Review of Eco-Deconstruction: Derrida and Environmental Philosophy Fritsch

摘要

At first glance, it might seem strange to consider Derrida as an environmental philosopher. There is still a sense with many that Derrida is primarily a thinker of poetry and texts rather than of "leaves or soil" (Shepard 1995, 20). While this is still a common view, even a cursory glance at Derrida's work and at this volume shows that it is based on a misunderstanding. What it ignores is the fact that 'text' for Derrida is "coextensive [at least, T.B.] with mortal life" (7) and indeed can be said to include every aspect of the (material) world (Derrida 1988, 136). Moreover, Derrida challenges the idea that we can understand culture independently from its material manifestations in the world and from its relations to what we call nature.