School is responsible to consider Deconstruction as a literary term.
6.2. •The characteristics of the Yale School of Deconstruction
There are three main characteristics of Yale School of Deconstruction:
1. Looking at literature as figurative or rhetorical construct: Due to the use of figurative or rhetoric construct language becomes unreliable tool for communication of meaning.
2. They questioned both the aesthetic as well as formalist approach to literature and also questioned the historicist and sociologist approach to literature: Aesthetics is a very illusionary in language.
3. They were highly pre-occupied with Romanticism: The Use of Metaphor and Allegory
7.1. •How other schools like New Historicism, Cultural Materialism, Feminism, Marxism and Postcolonial theorists used Deconstruction?
New Historicism, Cultural Materialism, Feminism, Marxism and Postcolonial theorists are influence by the concept of Deconstruction and have also used it.
The postcolonial theories are fascinated by its ability to show the texts or the discourse of the colonizers can be deconstructed from within the narratives.
Feminism interested in deconstruction because it deals with how to subvert the binaries between male and female. By its ability to subvert patriarchal discourse
Cultural materialists used its ability to emphasize materiality of language - Language is material construct and it has got ability to unmask hidden ideological agendas.
Historians are also fascinated by its ability to see historicity of text and textuality of history. History is textual and text is historical.
These are a few Questions raised by me as am activity on Derrida and Deconstruction:
1. While watching the video no.2 Derrida and Heidegger, I got confused about the concepts of phonocentrism and Logocentrism and Derrida's Critique on Heidegger's Belief of language as speech rather than word. So why does Heidegger say language is more of speech than writing? Can you please clarify the idea of Phonocentrism?
2. How does the word DifferAnce is used by Derrida? Can you throw more light on the use of this word?
3. Why is it pointed by Derrida that ‘Language bears within itself the necessity of its own’?
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