Deconstruction
Deconstruction is a loosely-defined set of approaches to understanding the relationship between text and meaning. The concept of deconstruction was introduced by the philosopher Jacques Derrida, who described it as a turn away from Platonism's ideas of "true" forms and essences which are valued above appearances.[1]
For deconstruction of buildings, see Deconstruction (building). For the approach to post-modern architecture, see Deconstructivism. For Deconstruction in fashion, see Deconstruction (fashion). For other uses, see Deconstruction (disambiguation).Since the 1980s, these proposals of language's fluidity instead of being ideally static and discernible have inspired a range of studies in the humanities,[2] including the disciplines of law,[3]: 3–76 [4][5] anthropology,[6] historiography,[7] linguistics,[8] sociolinguistics,[9] psychoanalysis, LGBT studies, and feminism. Deconstruction also inspired deconstructivism in architecture and remains important within art,[10] music,[11] and literary criticism.[12][13]
Deconstruction according to Derrida[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Derrida's original use of the word deconstruction was a translation of Destruktion, a concept from the work of Martin Heidegger that Derrida sought to apply to textual reading. Heidegger's term referred to a process of exploring the categories and concepts that tradition has imposed on a word, and the history behind them.[25]
Basic philosophical concerns[edit]
Derrida's concerns flow from a consideration of several issues:
