Why Deconstruction Might Work in Theory but Not in Practice

Abstract:In this article, I argue that even if one can justify the initial impetus to want to deconstruct a literary or philosophical text, this does not make it possible in practice. To this end, I engage with relevant aspects of Jacques Derrida's thought, examining the motivations and purpose behind wanting to carry out a deconstruction, to then offer a pragmatic critique of the idea one might ever be able to do so. I base my argument on various factors, including deconstruction's nonmethodological nature and the challenges involved in adjudicating a given deconstructive reading a success or failure, among other considerations.