Of Grammatology

Outline

Of Grammatology (1967) is a foundational work of deconstruction, the philosophical approach most closely associated with Jacques Derrida. It challenges the long-standing Western belief that speech is more authentic than writing, and shows how meaning is never fully fixed or present. Through close readings of thinkers such as Rousseau, Saussure, and Lévi-Strauss, Derrida questions basic assumptions about language and knowledge.

• Of Grammatology, published in 1967, is a foundational work of deconstruction, the approach most closely tied to Jacques Derrida.
• Western thought has long treated speech as more authentic than writing, and Derrida challenges that belief directly.
• Meaning is never fully fixed or completely present, because words keep shifting as they are used.
• Derrida reads Rousseau, Saussure, and Lévi-Strauss closely to question basic assumptions about language and knowledge.
• The way language works quietly shapes how we interpret reality, so examining it changes how we think.

Jacques Derrida (1930–2004) was a French philosopher born in Algeria and the founder of deconstruction. His work had a major influence on philosophy, literary theory, law, and architecture. His other books include Writing and Difference and Speech and Phenomena.