Jacques Derrida: A Biography

Front Cover
A&C Black, Jun 23, 2006 - Philosophy - 250 pages

At the time of his death in 2004, Jacques Derrida was arguably the most influential and the most controversial thinker in contemporary philosophy. Deconstruction, the movement that he founded, has received as much criticism as admiration and provoked one of the most contentious philosophical debates of the twentieth century. Jacques Derrida: A Biography offers for the first time a complete biographical overview of this important philosopher, drawing on Derrida's own accounts of his life as well as the narratives of friends and colleagues. Powell explores Derrida's early life in Algeria, his higher education in Paris and his development as a thinker. Jacques Derrida: A Biography provides an essential and engaging account of this major philosopher's remarkable life and work.

From inside the book

Contents

Algeria
9
Paris and the ENS
21
After ENS
37
The First Book
47
Against Structuralism 335
53
Structures in French Thought
63
Avantgarde Philosophy
77
Derrida as Literary Theory
89
Nietzsche and Heidegger
133
The 1980s
145
Autobiographical Years 199091
175
The Future of Democracy and the Very Worst Moment
183
Confronting Marx
191
The Politics of Friendship
199
Derridas Religion
207
Thoughtful Welcoming of the Other Death
215

Glas
107
GREPH
113
Yale
119
The Post Card
127
Conclusion
231
Works Cited
237
Index
244
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

References to this book

About the author (2006)

Jason Powell has a PhD in philosophy and is the author of Jacques Derrida: A Biography and Heidegger's Contributions to Philosophy. He has served with the British Army in Iraq, Bosnia and Kosovo and now works as a freelance writer.

Bibliographic information