Jason Powell

For his part, Derrida does not fear immigration, but he fears the kinds of fear that immigration raises in people.

Jason Powell provides less a biography than a critical bibliography, offering thumbnails and outlines of the themes and discourses of most of Derrida's published effort. There are no interviews nor excerpted letters. There is consequently a blind spot concerning the philosopher's personal life. Perhaps the omission is of benefit. One recalls Heidegger on Aristotle, he was born, he thought and then he died. Despite these limitations I found this exploration fascinating. Without undue elaboration Powell examines the embrace of Derrida's ideas - the supposed "Yale School" and others, particularly Richard Rorty as well as those vehemently opposed -- including those in Wolin's Heidegger=Hitler camp. I did glean some remarkable details about Derrida which truly enchant when coupled with Amy Ziering Kofman's spellbinding documentary which I recently purchased after a dozen youtube viewings. I hope to continue my uneasy mazurka with the Maestro and continue to focus on his theoretical relations with Heidegger and explore his reading of Freud.… (más)