From: "charmaine driscoll" <missplateau-AT-hotmail.com> Subject: Re: Derrida and Silence Date: Fri, 21 Sep 2001 02:20:40 -0400 --- Hello -- well I beg to differ with you on this matter. Last autumn Mister Derrida signed a petition protesting the occupation of the Palestinian territories and the repression in that country which wishes to be. He also signed a petition to help Mr. Edward Said whose books had been banned by M. Arafat. I think it a tad simple to try and explain the man before he has spoken. I disagree completely with E.Mitchell's views. Sincerely, Charmaine > >I'd like to weigh in on this subject although perhaps it is neither wise >nor >necessary. I think M. Derrida has made it quite clear over the years what >his interests are. Yes there is a political component to his work but only >indirectly. "Positions" is probably the most concise and direct statement >about the political dimensions of his work which in a nutshell (no pun >intended) argues the untenability of any and all avowedly political >philosophies. This of course does not mean that politiical texts and >theory >are absent from his work but the thrust of his work seems to advocate being >non-positioned. Of course, this itself is a position but this >non-positioning of oneself is meant as a discursive and philosophical >practice or praxis which seeks the "chora" and attempts to stand in the gap >created by the antinomies of reason and the contradictions and paradoxes of >experience. > >See below references to Encyclopedia Brittanica re: chora > > >Plato's central inspiration, which unifies his metaphysics, his >cosmology, his theory of man, and his doctrine of the soul, was >basically dualistic (in the sense of dialectical dualism) with two >irreducible principles: the Idea and the chora (or material >"receptacle") in which the Idea impresses itself. All of this world is >conditioned by materiality and necessity; and because of this, the >descent of souls into bodies is said to be rendered necessary as >well. > >http://www.eb.com:180/bol/topic?eu=117389&sctn=3#s_top > >Among the important features of the dialogue are its introduction of >God as the "demiurge"--the intelligent cause of all order and >structure in the world of becoming--and the emphatic recognition of >the essentially tentative character of natural science. It is also >noteworthy that, though Plato presents a corpuscular physics, his >metaphysical substrate is not matter but chora (space). The >presence of space as a factor requires the recognition, over and >above God or mind, of an element that he called ananke >(necessity). The activity of the demiurge ensures that the universe is >in general rational and well-ordered, but the brute force of material >necessity sets limits to the scope and efficacy of reason. The details >of Plato's cosmology, physiology, and psychophysics are of great >importance for the history of science but metaphysically of >secondary interest. > >http://www.eb.com:180/bol/topic?eu=115123&sctn=17#407357 > > >I hope this doesn't sound too pedantic but I believe it would be >inconsistent with Derrida's work as it stands to be inserting himself into >a >political situation where he has really no authority. Perhaps even a bit >arrogant for someone such as himself to think that he should say something. >A thinker such as Derrida, I think, can only be expected to comment on >topical or current historical events if he is pressed to or asked to either >by some public body or by politicians themselves. It is of course not at >all uncommon for news organizations and government to consult with members >of the academy but is Derrida really the type of member of the academy that >such groups might go to for any kind of practical advice or general >overview. No doubt he abhors the loss of life and the escalation of >tensions but these are sentiments and views of a private citizen. What >more >would he be in a position to say? > > >Sincerely, > >C. Daly > > >>From: maureen ford <mford-AT-sky.lakeheadu.ca> >>Reply-To: foucault-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu >>To: foucault-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu >>Subject: Re: Derrida and Silence >>Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 11:51:40 -0400 >> >>I would like to speak in support of Stuart Elden's reference to the wisdom >>of silence, and speak against the call for Derrida to fill a void somehow >>left with Foucault's absence. In addition to the wisdom of taking time to >>consider before speaking (not to mention waiting for a time when genuine >>dialogue, including listening, might be possible... a time at which we >>might >>not yet have arrived), I recall Foucault's reluctance to speak as a >>"public >>intellectual" such that his speaking would be conferred with an >>all-encompassing authority. The very call for Derrida to join Chomsky and >>Fisk in making public declarations itself seems dangerous in just the way >>Foucault resisted. I don't have the document here with me but I am >>thinking >>of the contrast between Foucault and Chomsky's comments in their join >>interview... >> >>If Derrida may only speak because it is demanded by an audience that is >>ready to give the weight of his seemingly singular "brilliance" then it >>seems perhaps wise not to speak at all. >> >>maureen >> > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp
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