Jacques Derrida VS John Locke

This week’s reading, Differance by Jacques Derrida, can easily be compared and contrasted with last week’s reading, An Essay on Human Understanding by John Locke. Both essays analyze and theorize about the origin and complexity of words and the confusion than can create in language.

First, I think it is important to understand the definition and concept of the word differance. The term was coined by Derrida himself purposely playing upon the word “difference.” The French word differrer means “to differ” and “to defer,” which Derrida says language does both. 

Derrida, like Locke, proposes that words are more than a mere definition; words encompass an essence, an idea. Only, Derrida takes this one step further claiming that words are what they are because of differance more than essence. The origin of words come from the existence of difference between ideas.

However, Derrida and Locke disagree on the complexity of language; Derrida views it as a positive, but Locke strongly views it as a negative. Locke claims that the complexity and lack of uniform and set definitions of words in language stunt communication among humans. Derrida agrees that there is not uniformity or set definitions of words within language, but that is not a negative; it is just what language is today. Both agree that because of this, one must understand and base a word on his or her own experiences. While Locke views this as a hindrance, Derrida views it as resulting in language simply being a unique experience. 

Works Cited

Derrida, Jacques. “Différance.” Literary Theory: An Anthology, Second Edition. Ed. Julie Rivkin and Michael Ryan. Malden, MA: Wiley/Blackwell, 2004. 278-288.

Locke, John. “From An Essay Concerning Human Understanding.” The Rhetorical Tradition: Readings from Classical Times to the Present, Second Edition. Ed. Patricia Bizzell and Bruce Herzberg. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001. 814-827.