Prodigiously influential, Jacques Derrida gave rise to a comprehensive rethinking of the basic concepts and categories of Western philosophy in the latter part of the twentieth century, with writings central to our understanding of language, meaning, identity, ethics and values.
In 1993, a conference was organized around the question, ‘Whither Marxism?’, and Derrida was invited to open the proceedings. His plenary address, ‘Specters of Marx’, delivered in two parts, forms the basis of this book. Hotly debated when it was first published, a rapidly changing world and world politics have scarcely dented the relevance of this book.
Addressing Some Basic Misconceptions About Derrida’s Work Reading this book will help dispel (or at least nuance) two criticisms that are often addressed to Jacques Derrida’s work. The first is that the brand of philosophy that he promotes under the name of deconstruction is irretrievably obscure and that it constitutes a refutation of the notion of objective truth as well as an attack on the Western canon of literary works. The second is that Derrida cultivates a radical posture that is detached from the realities of the day and unashamedly leftist,…
A few extra comments… The pro-Derrida and anti-Derrida standpoints are well represented in these reviews; however, there is a more important point that has not been made. I read this work much like Nietzsche’s Zarathustra, meaning that its significance remains to be seen–for now to come. Now, take that as “post-structuralist obscurantism” all you want. I will shoot back just as Derrida did a hundred times: You have not read enough and you clearly do not understand his project.With that being said,…