The apodicticity of absence

Thomas M. Seebohm

pp. 185-200

in: Evans (ed), Derrida and phenomenology, Berlin, Springer, 1995

Abstract

Husserl criticizes traditional metaphysics. Nevertheless, for Derrida, "metaphysics' finest hour is represented by Husserl—The "return to the things themselves' is precisely this ultimate effacement of metaphysics in the act of its predominance. The "principle of principles,' that which guarantees the truth of the things themselves is an essential metaphysical one: the presence of presence to itself."¹ Derrida himself says: "The ultimate form of ideality, the ideality of ideality,... is the living present, the self-presence of transcendental life. Presence has always been and will always, forever, be the form in which, we can say apodictically, the infinite diversity of contents is produced."²

Cited authors

Husserl Edmund

Derrida Jacques