Jacques Derrida

Jacques Derrida - Intellectuals & Academics, Family and Family

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Jacques Derrida's Personal Details

Jacques Derrida was a famous French philosopher

InformationDetail
BirthdayJuly 15, 1930
Died onOctober 9, 2004
NationalityAlgerian, French
FamousHarvard University, Intellectuals & Academics, Philosophers, Writers, ENFP
SpousesMarguerite Aucouturier
ChildrensPierre Alféri
Universities
  • Harvard University
  • Jewish lycée
  • Harvard University
Notable Alumnis
  • Harvard University
Birth PlaceEl Biar, French Algeria
Born CountryAlgeria
GenderMale
FatherGeorgette Sultana Esther Safar
MotherAimé Derrida (1896–1970)
Sun SignCancer
Born inEl Biar, French Algeria
Famous asPhilosopher
Died at Age74

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Jacques Derrida's photo

Who is Jacques Derrida?

Jacques Derrida was one of the most significant French philosophers of the 20th century. He is best-remembered for developing a method of semiotic examination known as ‘deconstruction’. He is one of the pioneers of post-structuralism and postmodern philosophy. Throughout his career, he authored more than 40 books and has written over hundreds of essays. He published a number of articles for ‘Tel Quel’, a periodical that stressed on the experimental theory. With his contribution, he left an indelible mark in the field of philosophy. Some of his highly influential works include ‘Of Grammatology’, ‘Writing and Difference’ and ‘Dissemination’. ‘Deconstruction’, the movement that he found, went on to evoke equal quantities of criticism and admiration and also went on to incite one of the most argumentative theoretical discussions of the twentieth century. Many of the theories that he introduced in his works are vital in discussions that are centered on ontology, epistemology, social sciences, aesthetics, ethics, hermeneutics, art, architecture and music. Although his method to philosophy and his mechanisms made him a contentious figure, he was revered by a number of his contemporaries, nevertheless.

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Childhood & Early Life

Jacques Elie Derrida was the third of the five children born to Haim Aaron Prosper Charles Derrida and Georgette Sultana Esther Safar in El Biar, French Algeria. He was of Sephardic-Jewish descent.

He was debarred from his lycee (secondary school) on the first day after French officers executed anti-Semitic allocations by the Vichy administration. He avoided school for a year and partook in a number of football competitions instead, as he dreamt of becoming a professional football player.

In his teenage years, he found great solace in the works of philosophers such as Rousseau, Nietzsche and Gide. He completed his master’s degree in Philosophy, following which he received a scholarship to study at Harvard University from 1956 to 1957.

Career

From 1957 to 1959, he taught the English language and the French to the children of soldiers, in lieu military service. The next year, he was appointed to teach philosophy at the Sorbonne, where he also worked as an assistant to Suzanne Bachelard.

He began to teach permanently at the Ecole Normale Superieure in 1964; a position he kept for the next twenty years.

He became linked with a group of intellectuals and philosophical theorists who were collectively known as ‘Tel Quel’. On October 21, 1966, he presented a lecture at John Hopkins University titled ‘Structure, Sign, and Play in the Discourse of the Human Sciences’. This shot him to worldwide prominence.

He printed the first of his three books, ‘Writing and Difference’ in 1967. The same year, he published ‘Speech and Phenomena: And Other Essays on Husserl’s Theory of Signs’ and his best-known work ‘Of Grammatology’.

He continued to produce a number of significant works such as ‘Glas’, in 1974 and ‘The Post Card: From Socrates to Frued and Beyond’, six years later. During this time, he was also one of the intelligentsias who signed the requisition ‘against age of consent laws’.

In 1983, he co-founded the College international de philosophe along with Francois Chatelet and was selected as the establishment’s first head. Three years later, he was appointed as the Professor of Humanities at the University of California, Irvine, where he taught till just before his death.

One of his most important lectures titled, ‘Of Spirit: Heidegger and the Question’ was published in October 1987.

Till the time of his death, he was a visiting professor for a number of universities such as John Hopkins University, New York University, European Graduate School, Yale University and Stony Brook University.

In 1990, all of his writings were assembled in a book called ‘On the Right to Philosophy’. The next year, he published ‘The Other Heading’, in which he deliberated the notion of individuality.

In 1993, he published an overtly autobiographical publication titled, ‘Circumfession’.

In 1999, he participated in a biographical biopic, ‘D’ailleurs, Derrida’ and then again in 2002 he was once again seen in a documentary titled ‘Derrida’.

Many of the papers he wrote through his life were all compiled and collected into a publication titled ‘The Work of Mourning’, which was published in 2001.

Major Works

Derrida published three books in 1967 that charted this important philosophical ideology. The book are: ‘Speech and Phenomena’, ‘Of Grammatology’ and ‘Writing and Difference’. In these three books, he investigated and evaluated Western Philosophy. This was by far his most important inputs in philosophy and is also considered some of the best works on Edmund Husserl and the ‘phenomenology’. These three publications collectively established his status and projected him to international prominence.

Awards & Achievements

He was bestowed honorary doctorates by the Columbia University, University of Essex, University of Silesia and The New School for Social Research.

He was presented the ‘Theodor Adorno Prize’, in 2001.

Personal Life & Legacy

In 1957, he married psychoanalyst, Marguerite Aucouturier. They had two sons together.

In 1985, he fathered a son from Sylviana Agacinski.

Shortly before his death, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which ultimately took his life. He died on October 9, 2004.

Many of the authors and personalities who have been widely influenced by his theory of deconstruction include Helene Cixous, Jean-Luc Nancy, Richard Rorty, Rosalind Krauss, Gary Peller, Alan Hunt and Hayden White, to name a few.

Trivia

In 1983, this reputed French philosopher collaborated with Ken McCullen for the film, ‘Ghost Dance’. He was seen in the film himself and he also contributed to the script of the film.

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Jacques Derrida biography timelines

  • // 15th Jul 1930
    Jacques Elie Derrida was the third of the five children born to Haim Aaron Prosper Charles Derrida and Georgette Sultana Esther Safar in El Biar, French Algeria. He was of Sephardic-Jewish descent.
  • // 1956 To 1957
    In his teenage years, he found great solace in the works of philosophers such as Rousseau, Nietzsche and Gide. He completed his master’s degree in Philosophy, following which he received a scholarship to study at Harvard University from 1956 to 1957.
  • // 1957 To 1959
    From 1957 to 1959, he taught the English language and the French to the children of soldiers, in lieu military service. The next year, he was appointed to teach philosophy at the Sorbonne, where he also worked as an assistant to Suzanne Bachelard.
  • // 1957
    In 1957, he married psychoanalyst, Marguerite Aucouturier. They had two sons together.
  • // 1964
    He began to teach permanently at the Ecole Normale Superieure in 1964; a position he kept for the next twenty years.
  • // 1966
    He became linked with a group of intellectuals and philosophical theorists who were collectively known as ‘Tel Quel’. On October 21, 1966, he presented a lecture at John Hopkins University titled ‘Structure, Sign, and Play in the Discourse of the Human Sciences’. This shot him to worldwide prominence.
  • // 1967
    He printed the first of his three books, ‘Writing and Difference’ in 1967. The same year, he published ‘Speech and Phenomena: And Other Essays on Husserl’s Theory of Signs’ and his best-known work ‘Of Grammatology’.
  • // 1987
    In 1983, he co-founded the College international de philosophe along with Francois Chatelet and was selected as the establishment’s first head. Three years later, he was appointed as the Professor of Humanities at the University of California, Irvine, where he taught till just before his death.
  • // 1990
    In 1990, all of his writings were assembled in a book called ‘On the Right to Philosophy’. The next year, he published ‘The Other Heading’, in which he deliberated the notion of individuality.
  • // 1993
    In 1993, he published an overtly autobiographical publication titled, ‘Circumfession’.
  • // 2001
    Many of the papers he wrote through his life were all compiled and collected into a publication titled ‘The Work of Mourning’, which was published in 2001.
  • // 2001
    He was presented the ‘Theodor Adorno Prize’, in 2001.
  • // 9th Oct 2004
    Shortly before his death, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which ultimately took his life. He died on October 9, 2004.

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Jacques Derrida's FAQ

  • What is Jacques Derrida birthday?

    Jacques Derrida was born at 1930-07-15

  • When was Jacques Derrida died?

    Jacques Derrida was died at 2004-10-09

  • Where was Jacques Derrida died?

    Jacques Derrida was died in Paris, France

  • Which age was Jacques Derrida died?

    Jacques Derrida was died at age 74

  • Where is Jacques Derrida's birth place?

    Jacques Derrida was born in El Biar, French Algeria

  • What is Jacques Derrida nationalities?

    Jacques Derrida's nationalities is Algerian, French

  • Who is Jacques Derrida spouses?

    Jacques Derrida's spouses is Marguerite Aucouturier

  • Who is Jacques Derrida childrens?

    Jacques Derrida's childrens is Pierre Alféri

  • What was Jacques Derrida universities?

    Jacques Derrida studied at Harvard University, Jewish lycée, Harvard University

  • What was Jacques Derrida notable alumnis?

    Jacques Derrida's notable alumnis is Harvard University

  • Who is Jacques Derrida's father?

    Jacques Derrida's father is Georgette Sultana Esther Safar

  • Who is Jacques Derrida's mother?

    Jacques Derrida's mother is Aimé Derrida (1896–1970)

  • What is Jacques Derrida's sun sign?

    Jacques Derrida is Cancer

  • How famous is Jacques Derrida?

    Jacques Derrida is famouse as Philosopher