Jason,
There is just so much on this. The debate on whether or not
poststructuralism can sustain an ethical perspective is perhaps the major
one. Derrida, somewhere in the beginning of Spectres of Marx, I think, has
said that for ethics and justice to be possible (or was it politics? I can't
remeber) there must be some part of the discourse not susceptible to
deconstruction, In effect, a denial that the 'text goes all the way down'.
You might want to look at 'Critchley, Simon. The ethics of deconstruction :
Derrida and Levinas /
Simon Critchley. 1992' which basically argues that it is possible to have a
poststructuralist ethics. For critques of this Christopher Norris is very
good and accessible and he also has a new book out entitled 'Reclaiming
Truth: A Contribution to a Critique of Cultural Relativism', also try:
Geras, Norman. Solidarity in the conversation of humankind : the
ungroundable liberalism of Richard Rorty / Norman Geras. 1995. Also
anything by Eagleton will touch on this, and Rom Harre has a book on
'Varities of Relativism'. This is just a starter, this subject covers so
many areas. best of luck, rather you than me.
--------------------------------------------------------
Colin Wight
Department of International Politics
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
SY23 3DA
--------------------------------------------------------
There is just so much on this. The debate on whether or not
poststructuralism can sustain an ethical perspective is perhaps the major
one. Derrida, somewhere in the beginning of Spectres of Marx, I think, has
said that for ethics and justice to be possible (or was it politics? I can't
remeber) there must be some part of the discourse not susceptible to
deconstruction, In effect, a denial that the 'text goes all the way down'.
You might want to look at 'Critchley, Simon. The ethics of deconstruction :
Derrida and Levinas /
Simon Critchley. 1992' which basically argues that it is possible to have a
poststructuralist ethics. For critques of this Christopher Norris is very
good and accessible and he also has a new book out entitled 'Reclaiming
Truth: A Contribution to a Critique of Cultural Relativism', also try:
Geras, Norman. Solidarity in the conversation of humankind : the
ungroundable liberalism of Richard Rorty / Norman Geras. 1995. Also
anything by Eagleton will touch on this, and Rom Harre has a book on
'Varities of Relativism'. This is just a starter, this subject covers so
many areas. best of luck, rather you than me.
--------------------------------------------------------
Colin Wight
Department of International Politics
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
SY23 3DA
--------------------------------------------------------