August 13, 2005

• Kaleidoscope, continued:

  In Derrida’s Defense

  The previous entry quoted an attack on Jacques Derrida for ignoring the
  “kaleidoscope” metaphor of Claude Levi-Strauss.  Here is a quote
  by Derrida himself:

  “The
  time for reflection is also the chance for turning
  back on the very conditions of reflection, in all the
  senses of that word, as if with the help of an
  optical device one could finally see sight, could not
  only view the natural landscape, the city, the bridge
  and the abyss, but could view viewing. (1983:19)

  – Derrida,
  J. (1983) ‘The Principle of Reason: The University
  in the Eyes of its Pupils’, Diacritics 13.3:
  3-20.”

  The above quotation comes from Simon Wortham,  who thinks the “optical device” of Derrida is a mirror.  The same quotation appears in Desiring Dualisms at thispublicaddress.com, where the “optical device” is interpreted as a kaleidoscope.

  Derrida’s “optical device” may (for university pupils desperately seeking an essay topic) be compared with Joyce’s “collideorscape.”  For a different connection with Derrida, see The ‘Collideorscape’ as Différance.

  • 12:04 pm
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