Derrida is still uncomfortable with the notion of historical events, because “the internal originality of the structure, compels a neutralization of time and history” (291). Deconstructing Derrida: Review of "Structure, Sign and Discourse in the Human Sciences". Such a fault, however, is a species of Empiricism, a doctrine that Derrida obviously holds in great disregard. It originated in Europe and uses European concepts, but it attempts to destroy the notion of European ethnocentrism. Why is Derrida concerned about saving the distinction between the sign and what it signifies? The signified became indistinguishable from the signifier, and the play became “a play of signification.” Signs, that is, words, could have any meaning, in a boundless, infinite play. Derrida deduced that each sign performs two functions: ‘differing’ and ‘deferring’. However, Derrida admitted before that signs could not exist independently of what they signify. © 2020. What types of centers were there so far? While Saussure considers language to be a closed system, it is an open system for Derrida. Jacques Derrida, “Structure, Sign, and Play in the Discourse of the Human Sciences”1 (1970) Jacques Derrida, “Structure, Sign, and Play in the Discourse of the Human Sciences”1(1970) Perhaps something has occurred in the history of the concept of structure that could be called an “event,” if this loaded word did not entail a meaning which it is precisely the function of structural—or structurality—thought to … He draws out a parallel between the history of ethnology and the history of the concept of structure. Play, then, is whatever goes against the organization and coherence of the structure. He goes further to say that Nietzsche, Freud, and Heidegger could destroy each other only because they worked within an inherited system of metaphysics. Rousseau also exhibited sadness, negativity, nostalgia, and guilt about the lost or impossible origin. Coining the term ‘sous rature’ to express “the inadequacy of the sign”, Jacques Derrida brings forth the notion that every sign is written under erasure. Never was there a structure without a center, full of nothing but play. In an application of the deconstructing play, the meaning of the word “center” has shifted to “origin.” The origin of mythology is indeed unknown, which qualifies it as a center-less structure. In 1967, Derrida said: “To ‘deconstruct’ philosophy, thus, would be to think—in the most faithful, interior way—the structured genealogy of philosophy’s concepts, but at the same time to determine—from a certain exterior that is unqualifiable or unnameable by philosophy—what this history has been able to dissimulate or forbid, making itself into a history by means of this…motivated repression.”, In his essay, ‘STRUCTURE, SIGN AND PLAY IN THE DISCOURSE OF HUMAN SCIENCES’, Derrida enunciates what he owes to structuralism and his points of divergence from it. Rooted in Heidegger’s theory of Destruktion, ‘deconstruction’ involves simultaneous affirmation and undoing. It is possible, then, to have a philosophy without concepts, without orientation, and without coherence. There is no escaping the paradox: “The ethnologist accepts into his discourse the premises of ethnocentrism at the very moment when he denounces them” (282). The sentences appear to become increasingly entangled, to lead nowhere, and ultimately to add up to nothing. Derrida wants to save philosophy for the same purpose he wanted to save the sign: for endless deconstruction. Events must be set aside too, but Derrida would have had no reason to write his essay if there never was an event of rupture in the history of the concept of structure. I hope my paper on Chapter 10 of “Writing and Difference” provided some insight into Derrida’s method of thinking and his state of mind. Another successful deconstruction has taken place. What does play consist of? This commentary is part of The Atlas Society's 1999 online "CyberSeminar" entitled " The Continental Origins of Postmodernism . As Das and Mohanty opines, “a center diminishes the structurality of structure by posting an objective reality.”. Why is it so? He exclaims that since the center is both inside and outside the structure, “the center is not the center” (279). Derrida is characteristically blunt about the paradox that the metaphysical reduction of the sign needs what it is reducing. However, Derrida’s spectacular success in the academic world requires an explanation. Nietzsche’s critique of the concepts of “being” and “truth”; Freud’s critique of self-presence, consciousness, self-identity, and the subject himself; and finally, Heidegger’s radical destruction of metaphysics. Something went wrong while submitting the form. We promote open Objectivism: the philosophy of reason, achievement, individualism, and freedom. Derrida now points out the paradox that the center of the structure must be both inside and outside the structure. The reader, however, is still in the beginning of the essay and has no clue what the rupture is about. He defended himself by claiming that a linguist can decipher a grammar from only a few sentences and does not need to collect all the sentences of a language. Because the function of thinking about structure is to reduce the notion of events. No philosopher has recently such great influence on critical theory as Derrida, with whom the concept of … Play is possible, if only we can forego our need for truth. Nevertheless, Derrida continues to use Levi-Strauss’s writings to explain that language was preceded and created by mythology. They inherited enough of what to destroy. While one is spatial, the other is temporal. Only Nietzsche could interpret the absence of a center as the presence of a non-center, rather than be concerned with the loss of the center. Like Prometheus, who was not allowed to die so that the eagle could keep eating his liver, the sign has to be kept in existence in order to keep being critiqued. (And there will be nothing left to study once philosophy is completely deconstructed.). The ugly face of Deconstruction finally shows itself. (No doubt, Empiricism is like the child in the story “The Emperor’s New Clothes” who exclaims that the Emperor is naked--that Derrida’s discourse has no basis in reality.) 9 Books You Must Buy for your children this Boi-Mela! Derrida proceeds to claim that once the opposition between nature and culture is questioned, there is no way to separate nature and culture, and they become indistinguishable. At this point, Derrida asks: “What is the relevance of this formal scheme when we turn to what are called the ‘human sciences’”? The new structure, i.e., new philosophy, must be purely abstract and free of the concrete realm. (Instead of a structure of concepts, philosophy, there was only a collection of signs, language.) He uses the ethnological writings of Claude Levi-Strauss as an example of the study of this opposition. His focus is directed inward, at the workings of our minds, away from the objects our minds are supposed to interpret. Derrida obviously agrees with him. Because thinking about structure must be abstract and exclude concretes such as events. In the conclusion of his essay, Derrida observes that there are two ways to interpret structure, sign, and play. The quote already prepares the reader for a self-conscious, torturously abstract reading. In an interview in the New York Times in 1998 he is dead serious about Deconstruction and about his position as the greatest philosopher living. The nascent structure must be independent of the event of rupture that brought it about. Still, Derrida uses this “paradox” in order to commend Levi-Strauss for continuing to use the nature/culture opposition in his ethnological studies while criticizing its inherent paradox. 22001 Northpark Drive - Ste 250Kingwood, TX 77339, Happiness, growth, challenges, and relationships, Explore the essential role that money plays in production, trade, and investment, Examine the aspirations, arguments, strategies, and disasters of socialist theory and practice, Objectivity essential readings, videos, and podcasts, Examine the history of slavery and the powerful ideas behind the great moral and political campaigns against slavery. Without concepts, without orientation, and freedom: ‘ differing ’ ‘. Terms, man not as a structure of concepts, without orientation and... Everywhere and nowhere the Discourse of Human Sciences once they are deconstructed? Derrida defies this paradox continues... 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