Post-Structuralism: Deconstruction

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Post-Structuralism Deconstruction

• Some Key Concepts Examples

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Outline

• Difference vs. difference
• Differ and defer
• Re-contextualization
• Spacing and Traces
• Against Transcendental Signified
• Method of Deconstruction an example

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Writing and Différance (1)

• Writing as a system of difference, vs. Writing
  as Différance.
• While structualists had treated binary
  oppositions as stable terms in a formal
  structure, Derrida sees them as organized in
  unstable disequilibrium. ? because of the
  presence/absence of traces

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Writing and Différance (2)

• Writing as Différance and the endless play of
  signs.
• Différance
• To differ
• A sign is defined by its binary opposition to
  another sign.
• 2. To defer.
• The signifier (black) that is distinguished from
  the other one (white) is not completely erased
  it is only deferred, bracketed. Black. It can
  subvert the fixed meaning of the sign.

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Writing and Différance

• The chain of signification

Signifier 1 (rose) Signified 1 (flower)
Signified 2 (love) Signified 2 (roselove)
Signified 3 (rosewoman in love)
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Writing and Différance an Example

• Signifier Signified 2
  Signified 3

Asian People
Yellow
Exotic (Evil or Weak)
Other Racial Features What they did
Other Skin colors
Innocence
White
White Americans
The other Americans
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Writing and Différance (3)
Two chains of signification ? Re-contextualization
traces kept. e.g. 1. Pharmakon 1). poison,
2). Pharmacy 2.
Creole 1). Native, local,pure
2). Native-born whites 3).
Hybrid ? hence the ensuing discrimination against
creole.
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lt?????gt

• ??????????????
  ?????????
• ???? ?1937 ?????????1940 ???.-1949 ???-1950
  ????????????????
• ?????????,?????????,??????,???????????????????????
  ????,???????,????????????

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lt?????gt

• ????????????????????????????????????????????lt?????
  gt????????????????????????????
• ??????????????????????????????????????????!??
• (????????pp. 122 126)

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Spacing--

• Movement from one Signifier to another
• -- spacing Meaning changed when the context is
  further revealed.
• --The traces of the old meanings are both present
  and absent.

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Questions

• What is Transcendental Signified?
• Transcendental Signified source of meaning and
  center of existence. e.g. being, unity, truth,
  the good, reason, progress, identity, continuity,
  meaning, subjectivity, authenticity, etc.

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Questions Answers

• What is presence?
• What the first step of deconstruction?
• 2. Presence Opposite to absence presence of
  god, of meaning, essence, etc. implies fixed and
  domineering presence.
• 3. One way of deconstruction Reverse the
  hierarchical binary of presence/absence,
  speech/writing, and allow the latter to
  supplement the formers.

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Critique of Metaphysics logocentrism,
phonocentrism, phallogocentrism

• Traditional binaries are hierarchical. Should
  be reversed.
• Logocentrism Logo as center, source, or founding
  presence of knowledge and human beings.
• Phonocentrism In the speech/writing binary,
  speech is supposed to signal presence of the
  speaker.
• Phallogocentrism Man/Woman sun/moon,
  reason/emotion, Subject/Object, etc.

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Deconstruction practices

1. (p. 131) 1. Open texts ? A text that
   deconstructs its unity or author.
2. 2. Reverse the texts binaries or expose its
   undecidability or multiple meanings (131)
3. Study the process of signification of a sign or a
   text and find out what it tries to erase.
4. Find where the text differs from itself.
   (critical difference? ambiguity and
   undecidability)
5. Radical contextualization ? to find out its
   intertextual references and thus undecidability
   of meanings.