Single Idea 21934

[catalogued under 1. Philosophy / H. Continental Philosophy / 6. Deconstruction]

Full Idea

The tradition of conceiving being in terms of persisting presence, and meaning in terms of pure intelligibility or logos potentially present to the mind, finds itself dismantled by resources internal to its own construction.

Gist of Idea

The idea of being as persistent presence, and meaning as conscious intelligibility, are self-destructive

Source

report of Jacques Derrida (works [1990]) by Simon Glendinning - Derrida: A Very Short Introduction 6

Book Reference

Glendinning,Simon: 'Derrida: a Very Short Intro' [OUP 2011], p.73


A Reaction

[compressed] Glendinning says this is the basic meaning of de-construction. My personal reading of this is that Aristotle is right, and grand talk of Being is hopeless, so we should just aim to understand objects. I also believe in propositions.

Related Idea

Idea 578 Cratylus decided speech was hopeless, and his only expression was the movement of a finger [Cratylus, by Aristotle]