Binary-oppositions Quote by Terry Eagleton
““Derrida… labels as ‘metaphysical’ any such thought system which depends on an unassailable foundation, a first principle or unimpeachable ground upon which a whole hierarchy of meanings may be constructed. It is not that he believes that we can merely rid ourselves of the urge to forge such first principles, for such an impulse is deeply embedded in our history, and cannot — at least as yet — be eradicated or ignored. Derrida would see his own work as inescapably ‘contaminated’ by such metaphysical thought, much as he strives to give it the slip. But if you examine such first principles closely, you can see that they may always be ‘deconstructed’: they can be shown to be products of a particular system of meaning, rather than what props it up from the outside.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Politics of Literary Theory, 1983
Derrida argues that any system claiming an unassailable foundation is metaphysical, yet even such foundations can be deconstructed as products of meaning systems.
In simple terms: Foundations are not immutable; they can be broken down.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions and examine their origins.
Themes
philosophy
deconstruction
metaphysics
language
history
Mood
critical
inquisitive
analytical
Type
theoretical
academic
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- literary analysis
- teaching philosophy
- writing
- research
Key Concepts
foundationalism
critical theory
structuralism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we identify hidden foundations?
- Can we ever fully escape metaphysical thinking?
A Different Perspective
Deconstruction itself relies on language, which may re‑introduce hidden hierarchies.
