Derrida, Jacques
(born on July 15, 1930 in El Biar, Algeria / died on October 8, 2004 in Paris,
France)
Jacques Derrida was a French philosopher who developed the notion of
deconstruction. To deconstruct all writing, all literature, is to attempt to surpass
language structure, to outwit western metaphysics and its immense influence on
our world. His field of interest revolves around linguistics, literature,
psychoanalysis, ontology and even ethics (with notions of charity and
forgiveness, for example). During the « Genèse et structure » conference
(“Genesis and Structure”), Derrida developed, for the first time, his other major
idea of différance. It is a « mouvement de jeu » (“movement in the play”) which
challenges authority of presence: “the signified concept is never present in
itself…”. Derrida left an impressive work, including more than 80 books.