Edmund Husserl's

Orgin of Geometr:
An Introduction
Jacques Derrida
TRANSLATED, WITH A PREFACE AND AFTERWORD,
BY JOHN P. LEAVEY, JR.
University of Nebraska Press
Lincoln and London
Copyright 1962 by the Presses Universitaires de France
Translation copyright 1978 by John P. Leavey, Jr.
Afterword copyright 1989 by the University of Nebraska Press
All rights reserved
Manufactured in the United States of America
First Bison Book printing: 1989
Most recent printing indicated by the frst digit below:
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Derrida, Jacques.
Edmund Husserl 's Origin of geometry: an introduction / Jacques Derrida;
translated, with a preface and afterword, by John P. Leavey, Jr.
p. cm.
"First Bison Book printing"-T.p. verso.
Reprint. Originally published: Stony Brook, N.Y.: N. Hays, 1978.
Includes index.
ISBN 0-8032-6580-8 (alk. paper)
1 . Husserl, Edmund, 1859-1938. Die Frage nach dem Ursprung der Geo
metrie als intentional-historisches Problem. 2. Phenomenology. I. Title.
QA447.D4713 1989
142' . 7-dc 19 CIP 88-38638
Reprinted by arrangement with Presses Universitaires de France and John P.
Leavey, Jr. Translated from the revised edition of Introduction a "L'Origine
de la geomerrie" de Husserl.
The paper in this book meets the minimum requirements of American National
Standard for Information Services-Permanence of Paper for Printed Library
Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984.
Contents
Acknowledgments
Preface: Undecidables and Old Names, by John P. Leavey
Undecidables and Deconstruction
Derrida's Introduction to The Origin oj Geometry
Deconstruction and the Science of Old Names
Translator's Note
Introduction to The Origin ofGeometr
*1. The Sense of Sense-Investigation: Responsibility.
Consciousness. and Existence
I. The Historical Reduction and the Necessity for
Return Inquiry (RiickJrage) in Reactivation
III. The Ego as Fundament and the Reduction of
Factuality
IV. Objectivity. Historicity. and Intentionality
V. Language, the Possibility of Transcendental
Historicity
VI. The How of Ideality: the Earth and the Living
Present
VII. The How of Ideality: Writing and Unil'ocity as
the Telos of Reactivation
.
VIII. Horizon: the Absolute of History. and Imaginar
Variation
IX. The Suspension of Ideality: Scient(fc Study of
the Life- World (Lebenswel)
X. Geography, Injnitization, and the Idea in the
Kantian Sense
XI. The Historicity of the Idea: Diff erence, Delay,
Origins. and the Transcendental
Appendix: The Origin of Geometry, by Edmund Husserl,
trans. David Carr
Coda: contrpunctus and translation, by John P. Leavey
Index of Passages Cited from Husserl
Index
v
1
7
18
20
23
27
34
51
62
66
76
87
107
117
122
141
155
181
193
197
These headings, added for the convenience of the reader, do not appear in the
French edition.
Acknowledgments
The 1 974 second, revised French edition of EDMUND HUSSERL'S
L'ORIGINE DE LA GEOMETRIE. traduction et introduction par JAC
QUES DERRIDA, in Epimethee, Essais Philosophiques, Collection
fondee par Jean Hyppolite, copyright 1 962 by Presses U niversitaires
de France, 1 08, Boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris, is the source of this
English translation.
We are grateful to the PRESSES UNIVERSITAIRES DE FRANCE
for their authorization to present this text in English.
HUSSERL'S ORIGIN OF GEOMETRY is here reprinted from THE
CRISIS OF EUROPEAN SCIENCES AND TRANSCENDENTAL
PHENOMENOLOGY by EDMUND HUSSERL, translated by David
Carr. Copyright 1 970 by Northwestern University Press, Evanston.
Pp. 353-78.
We are also grateful to NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY PRESS
for their authorization to reprint Husserl's text in full.
Preface
Undecidables and Old Names
UNDECIDABLES AND DECONSTRUCTION
Tympaniser-la philosophie.
Marges
Oaiae:eseair:eaea. aie||eeiaa| seeae. iaeaaveaiaaaaem.seei
si:aeia:a| . smaaveaeeeaa.eaaaiaas|eeaea||eaiae|ee| ssae:
seaa:e|,iaeiexi. 1aei:eaeaa.|eseae:aaae:.i.eaeaesDe::.aa
.ss.iaaieaaiiae] aaeia:eeiiaeie. iae|ee|aaaiaeiexi,ae:.ies
a|eaiiaee:. ,. as . ae|a,s, aaaa.ne:eaiaias aiiae.:e:ess:eaas

H. s
eiaea. siae aeeeasi:aei.eaeiiaeve:,. aeaeiwriting.
1exiseeea:ie:De::.aaea|y.a:.i.a,.a:.i.a,aaae:sieeaaei.a
iaee:a.aa:y sease.|aiasiae|aeeeime-iaea|ays .aeem|eie
e:asa:e e: se:aiea.a,eai eiwesie:ameiaays.es. 1ae |ee|as aa
I
See, for exampl e, Eugenio Donato, "Structuralism: The Afermath, " Sub-Stance,
NO. 7 (Fall 1 973) , 9-26; Phillippe Sollers, "Programme, " in his Logiques (Paris: Seuil ,
1 968), pp. 9-1 4; or Julia Kristeva, Semei6tike: Recherches pour une semanalyse (Paris:
Seuil , 1 969); as well as any number of works by Roland Barthes or Derrida hi mself.
"Like all the notions I am using, it belongs to the history of metaphysics and we can
onl y use it under erasure [sous rature ( added by tr. ) ] , " Jacques Derri da, Of
Grammatology, tf. Gayatri Spi vak (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press,
1 977) , p. 6. Since this translation, with an excellent preface by the translator, appeared
afer the present work was completed, I was unable to compare translations for consis
tency of terminology (a I did with Allison' s translation of Speech and Phenomena), nor
was I able to comment on Mrs. Spi vak' s Preface. However, I have added references in
the notes to relevant sections of her preface. Her discussion of rature occurs on pp.
xi i i-xx. I t forms the backdrop for her lengthy discussion of Drrida' s " acknowledged
' precursors' -Nietzsche, Freud, Heidegger, Husserl , " pp. xxi-liv. I n his translation of
" La ' differance, ' ' ' contained in Derrida' s Speech and Phenomena: And Other Essays on
Husserl ' s Theor of Signs (Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 1 973) , p. 1 43,
David Allison notes : "Derrida ofen brackets or ' crosses out ' certain key terms taken
from metaphysics and logic, and in doing this, he follows Heidegger' s usage in Zur
Seinsfrage. The terms in question no longer have their ful l meaning, they no longer have
the status of a purely signifed content of expression-no longer, that is, after the decon
struction of metaphysics. Generated out of the play of diference, they still retain a
vestigial trace of sense, however, a trace that cannot simply be gotten around
(incontourable) . "
1
2
Preface
archives of metaphysical inscriptions, as the encyclopedia of knowl
edg or the complete presence of the signifed (transcendental or not), is
foreIgn to Derrida's new "concept" of writing, l'ecriture. Derrida ex
plains: "If I distinguish the text from the book, I shall be saying that the
destruction of the book, as it is now under way in all domains, denudes
the surface of the text. That necessary violence responds to a violence
that was no less necessary." The book's own violence, its "protection
of heol
.
ogy and
.
o
.
f logocentrism against the disruption of writing,
agamst Its aphonstic energy, and . . . against diference in general,"3
forces the present-day violent distinction of the book and the text, in
order for "writing" to be understood.
Rature and the text ofDerrida wherein it occurs are themselves crossed
out or somehow suspended in his thought,- a thought seemingly too
abstract. His method of criticism, deconstruction, could be seen, as
Ricoeur says, as "consisting in laying waste to metaphysical discourse
by aporia"5-i.e., as a kind of mental gymnastics. This common, but
important, criticism of Derrida actually strikes at the heart of his enter
prise. His continual insistence on the failure of metaphysics as onto
theo-Iogy seems to support Ricoeur's criticism. Derrida still writes
"book" in the ordinary sense, and all the words of his text are, by
necesSIty, not erased. In fact, deconstruction seems to be the violent
misinterpretation of Wester thought. However, the above criticism
also misses the point, or preferably, the non-point, of Derrida's work,
all of which could be considered as outside of books, hors-livre, as
Of Grammatology. p. 1 8 .
" If there were only perception, pure permeability to frayi ng [facilitation, Bahnung J.
there would be no frayi ng. We would be written but nothing would be recorded; no
writing would be produced, retai ned, repeated as readability. But pure perception does
not exist [my emphasis] : we are written only by writing . . . by the i nstance wi thi n us
which always already governs perception, be i t i nternal or external. The ' subj ect' of
writing does not exist if we mean by that some sovereig solitude of the author. The
subject of wri ti ng is a system of relations between strata: of the Mystic Pad, of the
psyche, of society, of the world. Withi n that scene the punctual simplicity of the classical
subject is not to be found. In order to describe that structure, it is not enough to recall that
one always writes for someone; and the oppositions sender- recei ver, code-message, etc . ,
remain extremely coarse i nstruments. We would search the 'public' i n vai n for the frst
reader: i . e . , the frst author of a work. And the ' sociology of literature' i s blind to the war
and ruses-whose stakes are the origin of the work-between the author who reads and
the frst reader who dictates. The sociality of writing as drama requires an entirely
diferent discipli ne" (Jacques Derrida, "Freud et la sd:ne de I ' ecriture, " in his L' Ecriture
et la diff erence [Paris: Seuil, 1 967] , p. 335; ET: "Freud and the Scene of Writi ng, " tr.
Jefrey Mehlman, i n Yale French Studies, No. 48: French Freud [ 1972] , 1 1 3- 1 4) .
5 La Meraphore vive (Paris: Seui l, 1 975) , p. 365.
3
Preface
prefaces, as marginal comments written in the margins of other books
or texts."
The preface, Derrida says, is "a fourth text. Simulating the postface,
the recapitulation. and the recurrent anticipation, the auto-movemet of
the concept, it is an entirely other, diferent text, but t the sam:
,
tIme,
as 'discourse of assistance,' it is the 'double' of what It exceeds. Th
.
e
fourth text, as text, is "the beyond everything [which] insofar
.
a It
withstands all ontology . . . is not a primum movens. However, It Im
parts [imprime] to everything . .. a movement of fction. _ Derridafc
tionalizes Western tradition, an action, in part, of teanng down or
apart, deconstructing or demolishing.9
. .
How does Derrida fctionalize? In other words, what IS the fctIonal
motion that his prefaces impress on everything? As the fourth text, it is
dissemination, 10 deconstruction, diferance: `
"All these texts . . . no doubt are the i nterminable preface to another text that I
would one day like to have the strength to write , or again the epigraph to anothr [tet] ?f
which I would never have had the audacity to write . . . " (Positions [Pans: MlnUl t,
1 972] , p. 1 4) . On margi nality, see David Allison, "Derrid' s Citique of Husserl : The
Philosophy of Presence, " Diss. The Pennsyl vani a State Umverslty, 1 974, p. 1 77.

Jacques Derrida, La Dissemination (Paris : Seuil , 1 972) , pp. 33-35.

Ibid., p. 65: my emphasis onfction.
This unbuilding at times seems close to the negative moment often assigned to the
creati ve imagination. See Ray Hart, Unfnished Man and the Imagination (New York:
Herder, 1 968) , pp. 247-49.
'
"
Dissemination ulti mately has no meaning and cannot be channeled i nto a defnition.
. . . If it is not possible to summarize dissemi nation, the seminal diferance, in i ts conce
tual tenor, it is because the force and form of its di sruption break through the
.
semantIc
horizon . . . . Dissemination . . . by produci ng a non-fnite number of semantIc efects,
does not allow itself to be reduced ei ther to a present of simple origin (La Dissemination,
La Double Seance. La Mythologie Blanche are practical re-stagings of all the false starts,
beginnings, i nci pits, titles , exergues, fctitious pretexts , etc. : decaptains) or to an e
chatological presence. It marks an irreducible and generative mul tJp!tclty. The s
.
lIpple
men! and the turbulence of a certain lack break down the li mit of the text, exempt It frm
exhaustive and enclosing formal i zation or at least prohibit a saturating taxonomy of I ts
themes, of i ts signifed, of i ts i ntended meani ng ( vouloir-dire).
"Here we are playing, of course , upon the fortui tious resemblance, upon the purely
si mulative ki nshi p between seme and semen. They are in no way interconnected by
meaning. And yet, i n this skiddi ng and this purely exteral collusion, he ccident d
.
oes
produce a sort of semantic mirage: the deviance of the i ntended meant, I ts refl ectlve
efect (efet-refet) in wri ti ng sets a process i n motion. " Taken from OSI!/Ons, pp. 6
.
1 -62:
ET: "Positions, " Diacritics, 2, No. 4 (Winter 1 972) , 37. See SPI Vak s Preface I n Of
Grammatology, pp. lxv-l xvi .
'' Alli son in hi s Translator' s Introduction to Speech and Phenomena notes: "The term
' deconstruction' (deconstruction), while perhaps unusual , should present no difculties
4
Preface
Dissemination diplces the three of onto-theo-logy according to an
angle of a certain bending-back. A crisi of versus: these marks no
longer allow themselves to be resumed or 'decided' in the two of the
binar opposition nor sublated [relever] in the three of speculative
dialectics . . . they destroy the trinitarian horizon. They textually
destroy it: they are the marks of dissemination (and not of polysemy)
because they do not allow themselves at any point to be pinned down
by the concept or content of a signifed. They 'add' there the more or
less of a fourth term. 1:l
here. It signifes a project of critical thought whose task is to locate and ' take apart' those
concepts which serve as the axioms or rules for a period of thought, those concepts which
command the unfolding of an entire epoch of metaphysics. ' Deconstruction' is somewhat
less negative than the Heideggerian or Nietzschean terms ' destruction' or ' reversal' ; it
suggests that certain foundational concepts of metaphysics will never be entirely elimi
nated, even if thei r i mportance may seem to be efectively diminished. There is no simple
' overcoming' of metaphysics or the language of metaphysics. Derrida recognizes,
nonetheless, that the system of Wester thought is fnite; it has a fnite number of axioms
and a fnite number of permutations that will continue to work themselves out in a gi ven
period of time as particular moments within this tradition, e . g. , as particular schools or
movements of philosophy. I n this sense, Derrida also speaks of the ' completion' of
metaphysics, the terminal point of ' closure' (cloture) for the system. But the work of
deconstruction does not consist in simply pointing out the structural limits of
metaphysics . Rather, in breaking down and disassembling the ground of this tradition, its
task is both to exhibit the source of paradox and contradiction within the system, within
the very axioms themsel ves, and to set forth the possibilities for a new kind of meditation,
one no longer founded on the metaphysics of presence" ( pp. xxxii -xxxi ii ) .
` The a of diferance inscribes the at onceness of difering and deferring i n diferance
(the French verb diferer has both signifcations: to difer, to defer or delay ; etymologi
cally the English words "difer" and "defer" stem from the same root) . Derrida explains
in "La diferance, " translated in Speech and Phenomena, p. 1 37: "the word ' diference'
(with an e) could never refer to difering as temporalizing or to diference as polemos [to
diference as di vision or spacing] . It is this loss of sense that the word diferance (with an
a) will have to schematically compensate for. Diferance . . . refers to [its] whole com
plex of meanings not only when i t is supported by a language or interpreti ve context (like
any signifcation) , but it already does M somehow of itself. Or at least i t does so more
easily by itself than dos any other word: here the a comes more immediately from the
present participle [diferant (added by tr. )] and brings us closer to the action of ' di fering'
that is in progress . . . . But while bringing us closer to the infni tive and active core of
difering, 'diferance' with an a neutralizes what the infniti ve denotes as simply acti ve, in
the same way that ' parlance' does not signify the simple fact of speaking, of speaking to
or bing spoken to . . . . Here in the usage of our language we must consider that the
ending -ance is undecided between active and passive. And we shall see why what is
designated by ' diferance' is neither simply active nor simply passive, that i t announces or
rather recalls something like the middle voice, that it spaks of an operation which is not
an operation, which cannot be thought of ei ther as a passion or as an action of a subject
upon an object, as starting from an agent or from a patient, or on the basis of, or in vi ew
of, any of these terms. "
II
La Dissemination, p. 32.
5
Preface
1a.siexiaa|crisi ,ae:.s.seiiae|.ae.eiiae| .aeei:.i.a,, .ia.sacc. i. ea
eiiae iea:ia ie:m-iaai ei]ction-masi |e eeaee.vecei.a ie:ms
eiae:iaaaasaea|ea|ase:meeaaa.eseieae.ee. i aeiae:e:cs. a
ae ea|ea|as . iaaieic.ae:aaeee:c. ssem.aai.ea. .saeecec. s.aeeiae
e:.s.seiiae iexi .saei|:ea,aia|eai|ye|ysemye:iaeeve:a|aa
caaeeeimeaa.a,. |ai:aiae:|yiaeve:y. aa|. |.iyiecee.cemeaa.a,
Neaeae.ee :aas ia:ea,aeai De::. ca s iexis. i a si:aeia:e. s.,a.
aac r|ay .a iae D.seea:se eiiae uamaa se.eaees. eeaee:a.a,iae
ie .aie::eiai.eas ei . aie::eiai.ea. iaai a.ea c:eams ei ce
e.ae:.a,iaei:aiae:e:.,.aaaciaaia.ea am:msi:ee|ayaaci:. es
ieass|eyeacmaaaacaamaa. sm.De::.casays aeceesaei|e|.eve
iaaiiecay iae:e . saayaesi.ea eichoosing. "15 O: a,a. a. . a 1ae
acseiHaa.iae:e. saes. m|eaacaa.aeeae. ee|eieeaie
ie:ms eiceeeasi:aei.ea. e.iae: ue.ce,,e: s ceeeasi:aei.ea ei eaie
iaee|e,y |y meaas ei.is ea|aa,aa,e e:iae si:aeia:a| .siay-|y
am:m.a, a|se|aie :aia:e aac c.ae:eaee ~ ae :.i.a, masi
eaveaac. aie:i.aei|eiemei.is"16 1a. s|e,.eeiaeaeae.ee.siae
ve:yieaacai.ea..iiae:e.seae.eiDe::.ca seaie::.se. ii.siaeaei.ea
eiiaeaacee.ca||e-iaaia.ea.by analogy, De::.casays-eaaaei|e
cee.cec nyaaa|e,y|eeaase. assa:aakeimaaaeies. aacee.ca|. |.iy
aas a :eie:eaee ie cee.ca|. |.iy. a :eie:eaee iaai masi |e e:essec
eai

1ae aacee.ca||e' ia|es .aie. ise|iia. saeaeae.ee. as e||as iae
a,a:eeiiaee||. s. s De::.casays. are:maacHeaa. a,.
There is, then, probably no choice to be made between two lines of
thought; our task is rather to refect on the circularit which makes the
'` "Freud et la scene de l ' ecriture, " p. 302; ET p. 81 .
` I n L'Ecriture e t fa diference, pp. 427-28; ET: i n The Structuralist Controversy: The
Languages of Criticism and the Sciences of Man ( Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press,
1 970) , pp. 265-66.
I6
"The Ends of Man, " Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 30, No. 1 ( 1 969) ,
56. A French version of this article was published in Derrida' s Marges de la phiLosophie
(Paris: Mi nui t, 1 972) . The above ci tations occur on pp. 1 62-63.
I7
Sarah Kofman, " Un philosophe ' unheimlich, ' ' ' in Ecarts: Quatre Essais a propos
de Jacques Derrida (Paris: Fayard, 1 973) , p. 1 48, n. 1 . The whole essay of Kofman is
i nvaluable for "understanding" Derrida.
I
" It was necessary to analyze, to put to work, in the text of the history of philosophy
as well as in the so-called 'li terary' text . . . certain marks . . . which I called by analogy
(I emphasize this) undecidables, i . e . , simulative units, ' false' verbal, nominal or semantic
properties, which escape from inclusion in the philosophical (binary) opposition and
which nonetheless inhabit it, resist and disorganize it, but without ever constituting a third
term, without ever occasioning a solution in the form of speculative dialectics" (Po
sitions, p. 58: ET p. 36).
6
Preface
one pass into the other indefnitely. And, by strictly repeating this
circle in its own historical possibility, we allow the production ofsome
elliptical change ofsite, within the dif erence involved in repetition; this
displacement is no doubt defcient, but with a defciency that is not yet,
or is already no longer, absence, negativit, nonbeing, lack, silence.
Neither matter nor form, it is nothing that any philosopheme, that is,
any dialectic, however determinate, can capture. It is an ellipsis of
both meaning andform; it is neither plenar speech nor peiectly
circular. More and less, neither more nor less-it is perhaps an
entirely dif erent question.
1aeaacee.ca||e s |e,.e.siaaieiiaee||.s. seiiaee.:e| e. aceie:mec.
ceeeaie:ece. :e|e ~|ea,.iaiaee.:e|e.ia. s|e,.eeiiaeaacee. ca|| e.
eic.ae:aaee .aaa.a,esiaee.ai .| .ae.aacsaeeaaci.meiaemse|ves .
diferance already suggests a mode of writing (ecriture) without
presence and absence-without histor, cause, arche, or telos-which
would overturn all dialectic, theology, teleology, and ontology. This mode
ofwriting would exceed everything that the histor ofmetaphysics has
conceived in the form ofthe Aristotelian grmme: the point, the line, the
circle, as well as time and space themselves.
2
0
1a.s|e,.eeic.ae:aaee.saaiaa. maies. aaa||y.iaeea:|yiexiei
De::.cai:aas|aiecae:e .a. sIntroduction ieuasse:|

sOrigin ofGeome
tr. ia Of Grammatology, De::.casa,s aai eaa a|se|e sa.ceiia. s
Introduction: ue:e as e| seae:e. ie ese iae :e||em . aie:ms ei
eae.ee.iee|| .,ee: ie|e| .eveeaese|i e|| . ,ecie aase:.i|,ayes e:
no, ieeeaee.eeiaa:ieaaaeeasaaa| |e,.aaeee:aeaaa:teaaaeeas
|a. aseas.a,..sieeeaiaseve:,c.ne:eai|eve|s .aias .aacsi,| es

la
iae ceeeasi:aei.ea ei iae a:eae iae :eie} . eae cees aei mase a
eae.ee tveame:e. me:iaaii e:ea:a:eses. s iae| . ae]asi|eie:e
ia. s De::.casa,s. "That is why a thought ofthe trace [diff e rancej can
no more break with a transcendental phenomenology than be reduced
to it. "21
iaeiae:e:cs. De::.ca. sasmaeaaaeaemeae|e,.siasaei . . sas
"La Forme et Ie voul oi r-dire: note sur l a phenomenologie du langage, " i n Marges, p.
207: ET i n Speech and Phenomena , p. 1 28.
" "Ousia et gramme: note sur une note de Sein und Zeit, " i n Marges, p. 78; ET:
'Ousia and Gramme': A Note to a Footnote in Being and Time, " tr. Edward S. Casey,
in Phenomenology i n Perspective, ed. F. J . Smi th (The Hague: Nijhof, 1 970) , p. 93.
` P. 62.
7
Preface
maeaasi:aeia:a|.siasaei.aaaiae.siase| | asia.a|e:eiiaesae:ec.
asae.iae:. Cae.eesaeecaei|emaceae:e.. aiaei. eaaaei|emace
DERRIDA'S INTRODUCTION TO THE ORIGIN OF GEOMETRY
"To deconstruct" philosophy would. . . be to think the
structured genealogy of its concepts in the most faithful or
interior manner, but at the same time it woul be to determine
from a certain outside unqualiable or unnameable by
philosophy itself what this history could dissemble or prohibit,
becoming history through this somewhere interested
suppression.
Positions
Speech and Phenomena, De::.ca says. .s iae essay i va| ae iae
mesi iaia. se:|aeaesi.easiae:. v.|e,eeiiaeve.eeseee}
aac aeaei.e:.i.a,.a:e|ai.eaie a||eiwesie:aa. sie:y.

saeaa

i. s
aesi.ea| eis. ise|i|ece.eiec.aiaea.sie:yeimeiaays.esaacII .is
mesi mece:a. e:.i.ea| . aac v.,.|aai ie:m. uasse:| s i:aaseeaceaia|
aeaemeae|e,y iieaa|eeeas.ce:ec.De::.caiee| s. asa|ea,aei

e
ieOf Gram mato logy , |ai a aeie iaai aas iae a:si|aee .a ae|ass..
a. |esea.ea:ea.ieeia:e. O:.aesays. Speech and Phe

omena eaa|e
eeas.ce:ec as iae eiae: s.ce,i:eai e:|ae|asyea.sa,eiaaeiae:
essay. a|| . saec .a i -:. as aa iai:ecaei.ea ie uasse: s Ogin of
Geometr. 1ae:eiae:e||emseeaee:a.a,:. i.a,e:ea|:eacyII |aee
as saea aac eeaaeeiecie iae .::ecae.||e si:aeia:e ei'diferer' .a .is
:e| ai.easieeease.easaess. :eseaee. se.eaee.a. sie:yaaciaea.sie:yei
se.eaee.iaec.saea:aaeee:ce| ay. a,eiiaee:.,.a.aacseea.
2'
E. Donato in " Structuralism: The Aftermath," p. 25, sees OJ Grammatology, along
with Foucaul t's The Order oj Things, as "the only quest for ti me past and ti me regained
that a fundamentalIy atheist [my emphasis] epistemological confguration might ofer. "
Al so see on this Mi kel Dufrenne, "Pour une phil osophi e non theologique, " i n hi s Le
Poetique, 2nd revised and enlarged ed. (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1 97) ,
pp. 7-57. On Derrida and the sacred, see Henri Meschonnic , Le Signe e t Ie poeme ( ParIs:
Gal l i mard, 1 975 ) , pp. 401 -92.
` Positions, p. 1 3 .
Ibid.
` Ibid. Derrida has an even earlier essay on Husserl , gi ven at a conference i n 1 959,
entitled" 'Genese et structure' et l a phenomenologi e. " It was reprinted i n L' Ecriture et
La diference i n 1 967, but frst appeared i n 1 965 i n Entretiens sur les notions de genese :t
de structure, ed. Maurice de Gandi l lac et a. (Paris: Mouton, 1 965) , pp. 243-6. ThIS,
then, is both before and after the work on the Origin, having obviousl y undergone
changes by the time of i ts reprinting in L'Ecriture (the use of the concept dif erance on p.
239 is the cl earest and si mplest exampl e of thi s change) . The article is very hel pful for
understanding Derrida's Introduction.
8
Preface
ia iaese eemmeais De::.ca :eseais as .ia aa ei.ea. ~s ae
sa,,esis, eeea|cia|eSpeech and Phenomena asiae :eve:seeia. s
Introduction, a.ea|eeemesiae e|ve:se, iae :.,ai e::ee:(recto)
s.ce.i a| .,aieiiaeeemmeaisa|eve, iaeIntroduction ea|ciaea|eiae
essayDe::.cava|aeciaemesi. O:,.iia.s. sie,eieeia: , asiae:eve:se
, e: . m:ee:, s.ce, De::.ca sIntroduction . s si.||ie |e a.,a| y:.zec
,aac. sse|yDe::.ca, , s.aee.i.siaeae|ea.eaaasva|ae ue:e
e:ve:se|y, iae . m:ee: s.ce , aiiae|.a, |y .isve:y . m:e:.eiy iae
:ee:s.ce, sa|emeaisiaeva|aeeiiaeeeacessay, Speech and
Phenomena. iaia.sei.ea,iaeIntroduction . s|eia:ee:,s. aee.ias
:.iiea a:si, .a1961, s.xyea:s |eie:e iaea||.eai.ea eiSpeech and
Phenomena) aac.m:ee:,s.aee.i.siae:eve:seeiiaeseeeacessay, .
1aea|eveeemmeais, ia|eai:emHea:.xeases.aie:v.e.iaDe:
:.ca.a1967, aaciaeei.easiaey:eseai:ev.ceia:iae:]asi.| eai.ea
ie:ae|ese:eac.a,eiDe::.casa:sima]e:a||.saecessay, a.sIntro
duction ieThe Orgin ofGeometr. ii.sa|seaa.ai:ecaei.eaieiaee:|
eiDe::.ca.a,eae:a|aacia:a.saesa|as.ea:ieiiaei:amee:|ie:a. s
|aie:, :eseaie:|.That basic framework-and ae:ei:amee:|saea|c
ess.||y|eeaaa,ec.mmec.aie| yieseiei:e||ems, ei.e,meiaec, .i
a||iaese ie:ms e:e aeia|:eacy.aaceaaie ieaaiea:e ,e.a,ie
eeas.ce:-s phenomenology. Heeve:, as .|| |eeeme e|ea:, iae
aeaemeae|e,y.aaesi.ea.saeiiaai:e] eeiec|yu.eae| reaeaa|i.a
a.s re:ee:c ie iae a,|.sa ec.i.ea ei The Order of Things, a
aeaemeae|e,y a.ea ,.vesa|se|aie:.e:.iy ie iae e|se:v.a,sa|
]eei, a.eaaii:.|aiesaeeasi.iaieai:e|eieaaaei, a.ea|aees.isea
e.aieiv.eaiiaee:.,.aeia||a.sie:.e.iy-a.ea,.asae:i ,|eacsiea
i:aaseeaceaia|eease.easaess. waaii.saiee|a.m |ysay.a,iaai
De::.ca s i:amee:|.saeaemeae|e,.ea|.saeiiaaiae.sHasse:|.aae:
He.ce,,e:.aa, e: evea .cea| .si e: ex. sieai.a| , e: iaai a. s meiaec .s
aeaemeae|e,.ea| .xaiae:,iaaiiesa,,esiiaaiDe::.caaasieaac.a
aacat the limits :ee.se|y ae:e aeaemeae|e,y ia.|s, . . e . , ae:e.i
|eeemes iae mece:a, exem|a:y :eea.ia|ai.ea ei wesie meia
ays.es, a ie:i.|e ,:eaac ie: ea|i.vai.a, aesi.eas a|eai iae aea

Derrida often refers to and summarizes the resul ts obtained in this study in his later
work. See, for example , Speech and Phenomena, pp. 80-8 1 ; or L' Ecriture et la diff er
ence, pp. 22 and 248.
` The Order of Things: An Archaeology ofthe Human Sciences (New York: Vintage
Books, 1 973) , p. xiv. I cannot resist ci ti ng Foucaul t' s statement to the " English-speaking
reader" concering his relation to the other half of the phenomenological-structural de
bate: "In France, certain half-witted 'commentators' persist i n label l i ng me a 'struc
turalist' . I have been unable to get it i nto thei r tiny minds that I have used none of the
methods, concepts, or key terms that characterize structural analysis" ( xi v) .
9
Preface
a.|esea.ea|per se ,iae | . m. is e: ma:,.as ei a.|eseay,, a|eai
:.i.a,,e:.,.asaaca.sie:y, aacc.ae:oaee.
ue:eeve:, iaeaeaemeae|e,yDe::. caexam.aesaaca:,aes.ia. s
iae aeaemeae|e,yeis.,a.| eai.ea.sa|i.i|eciai:ecaei.eaieiae
r:e||em ei s.,as .a Hasse:| s raeaemeae|e,y, Speech and
Phenomena |eacsie iae eeae| as.ea. 1ae:e aeve:as aay e:ee
i.ea. ra:iae:. ~aceeai:a:yie aaiaeaemeae|e,y-a.ea .s
a|ays aeaemeae|e,yeie:eei.ea-aasi:. ec ie ma|e as |e|.eve,
eeai:a:yi eaaiea:ces.:eeaaaeiia.|i e|eiemiec.aie|e| .ev.a,,the
thing itself always escapes.

nasec ea iae "absolute will-to-hear

onesel-speak, aeaemeae|o,y masi a|ays ia.|, masi a|ays
ce|ayceie:c.ae:eai. aiethe thing itsel, eveatae a|se|aie ieaacai.ea
ie:semaeaeiiecay s iaea,ai, . e , se|ieease.easaess waai:ema.as
.s ie: asiespeak, iema|eea:ve.ees:eseaaieia:ea,aeaiiaeee:
:.ce:s .ae:ce:iema|eaie:iae |:ea|a ei:eseaee, .ae:ce:ie
sa|emeaiiae.maeieieae s:eseaee.

De::.ca se:|iecaie:ema. asinside thi s failure aacneed to speak ei

aeaemeae|e,y ~saesaes,aeaemeae|e,y|:ea|saeaiae:ee|ei
:eseaee..i. sasa|]eei.eaeisense iesee.a,, eiseaseieiaeseaseei
s.,ai , s.aee sease .a ,eae:a| .s .a iaei iae eeaeei ei eve:y
aeaemeae|e,.ea|| e|c. Yei|eie:eia.s|:ea|.a,a,.aiaem.csi
ei. i, . sae:e De::.ca e:|s. r:.e:ie iae meiaays.ea| e| a.ms iaai
aeaemeae|e,yexe:e. sesaac.ia.aiaeess.|.|.iyeiaceeeasi:aei.ve
:eve:sa| ei iae a.e:a:eay ei s.,ai aac sease, s.aee iaey a:e
aacee.ca||e-iaai.sae:ei:a.iia|Hasse:|.aae:|eaa|eceae 1ae
:e||emeimeiaec.ia.aiaese| .m.i..saaie.||seeceve|eec.a
De::.ca sIntroduction.
1aeIntroduction ieThe Orgin ofGeometr .sa|ea,, exieas.veessay
eeaeeec .ia a sae:i.aceeaceaii:+,meat .ae|acec, aeee:c.a,ie
Hasse:| s :e|a||e .aieai, asaa ~eac.x ie The Crisis of European
2
See Paul Ricoeur, "Negati vity and Primary Afrmation, " i n hi s Histor and Truth,
tr. Charles A. Kelbley (Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 1 965) , p. 3 1 2.
p. 1 03 . Al so see the comments of Newton Garver i n hi s Preface to thi s work, xxi i i
xxi v, as well as Note 4 above.
Ibid. , p. 1 04.
`Ibid. , p. 1 02.

'
Ibid., p. 1 04 and xxvi i i-xxi x.
`' "Form and Meaning, " in Marges, p. 1 88; ET in Speech and Phenomena, pp. 1 08-09.
10
Preface
Sciences and Transcendental Phenomenology. 1aema]e:ia:eac,a. c. a

uasse:| s:eaeei.eas.aiaeOrigin .siaeaesi.eaei|e,.aa.a,se:en

,.ns.ia.ahistor aaciae. :sease.De::.ca sIntroduction

eseeisu

s
se:| s maaae: ei:eeeec. a, iae:e.a. u. s eemmeaia:yie::eiai.ea
ie| | esiaee:ce:eiaesi.ea.a,aaciae:e||ems:a. sec|yuasse:| ,aac
.ia.a ia.s si:aeia:e De::.ca e|a|e:aies aac e|ae. caies-aac aaa|y
sa|emeaisaaiuasse:|:.ies i aaaiie||es, aeev:, i. | |
aei :eeeec se :.,e:eas| y iasieac, i . | | e|ae.caieiaea:ea.ieeia:a|
eeaeeieia.sie:.e.iy,seasea. sie:yaaciae:|

ieca:easeiaes
i.ea.a,.ieaia. | s. |aa,aa,e,:. i.a,,.cea|.iy,iaei.v.

,eseai

aa

ciae
i:aaseeaceaia| . 1aeseeemmeais.|||ea:saec. iamDe:ncas ai
ieiieaace:siaaciae. aie:|ayeiaeaemeae|e,(s

:.ae.| eeia||
:.ae.|es aac.isaaa|. asi.iai.ea. iae.aie:ay.iameeas..easaess
eiiaeceaa.ieia.a,:eseai.ae:seaaaciaeaa.iei ceaasaaa|

s
ceie::ec 1e| es. De::.caaais ie aace:siaacaeaemeae|e,y as .i . s
., stretched |eieeaiaejnitizing eease.easaessei. ispririple a

ciae
injnitizing eease.easaessei.is aaa|institution,
.
iaeE

ds

iftung c
a
a.ie| y ceie::ec .a .is eeaieai |ai a|ays ev.ceai II .is :e

a| ai.ve
va|ae 1ae c. a| eei.eei iaeseie, aeaemeaea aac i ca, .s ai
De::icaseemsieiee| . m| .e.i|,,aicecuasse:|. aa. s:eueei.easeaa. s
ie:ie.i,, aaca siac, ei De::.cas eem

eaia:, :evea| s aaiaaeas

aeaiaese. m| .eai.easa:emaceex| . .. i
Hitoricity
re:uasse:| ,a.sie:.e.iy(Geschichtlichkeit)35 eeaee:asiaee:i,.asaac
i:ac.i.easei.cea|e|]eeis, aaci:ac.i.ea.ise|i.saace:sieecie|e|eia
iae :eeess ei aaac.a, cea aac iae eaca:aaee ei ia.s :eeess , a
` Jacques Derrida, Introduction et Traduction de L'Origine de fa gometie de Hus
serl , 2nd ed. (Pari s: Presses Uni versitaires de France, 1 974) . Tran
.
slatl?ns will be tke
.
n
from the text as presented below and the page references wi l l be CIted lU the text withm
parenthesi s. For this quote: ( 1 38) .
. It should be noted that Geschichtlichkeit is the term used many years erlier
.
b
,

Martin Heidegger in Being and Time, 72-77: "Temporal i ty and Geshichtl!chkel t.
Al though the English translators of Heidegger' s work, John MacquITle nd Edw
.
ard
Robinson, have rendered the term as historicality. most translators, I ncl udIg D
.
erna,
prefer the term historicity for Geschichtlichkeit. I have followed the latter, usmg hlston
ity throughout . However, although both Heidegger and Husserl use the same term, theIr
senses are different . as Derrida's Introduction should make clear
: . .
In addition, David Carr, who translated Husserl ' s Crisis, explaIs In IS Phenomenol
ogy and the Problem of History ( Evanston: Northwestrn UOl:ersity ess, 1 974 ,
pp. 66-67 , that Husserl ' s concern wi th the problem of hIstory dId not anse from hIS
l
11
Preface
ae:.ia,e. i cea| e|]eeis a:e aai a|eae ,aa:aaiee iae ess. |.| .iy ei
a. sie:.e.iy, . . e. , iaea|ays .aie:sa|]eei.veeease.easaesseia.sie:y
(29). i aeiae:e:cs, a. sie:.e.iy. sa|aysasense-histor. iiee:aiesea
iae |eve| eiseaseaac .s:e|aiecieiae:e||emsei|aa,aa,e, .cea| . iy,
i:aia,aacaamaas. ac. a.isi.v.a,r:eseai-iaesea:eeeia||seaseaac
a.sie:y
~eee:c.a,ie De::.ca iae:e a:e ie eeaseaeaeesie ia.sv.eie:
uasse:| . r.:si, uasse:| s .aa. :y |aes ie iae e:.,.a ,. aia.s ease, ei
,eemei:y.saa. aa. :y. aieiaeseasea.sie:yeigeometrical i:aias, .aie
iaee:.,.aaaci:aasm. ss. eaeigeometrical .cea|e|]eei.v.i.ese:e|]eeis,
aa. aa. :yiaaieaaea|y|easease.avesi.,ai.ea(a uasse:|aseciae
ie:m,ofgeometr. 36 De::.casaysa|eaiia. s. 1emec.iaieeae:.aves
i.,aieiaesease(besinnen) eie:.,.as. saiiaesamei.meie.maseeaese|i
:eseas.||e(verntworten) ie:iaesease(Sinn) eise.eaeeaaca.|ese
ay,|:.a,ia. sseaseieiaee|a:.iyei. is ia|a| ,meai} , aacaieaese|i.a
aes.i.eaeiresponsibility ie:ia. sseasesia:i.a,i:emiaeieia|seaseei
ea:ex. sieaee (31). sease.avesi.,ai.ea:evea| siaeeeac.i.easie:aac
iae seaseeia. sie:.e.iy. |ai ea| yia:ea,ae:seaa| :eseas.|.| .iyaac
:esease
seeeac| y, iaee:. ,. aei.cea|e|]eeis, asorigin, :a. sesie:uasse:|iae
:e||emeiiae.:eaca:.a,ae:.ia,e , iae. :i:ac.i.ea ia eiae:e:cs. .i
.cea|e|]eeisa:ei:a| ye:.,.aa|aac:.me:c.a| ,aeeaaiaey|e:eee,
a.zec e:saea waai|aeesiaem. aa.sie:y.siae.:"essence-of-the-
jrst-time, " iae. :Erstmaligkeit; iaey ceaei eeea:, uasse:| says, .a a
acquaintance with Heidegger' s Being and Time: " It is hardly to be expected, however,
that a problem with which Husserl is so preoccupied could have occurred to hi m over
night, as i t were, or even have entered his thi nki ng from an outside source-such as
Heidegger' s Being and Time (with its chapter on Geschichtlichkeit) , which HusserJ seems
to have studied careful l y, for the frst time, in 1 932. We intend to show, i n fact , that the
concept of historicity has its roots in refections on various subjects going back as far as
1 9 1 3, and that i ts emergence i n the Crisis i s the efect of an accumulation and confuence
of trains of thought which ul timately force HusserI' s new introduction to phenomenology
to take on its pecul i ar form. " Carr refers, then, to Gadamer' s support of this position i n
his Truth and Method, tr. ed. Garrett Barden and John Cumming (New York: Seabury
Press, 1 975) , p. 2 1 5: "These statements of the later Husser! [concering historicity] might
be motivated by the debate wi th Being and Time, but they are preceded by so many other
attempts to formulate his position that it i s cl ear that Husser! had always had in mind the
application of his ideas to the problems of the historical sciences. "
Sense-i nvestigation, Besinnung, prise de conscience-George Steiner explains thi s
notion wel l i n After Babel: Aspects ofLanguage and Translation (New York: Oxford
Uni versity Press , 1 975): "The complete penetrative grasp of a text , the complete dis
covery and 'recreative apprehension of its l ife-forms (prise de conscience), is an act whose
realization can be precisel y felt but is nearly i mpossible to paraphrase or systematize" ( p.
25) .
+
12
Preface
"topos ouranios, " .a semeaeavea| y |eea| e, aaciaea ceseeacie iae
ea:ia.xaiae:,.cea|e|]eeisa:eirac.i.ena|e|]eeis, aaciaeyesss
a. sie:.e.iy as eaeeiiae.: e. cei.e eemeaeais (48) . 1aasaayai
iemiie,eiaiiaee:.,.n eiiaese .cea|e|]eeis, anya. sie:.ea|:e
caei.ea, ea|c |e "reactivating anc aeei.e, aac . iea|caaveie
e:|ia:ea,ai:eeaaaiasy,. ma,.na:y,va:.ai.ea. ueeve:,astradi
tion, . cea|e|]eeisaaveaee:eiec,anceeni.aaeiecese,sec.meaiai.eas
.niae.:i:ansm. ss.ea,iae.:ce|.ve:yieiae:eseaianciaia:e.1aeyaave
.e|ec a|aie:a|anc|a:enisi:aiaa.eaiaea.sie:.ea|:ecae:.eamasi
anaIIy recaee :n ercer :e :eaea iaei anc ras :ae en:ns ei:ae
: ceaI:::esanueru:seass: en.
s.nee:aee:.,.n.aaesi.enae:e.saaeaemeneIe,:ea|eae,::s:eae
i.vai.enenia.| sa:e:ara.na. :y(Ruckfrage). 1a. s.na.:ya|ayss:aris
.iaaa e:.,.n s tradition, a.ea masi .aia:a|e:ecaeecieiaeve:y
e:.,.aiae.na.:y. ssee|.a,ie:eaei.vaie. iaeiae:e:cs, i:ac.i.ea . s
esseni.a|ie|eiaiae.aa.:y|ae|ieanciae:eaei.vai.eaeiaae:.,.a.
Ruckrage .s iae aesi.en. a, |ae| through tradition ie iae e:. ,. aei
.cea| .iy. Yei , asuasse:| s ie:m sa,,esis, ia. saesi.ea.n,:eseacsie
aaa|:eacy:eee.vecmessa,eiaaiiaei:ac.i.eaaancseve:.Reactivation
.siae aamaneaae.iye:a|.|.iyie:eaa|eaiae:. me:c.a|senseiaai
sec.meaiec,i:ac.i.eaa|,seaseeeve:seve:~aa.ieancmec.aieeaae
.iy, :eaei.vai.ea masi e:i ia:ea,a ea.veea| |aa,aa,e ie :e,a.a a
:.me:c.a|sease. ii. s, aeee:c.n,ieDe::. ca,Verantwortung aacBesin
nung, iae:eaa|ea.n,aac|e.a,:eseas.||eie:iae:.me:c.a|sease
iaai iae ea.veea| i:ac.i.ea eeneea| s . ~s aa.ie aac mec.aie ,. . e. ,
i:ac.i.eaa|, , iae a|.|.iy ie :eaei.vaie sease eaa |e |esi, a |.,aiiaai
uasse:|ie|i,ave :.seie iae e:.s.s .a a. |eseaya.eaeaa:aeie:.zec
mece:ai.mes . ~ncyei,uasse:|eoai.aaec, :eaei.vai.en asaeaae.iy
eiaamaa|.nc.a,eae:a|eaa|e.nan.i.zecia:ea,aiae.cea| .z.n,ee:
ei,eemei:y.
1ae :e|e eii:ac.i.ea.a uasse:| siaea,ai|eeemese|ea:e:, De::.ca
e.aiseai, aeaenei.eeiaaii:ac.i.eaee:aiesaaa|e,eas|yieiae
c.a|eei.e ei.niea|i.meeease.easness, iaec.a|eei.eei:eieai.ea
aac:eieai.ea.ia.niaei.v.a,r:eseai.1aea.sie:.ea|sec.meaiai.eaei
sense .aie:|ays. ia iaee:eai.eaeiae sease.ia. aiaeae:.zeaei
:eseni sease. ~|| eia.ea .s ess.||eie:uasse:| , e saa|| see, |e
eaaseei|aa,aa,e,a:i.ea|a:|y:.iiea|aa,aa,e,s:, .1aas, a.sie:. e.iy
|eeemesess.||eia:ea,a:eia.na.:yaac:eaei.vai.ea,ancyei|eia
a:e ess.||een|y|eeaaseiae:e. sane:.,.aanci:ac.i.eaei.cea|e|
]eeis,|eeaaseiae:e. sa.sie:.e.iy.1a.se.:e|e,De::.caex| a.as, . saai
eeaeesuasse:| . aaiseemsie|eeiaimesi.me:iaaeeieuasse:|
. s as maea aa ee:ai.ea ,:eaei.vai.en .i|ias iae a|. |.iy ie eea a
13
Preface
a.ccena.sie:.ea|ae|c,asiaeaaia:eeiiaeae|c.:se|i,asiaeess.|.|.iy
eisemeia.a,|.|e:eaei.vai.en (51).
seia:eaave seea iaaia.sie:.e.iy.seeaee:aec.iaiaee:.,. aaac
i:ac.i.eaei.cea| e|]eeis. re:uasse:| iae |aiie: aei.ea, iaai ei.cea|
ei]eeis, :ea. :esexam.nai.eaei|eiae|]eei.v.iyaac.cea|.iy.r.:siiae
:e||emeiiaeie:me:,iaeaiae|aiie:.
O:.,.as a:e |e,.na.n,s eiseneia.n, ae. as saea, iaey :a.se iae
:e||emei:eee,a. za|.| .iy. uasse:|aase:s|ysay.a,iaaiiae:emasi
|esemeei]eei.v.:y .a:aee:.,.a eian .cea|.:yie::ae .ceaI.:y:eie
reeen:zaiIe.`:a:s means, oe:r:ua says, :aa::ae senseei:aeeen
s:::a::nae:eaneniyieuee:ae:eu:n:aeeiei:aeeens:::a:euei
)ee: .Anu:a: sneeess::y:sne:anex:ernaIia:e, ia:aaessea::aIneees
s::y ei.aieai.eaa| .:y. 1aeprmordial senseeieve:y:niea::eaa| aei.s
only .isfnal sease, . . e. , iae eeasi.iai.eaeiaa e|]eei (64). iaeiae:
e:cs, e|]eei.v.iy ,aee::e|aieei. aieni.eaa|.iy,ie:ees.aiea:.ena|.iy-
iae :e||em ei :eee,a.za|.|.iy-ie |e ,:asec a:si ia:ea,a .is aaa|
:ecaei. iae eeasi.iaiec e|]eei. se iae aesi.ea .s aa::eec. aai
a||esie:iaee|]eei.v.iyeia:.me:c.a|sease ,aae:. ,.aa|sease,s.nee
iaeeeac.i.easeie|]eei.v.iya:eiaeseeia.sie:.e.iy:
1a. s |:. a,s as ie iae :e||em ei | an,aa,e, iaai |y a.ea sease
. ise|i-e::aiae:, ex:ess.ve meaa.a,, | . a,a.si.e meaa.a,-|ia.as .is
.cea|e|]eei.v.iy. iaa. seemmeais, De::.cae|a|e:aiesia:eece,:eesei
.cea|e|]eei.v.iy. m|.e.i.auasse:| s ana| ys. s .r.:si, iae:e.siae|eve|ei
iaee:c s .cea|e|]eei.v.iy.1aee:c|.ea, ie:.asiaaee,.s:eee,a. z
a||e.ia.aseve:a||aa,aa,es , |ai. s|eaacieiaese|aa,aa,es. aa.ea
iaee:c. ise|ima|essease . seeeac|y, iae:e.siae|eve|eiiaee:cs
sease.1ae.aienceceeaienie:s.,a.aeai.eaeiiaee:c| .ea.sava.|
a||eie maay|an,aa,es, ie:exam|e,Leo, Lowe, |.ea, saeaiaaiiae
.cea|.iys. ,n.aec iae:e|y .si:ee i:em a||iaeiaa| |.n,a.si.e sa|]eei.v
. iy(71). 1a.:c|y,iae:e. siae|eve|eia|se|aie.cea|e|]eei.v.iy, saea
` Dorion Cairns, in his review-abstract of Husserl ' s "Die Frage nach dem Ursprung
der Geometrie al s intentional-historisches Problem" ("I nqui ry Concerning the Origin of
Geometry: a Problem of I ntentional Hi story")
'
Philosophy and Phenomenological Re
search, I, No. 1 ( 1 940), p. 1 00, accurately presents Husserl ' s answer to this problem (he
is abstracting from the German transcription Fink publ ished in the same journal in 1 939) :
"Our mathematics, however, exists as an age-long advance from acquisition t o acquisi
tion. Therefore i t must have been a more pri mi ti ve sense that frst was projected and
appeared in the evidence of a successful execution. But the phrase i s redundant. Evi
dence means the grasping of a bei ng in the consciousness of its original 'itslf-thereness. '
And grasping covers other acts besides simply perceptive seei ng. The sense of the meant
object indicates the way to grasp it originaliter. Sense-formations whose nature it is to
exist as subjecti vel y prouced resul ts are 'grasped' originaliter in being produced . Suc
cessful l y realizing a project is evidence; i n the reali zi ng, the efect is there as 'itself. "
14
Preface
asiaei:ee.cea|. i. esei,eemei:y1ae.cea| .iy.aaesi.eaae:e.siaaiei
iaee|]eei.ise|i. Oaia. s|eve|eie|]eei.v.iy.iae:e. saeacae:eaeeie
aayceiaeie|aa,aa,e.ea|yacae:eaeeieiaeess.|.|.iyei| aa,aa,e. a
,eae:a| . 1a. smeaas iaai i:aas|ai.ea . s.aaa.ie|y eea. De::.caaas
e|ae.caieciaeseia:eece,:ees. ae:ce:iesaeiaaiaeauasse:| . .a
iaeOrigin, ceesaeic.si.a,a.sa|eieeaiaee|]eei. ise|iaac.issease .
ia.s eaa ea|y eeea: .ia.a iae ia.:c :e,.ea ei .cea| e|]eei.v.iy. iae
a|se|aie| yi:ee.cea|e|]eei.v.iyei|aa,aa,e 1aas|aa,aa,e.s iaeiee|
ie::evea| .a,.cea|e|]eei.v.iy.a.ea.aia:a:evea|s. s.aee. iceesaei
| .ve. aa"topos ouranios, " iaaie|]eei.v.iy.ise|i. s.ai:.as. ea||ya. sie:.ea|
aac masi|eeeaaeeiec.iai:aaseeaceaia| sa|]eei.v.iy. 1ae,:eaac
ie:i:aaseeaceaia|a. sie:.e.iy. saaeeve:ec.
uasse:| s aesi.eaiaea|eeemesiaeae ei.cea|.iy,aacaeiyei
iaaiei.ise:.,.a . aecees.cea|.iy. a:i.ea|a:|y,eemei:.ea|. cea|.iy.
a::.veaia|se| aie. cea|e|]eei.v.iyi:em .is.e:seaa|e:.,.a .aiae
.aveaie: s m.ac:ra:acex.ea||y. ae,ees|ae| eaee a,a.aie|aa,aa,e.
ue says iaai . cea|.iy a::.vesai .is a|se|aie e|] eei.v.iy |y meaasei
|aa,aa,e. iae ve:y ia.a,i:em a.ea .i as i:y.a, ie eseae]asi a
memeaia,e. 1aea:acex. De::.casays. .s iaai. . iaeaiiaea
a:eaiia|| |ae|.aie |aa,aa,e aac iae:e|y .aie a. sie:y. aia||a.ea
ea|ca|.eaaieiae. cea|a:.iyeisease.seaseea|c:ema.aaaem.:.
ea|ie:mai.ea. m:.seaecasiaei.aasyeae|e,.ea|sa|]eei.v. iythe
inventor's head. u.sie:.ea| .aea:aai.ea ,.a |aa,aa,e} seis i:ee iae
i:aaseeaceaia| ..asieacei|.ac.a,. i . 1ae|asiaei.ea.iaei:aaseeacea
ia| . masi iaea |e :eiaea,ai (77). i . | | :eia:aie ia.s :eia. a|. a, .a
amemeai
1a. sae.saea. evec|eeaaseaamaa|.ac.s.aeaeaaciaesame
e:|c. aaceease.easaesseiia.siaeiesia||.saesiaeess.|. |.iyeia
aa.ve:sa||aa,aa,e. uaa|.ac. s a:sieease.easei. ise|iuasse:| says}
as aa.mmec.aieaacmec.aie |. a,a.si.eeemmaa.iy (79). iaacc.
i.ea. ea:a:ia. asiae|aeeeia||e|]eeis. . saeiaae|]eei.ise|iaac
eaaaei |eeeme eae ie: aa e|]eei.ve se. eaee. ia iaei . De::.ca eem
meais. iaeess. |.|.iyeia,eemei:ysi:.ei|yeem|emeaisiae. mes
s.|. |.iyeiaaieea|c|eea||eca ,ee|e,y. iaee|]eei.vese.eaeeeiiae
a:ia. ise|i (83) . Cee|e,y .s as :ac.ea||y . mess. || e. iaea. as . saa
e|]eei.vese.eaeeeii:aaseeaceaia|sa|]eei.v. iy. ~ac,eemei:y.ses
s.||eea|y. aseia: asiae a|eve . si:ae. s.aee aeaemeae|e,y s |as.e
:.ae. |e eiaa.iacea|ays .aie:|ays .iaaa. aaa.ie ,aacaeae|]ee
' However, as Derrida poi nts out i n a note, p. 72 below, thi s ideality occurs and i s di s
covered in a factual language, and thi s occurrence is "the crucial difculty of al l
[ Husserl ' s] philosophy of hi story: what i s the sense of thi s l ast [type of factuality?"
15
Preface
i.ve,.cea|e|e-ae:e .ea:a:ia-iaeze:ee.aieia||e:eei.ea iae
.aaa.ieae:.zea eieve:ye|]eei.

1ae:e||emei|aa,aa,eaac. cea|.iy. aeeve:..si.:sieaeeaaie:ec

intrae:seaa||y.1aer:si. aveaie:ei,eemei:y.ie:exam| e. masiaave
|eaa|| i eee,a.zeaaceemmaa.eaiea,eemei:.ea|. cea|.iy.ia. a
a.se

a.ac.v.caa|eease.easaess .seasemasi|e:eee,a.zecaaceem
maa.eaiecasiaesameseasei:emeaememeaieiiaee,eieaaeiae:
a|se|aie|yc.ae:eai memeai eiiae same e,e. ue:ea,a.a uasse:| :e
i:asi? iaeaa.aeie:meiieme:a|.zai.ea.iaei.v.a,r:eseai. aese
c. aeei.ea|eaa:aeie:aac :. me:c.a| .iye:m.i.ai:ae:seaa|eemmaa.
ai.ea. a ease
iaea. De::.ca eeae| aces . c sa|]eei.v.iy .s r:si
lntrasa|, eeilv. iy.aiaeiiaaies|a. asuasse:| s :eve:s.eaeaeeme:eie
iae i.

v.a,r:eseai.a a.sc.seass.era|eaiiaee:ae.a|:e|eei:.i. a,.

~see:seaa|eemmaa.eai.eaa:exee| |eaee. :.i.a,,aa:aaiees
ie: uasse:|iaeess.|.|.iyeia|se| aie . cea|en]eei.v.iy. ~ac De::.ca
a:,aesiaai. s.aee iaepossibilit ei:.i.a, ,.ves sease iae a|.|. iy ie
|eeemenonspatiotemporal, :. i.a, saaei.easaaceem| eiesiaeex.s
ieaeeeia:e i:aaseeaceaia| a. sie:. e.iy (87) , iaas asa.a, aamaa
|.ac. uasse:| iee| s. ae:ess a ae ia:esae|c-iaai eii:aaseeaceaia|
eemmaa.iy De::.ca seemmeaieaia.s :esa|i. iaaiiae aaiaeai.eaei
ei:.i.a,. sai:aaseeaceaia|:ecaei.eae:ie:mec|yaaciea:ciae
e
.
" (92), . ac. eaiesiaai:.i.a,.saeeaaie:a:iieiaei.v. a,r:eseai
.a.aie:e:seaa|eemmaa.eai.ea. iae:ce:aeiieaave i:aia c. saea:
i:emiaee:|c.i:emc sa|]eei.v.iy. |eiamea:eve:iieiaei.v. a,
r:eseai. ie iae .aieai.eaa| aei eiiae e,e. ieintra sa|]eei.v.iy. s. aee
:.i. a,.sintentional-i . e. , .ima|essease-uasse:|a:,aes|ae|ie:.i
.a, s .

ai

eai.eaa| .iy.ieiaee,e s . aieai.eaa|aei.aiaeaeiei:.i. a,. ie

iae i.v.a, r:eseai a.ea ,:eaacs eve:y .aieai.eaa| aei .a |eia .is
a|ie:.iyaacsameaess. ~cai.a,De::.ca ssaee.aei:ema:|sa|eaiiae
i.v.a,r:eseai.eeea|csay. iaea.iaai:.i.a,eeasi.iaiesiaeeiae:
aseiae:.a.ise|iaaciaesameassame. aiaeeiae:(86) .
Historicity and the Transcendental
u.sie:.e.iy. uasse:|says. .saamaa|. ac sesseai.a|ae:.zea. iaei.v
.a, r:eseai ieaacs iae a.sie:.e r:eseai. aac iae a.sie:.e r:eseai as
i:ac.i.eaa|.zai.ea,iae. aeessaaiieia|.zai.eaeiiaerasi.aiaer:eseai
:evea|saeaa.ve:s|~:.e:.eia.sie:y.1aei.v.a,r:eseaii, ieacai
uasse:| se:csiw.eeaeiec|yDe::. ca. iaev.ia|mevemeaieiiae
eeex. sieaee aac iae .aie:eav. a, . . . ei :.me:c.a| ie:mai.eas
aac sec.meaiai.eas ei sease (109). uamaa|. ac . s a eemmaa.iy
16
Preface
eisea|.a,|e.a,s.aiae.:i.v.a,r:eseais .iaei.v.a,r:eseai|e.a,iae
aaa| :ei:eaeameai aac seea:.iy. De::.ca says. ei eve:y
aeaemeae|e,.ea|:ecaei.ea( 1 1 01 1 ) . ueeace:s.iuasse:| sme:.i
asaei. aaav.a,cese:.|ec.. aai:a|ytranscendental meve. iaeeeac.
i.easeiess. |.|.iyie:a.sie:ya.eae:eaiiaesamei.meconcrete . .
|eeaaseiaeya:eexe:.eaeecaace:iaeie:meihorizon " ( 1 1 7) ? ue:.
zea.siaei.v.a,r:eseai s c.a|eei.ea|ie:m.iaeaeei. isieme:a| .za
i.ea. iae a| :eacyiae:eei. isc.a|eei.eseisease
se ia: iae :e||em ei. cea|.iy s e:.,.a aas |eea |eu .a a|eyaaee
De::.cae.aiseaiiaaiuasse:|.|||eaveiaeaesi.eaeeaCeemei:.
ea|.cea|.iy. sa|aysbased on iaeme:ae|e,.ea|. cea|.i.esei. ma,.aa
i.ea aac sease. yei .i .s a|aysa|:eacy a:aia:e.ia iaai seas.||e
me:ae|e,.ea|. cea|.zai.eaweeea|csay. e:aas. iaaiuasse:| | eaves
eaeasi:aacaacee.cec.,eemei:y. saaiaasia|ea|aee.aiaeC:ee|
e:eai.ve.aaa.i.zai.ea.aacyeiia.sscientifc, theoretical | ea. sa|ays
|asec ea iae me:ae|e,.ea| . seas.||e .cea| .zai.ea eiiae :ese. eai.ae
e:|c. iaeLebenswelt. 1aas ae saves. n::.ca eeae|aces. |eia iae
a|se|aie|ye:.,.aa|seaseeieaeai:ac.i.eaa|| .ae,.isa.sie:.e.iy,aac. is
:e|ai.v.iy .ia. aa. sie:y. a,eae:a|( 1 3 1 ) .
ueeve:. iae .cea|.z.a,aei.v.iyei understanding, eia:e ia.a|
. a,. . e . eiiae aea.ma,.aai.veaacaeaseas.||e. . saeve:siac. ec .a
.ise|i.ae:a:e.iseeac.i.eas ii. sa:ac.ea|ee:ai.ea. apassage to the
limit aese si:aeia:e . siaaieimaiaemai.ea|. cea|.zai.ea. iae a,a.a
aaca,a.a a.eaDe::.caiee| smasiaave. isprotentional ee::e|aie. a
.aieai.eaa|.iy Oaeea,a.aea:e|ec|ae|ieiaei.v.a,r:eseai. iae
aeaemeae|e,.ea| a|se|aie. iae ae aeec.a, a asi a.ea .a ia:a
aeecsaiaia:eiea:ca.eaiae:eseaia|aysa|:eacyieacs.seiaai
iae:eseai.siaeae:.zeaie:asiaaciaia:e ueeve:. De::.casays.
iaeaa.iyeiia. smevemeai. saeve:,.vea. . imasi|eexe:.eaeece:
thought ,iae:e|yma|.a,iaeaeaemeaa|.zai.eaeii. meess.||e, 1a. s
aa.iy.iaee:|eiiaeicea.aiaekaai.aasease.. saeve:aeaeme
aa|.zec.a. ise|iue:ea,a.aeseeiaeeeaa.ei|eieeaiaeaa.i.z.a,
eease.easaesseiaeaemeae|e,y s :.ae.|e aaciae .aaa.i.z.a, eea
se.easaess ei . is aaa| . asi.iai.ea. iae .aaa.ie i cea iaai aaiae:.zes
aa.iace
waai iaea .s iae a.sie:.e.iyeiiae maiaemai.ea|,a.|esea.ea|,e:.
,.a. .iiaei cea.saaia||esie:. cea|.iy s e:.,. a:neiaiae iceaaac
xeaseaa:ea. sie:.e.i.es. |eiamasiexeseiaemse|ves.ae:ce:ie|e.
a|iaea,aae. iae:a:eexaaasiec. aia. sexes.i.ea1aeya:eeie:aa|yei
`` See L' Ecriture, pp. 242 and 250 on the concept of the Idea i n the Kanti an sense.
17
Preface
a.sie:.ea| . s.aee eie:a.iy .s a mece eia. sie:.e.iy De::.casiaies. .aa
cee.s.veseaieaee.iaaiiaea|se|aieaesseiiaeicea.siae~|se|aieof
. aieai. eaa|a. sie:.e.iy( 1 42) , acc.a,iaaiiaeeices.,aaiesae.iae:a
sa|]eei.veae:e|]eei.ve,eaei.ve.. e . ae.iae:iae ~|se|aieae:. a
ieai.eaa| a.sie:.e.iy aas| :si|aee iaeiae:e:cs. iaei ceaasaa
iae:.zai.eaei.cea|.iy.asiae|.m.iiea:ca.ea.cea|.iyasses. reveals
iae |.m.ieia. sie:.e.iy ,aac iae:e|y .isea | .m.i, . iae :e,:ess.ve-
:ea.e-mevemeai ei.aieai.eaa|.iy 1a. s :e,:ess.ve mevemeai .s
i:ac.i.ea. e: as De::.ca says. .aieai.eaa|.iy .s i:ac.i.eaa| .iy
ue:eeve:.s.aee. i . siaec. a|eei.ea|:eeiei iaei.v. a,r:eseai. .aiea
i.eaa|.iy. siae:eeieia. sie:.e.iy Ceaseaeai| y. De::.caeeae|aces.
iae:e. saeaeeci e.aa.:ea|eaiiaeseaseeia.sie:.e.iy. a.sie:.e.iy.s
sense" (150). iaeiae:e:cs. sease.straditionality aac iaeAbsolute is
Passage " ( 1 49) . 1aea|se|aie. s iaeaeieia| | i:ac.i.ea,aac ei a. sie
:.e.iyaac. aieai.eaa|.iy, . i:aasm. ss.ea.aiaeaeieie:eai. ea
eDe::.caa| sesaysiaaisease.siaeaea:.a,ei|e.a,( 1 48) ,
a.eameaasiaai|e.a,.sa. sie:.ea| seiaeaesi.eaie:a. m|eeees .
aai .s iaee:.,.aeine.a,asu.sie:y ( l 5 1 ) ? Oaie| e,ymay as|iae
aesi.ea. |aiea|yaeaemeae|e,y eaa :ev.ce iae aa:aias ie: aa
aase:ne. a,. De::.casays. .ssilently saeaaace:iae ae,ai.v.iyei
iaeapeiron " (ibid) . 1aedelay e:lateness eiseeea.aia. smaa.iesiai.ea
eine.a, . s | aa||y iae a.|esea.ea| . aei]asi iae aeaemeae|e,.ea| .
a|se|aie De::.casays.
Here delay is the philosophical absolute, because the beginning of
methodic refection can only consist in the consciousness ofthe
implication ofanother previous, possible, and absolute origin in
generl. Since this alterity ofthe absolute orgin structurally appears in
my Living Present and since it can appear and be recognized only
in the primordiality ofsomething like my Living Present, this ver fact
signies the authenticit ofphenomenological delay and limitation. In
the lackluster guise ofa technique, the Reduction is only pure thought
as that delay, pure thought investigating the sense ofitsel as delay
within philosophy. ( 152 -53)
ra:e iaea,ai .s a|ays ce|ay Cease.easaesseiia.s ce|ay. De::.ca
says. . seease.easaesseiD. ae:eaee . eease.easaesseiiae.mess.|.| .iy
ei:ema.a.a, . aiae s.m| eaeeiiae i.v.a,r:eseai as e|| asiae
.aa|.|.iyie|.veeae|esec. aas.m|eaac.v.cec~|se|aie 1aei.v.a,
r:eseai .iaeaeve::eseaie:.,.aeine.a,aacsease. . aie:|ays.ia
iaea|aysceie::ec~|se|aie .ia.aia.seease.easaess. aeease.eas
aess .iaeai a.ea. De::.ca eeae|aces. aeia.a, ea|c aea:
18
Preface
w.iaeai .isea:ee:cea.seeaee. iae:eea|c|eaea.sie:.e.iy.ae
sease.aeia.a,
Me:e a|si:aei|y.iaea. aaO:.,. a. aaa|se|aieO:.,. a. masi|eac.i
ieaaiO:.,.a-iaeaeve:-yei-a| ays-a|:eacy-iae:easiae|eyeace:
|eie:e iaaima|esa||seaseess.||e. 1aai D.ae:eaee. De::.caeea
]eeia:es. . se:aasaaia| aysaas|eeasa.caace:iaeeeaeeiei
' transcendental' ia:ea,a iae ea.,mai.e a. sie:y ei.is c. s|aeemeais
ser:.me:c.a|D.ae:eaeeea|c|ei:aaseeaceaia|-asmasi|e.aaa||y.
a. sie:.e.iyaac:ereei.easiae:eea.
DECONSTRUCTION AND THE SCIENCE OF OLD NAMES
The "rationalit"-but perhaps that word should be abandoned
for reasons that will appear at the end of thi sentence-which
govers a writing thus enlrged and radicalzed, no longer
issues from a logos. Further, it inaugurates the destruction, not
the demolition but the de-sedimentation, the de-construction, of
all the signifcations that have their source in that of the logos.
Particulrly the signicatin of truth.
Of Grammatology
r:.e:iee|a|e:ai.a, iae si:aeia:e eia. sie:.e.iy. i cese:.|eciae
ceeeasi:aei.ve |e,.eeiiaeaacee.ca|| e. eiaeaeae.ee. eidif erance.
ueeve:,c.ae:aaee.sa|seaaold name, aname sous rature, e||.ie:aiec
|ye|cseases. a:eaiaes.zec.1aeceeeasi:aei.eaeic.ae:aaee.ae| aces
iaeaace sec.meaiai.eaaacsa|emeaiai.ea, e:sa|si.iai.ea,eiaae|c
aameie:aae eeaeei. 1a.sa|eeaym.esa|emeaia:.iy.sasee
eacmemeaie:|eve|eiDe::.casceeeasi:aei.ea. seeeacmemeaie:
| eve||e.a,aace:sieecae.iae:a. e:a:ea.ea||yae:ea:eae|e,.ea||y.1a. s
sa|emeaia:y ,:au.a, . s aeiee:iay .a De::.ca s Introduction. ue
aas added semeia. a, ae. semeia.a, c.ae:eai. i eiae e|c aame ei
aeaemeae|e,y.aiaaiiexi.
1aemevemeaieisa|emeaia:.iy. aseaeei a ee:ia.aaam|e:ei
aeasyaeaym.e sa|si.iai.eas ie: c.ae:aaee. .ave|ves. aeee:c.a,ie
De::.ca. iema]e:seases,ia|eai:emiaer:eaeave:|suppleer) : iea||
aceae.eaey,ieeem|eie,aacieia|eiae|aeeei,ie:e|aee, 1a. s.s
"Diferance, " in Speech and Phenomena, p. 147.
4 1 0n the "concept" of supplementarity, see: Speech and Phenomena, ch. 7; Of
Gram ma to logy y Part I I, ch. 2 ; L Dissemination, pp. 1 80-96; and Alan Bass,
" ' Literature '(Literature, " Velocities ofChange: Critical Essays from MLN, ed. Richard
Macksey (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press , 1 974), pp. 348-49.
19
Preface
ceeeasi:aei.eaasiaese.eaeeeie|caames. .ia| |sace| e.eaey.aiaee| c
eeaeeiaac:e|aees.ia.|eas.a,. ise| caame De::. caas|s .
What is, then, the "strategic" necessity which sometimes requires that
an ol name be preserved in order to initiate a new concept? With all
the reservations imposed by the traditional distinction between the
name and the concept, one ought to be able to begin to describe this
0
I
er
!
i

n: aware ofthe fact that a name does not name the punctual
slmpliClty ofa concept but the system ofpredicates defning the
concept, the conceptual structure centered on such and such a
predicate, one proceeds: (1) to the setti,!-aside (prelevement) ofa
reduced predicative trait, which is held in reserve and limited within a
given conceptual structure (limitedfor some motivations and relations
offorce which are to be analyzed) named x; (2) to the de-limitation, the
grafting, and the controlled extension ofthis predicate which was set
aside, the name x being maintained as a tool ofinterventin (levier
d'i

te
n
e

tin) in
.
order to maintain a hold on the former organization
which It IS efectively a question oftransforming. Setting-aside,
grafting, extension: you know that this is what I called, according to
the process that I have just described, writing. -:
1aese.eaeeeie|caames. s:.i.a,.aae|caame. ise|i.
ieimeae:eaea:sesemeeiiaesa| emeaiai.easiaaiDe::.caac
vaaees .a iae Introduction . ue says D.ae:eaee .s i:aaseeaceaia|-
i:aaseeaceaia| |e.a, iae :.me:c.a| D.ae:eaee eia c.ae:eai O:.,. a
1aasi:aaseeaceaia|. sea.va|eaiiec.aeaai,.iaaaa) .
Cese.easaesseiD.ae:eaee . iaai.iaeaia.eaaeia.a,ea|ca
ea:. .si:aaseeaceaia|eease.easaess. . e . . c.ae:aaieease.easaess se
eeea|csayiaaieease.easaess. sc.ae:aaee,.iaaaa) . -:l
s.m.|a:|y. iae xecaei.ea. a:e iaea,ai ei . is ea ce|ay. .s
i:aaseeaceaia| . De::.casays . 1aea:eaac. aie:m.aa||ec. sa. eiace
?iiaea,aisi:.v.a,ie :ecaeeD.ae:eaee|y,e.a,|eyeaciaeiaa|.aaa
.i iea:c iae .aaa.iy ei.is sease aacva|ae . . e . . a.|ema.aia.a.a,
D.a:eaee-iaaic. sa.eiaceea|c|ei:aaseeaceaia| ( 1 53) . 1aexe
caei.ea.iaea,ai s eac.sa.eiaceaiD.ae:eaee . eaaea| y|eac.ae:
aaixecaei.ea.
r:.me:c.a|D.ae:eaee .s i:aaseeaceaia| ~ac i:aaseeaceaia| D.ae:
eaee . . e . iaea|aysceie:cecc.ae:.a,c.ae:eaeeeiiaee:.,.a .sc.i
ie:aaee,.ia aaa) .
7
` Positions, p. 96; ET: Diacritics, 3 , No. 1 (Spring 1 973) , p. 37.
4:1 See Speech and Phenomena , ch. 5 : "Signs and t he Blink of an Eye . " pp. 60-69. as
well as Note 4 above .
20
Preface
~ac, aaa| | y. |eeaase .i . s a meiaec ie: :eaeei.a, ea a.sie:.e.iy,
Ruckfrge .s iae:e|yi:aaseeaceaia| .i.s a c.ae:aai :eeess De::.ca
says ~ac1aea,ai s a:e ee:ia.aiyea|c|ei:aaseeaceaia| . s.aee
.ieaa|ee|ie:a:cieiaea|:eacyaaaeaaeec1e| esea| y|yacvaae.a,
ea ,e: |e.a, .a acvaaee ei iae O:.,. a iaai . aceaa.ie|y :ese:ves
.ise|i saeaaee:ia.aiyaeve:aacie|ea:aiaai1aea,aiea|ca|ays
|eieeeme (ibid. ) .
1aasiaexecaei.ea,Ruckfrge, eease.easaess, aac.aieai.eaa|.iy-
a|||as.eeeaeeiseiaeaemeae| e,y-aave|eeasa|emeaiec|ydi
ferance; iaeya||a:ia|eei.is|e,.eYeiiaeya:esi.||named xecaei.ea,
Ruckfrage, aac se ea raeaemeae|e,y aas |eea sa|emeaiec, .is
meiaays.ea| iexi ceeeasi:aeiec, aac iae e|c aames :eia.aec
raeaemeae|e,y. sae|ea,e:, |aisi. | | . s, aeaemeae|e,yiis .s .siaai
eia|| meiaays.es , sous rature: .
i s iae:eaneed ieeaeeseae:e|eieeaaacee.ca|| esaace|caames :
i seaeeae.eeme:eia.iaia|ieDe::.ca s .aieaiiaaaiaeeiae:,. s eae.a
iaei c.ae:eai i:em iae eiae:: 1ae exem|a:y ease ae:e seems ie|e
diernce .ise|i,.aa.eaaacee.ca||esaace|caamesa:e|eiapresent
aacdeferred .aiaes.|eaiiem|eiiaea, .aai:a,.|e|eiie:iaai.seas. | y
e:asec, e:esseceai, e:m.s:.aiec, aa iaai .s aa:c|y :eaca||e aac
ceaa.ie|yaacee.ca||e
TRANSLATOR'S NOTE
1aei:aas|ai.eaeae:ecae:e.siaaieiiaeseeeacec.i.eaeiDe::. ca s
Intrduction, a||.saec |y r:esses ua.ve:s.ia.:esce r:aaee . a 1 974.
1aea:siec.i.eaasa||.saec.a 1 962. iaiaeiexi. ise|i,iaave.ac.
eaiec:eie:eaeesie:eseaia,|.sai:aas|ai.easeie:|siea.eaDe:
:.ca :eie:s, |ai aave mec.aec iaem ae:e aeeessa:y ie aace:see:e
De::. ca s a:,ameaiai.ea 1aesemec.aeai.easaave|eea .ac.eaiec|y
iae e:c mec.aec . ase:iec.ia.a |:ae|eis .a iae iexi 1exisaa
ava.|a||e.aa,|.sai:aas|ai.eai aavei:aas|aieci:emiaer:eaea1ae
uasse:| iexis aave |eea mec.aec .a aeee:caaee .ia maay eiiae
sa,,esi.easeiDe:.eaCa.:as Guide for Translating Husserl, a:i.ea|a:|y
aeaiaey|ea:eaae.aiiaaiDe::.ca. sar,a. a,
~|| Ce:maaie:ms.a a:eaiaesesa:e De::.ca sacc.i.eas s.m.|a:| y,
a|| ex|aaaie:y |:ae|eis iaai eeea: .ia.a aeiai.eas a:e De::.ca s
acc.i.eas i aave . ae|acecee:ia.a r:eaea aac Ce:maa ie:ms .ia.a
|:ae|eisae:eaeeessa:y.aiaeiexi
saeaie:msasde facto aacde jure aave|eeaaace:see:ecea|yae:e
De::.caaassi:esseciaema.mse|i,s. aeeiaeya:eeueai:aas|ai.easei
21
Preface
iaer:eaeaeaia.iaaceac:e.i. 1aesame. si:aeeiapriori ,ac] ee
i.va|ie:m,aaca priori ,acve:|.a|e:sa|siaai.veie:m, .i.|e.se,iaave
ie| |eecCa.ms sa,,esi.ea.ac.ae:eai.ai.a,|eieeaObjektivitit aac
Gegenstindlichkeit |yiaeea.ia|e:|ee:ease
"
0
"
:eseei.ve| y ,De:
:.ca,ie||e.a,iaer:eaeai:ac.i.ea,. ac.eaiesGegenstindlichkeit |yiae
aee|e,.smobjectite aacObjektivitit |yobjectivite. ) ueeve:, s.aeeiae
r:eaeaobjet eem:.ses |eiaiae meaa.a,eiGegenstand aaciaai ei
Objekt, aec.ae:eai.ai.ea. sess.||eie:iaee:ce|]eei , a|iaea,a.a
aeiai.easi:emuasse:|. iaas|eea:eia.aec. re:ia:iae:ceia.| seaia.s
:e||em, seeiae1:aas|aie: sr:eiaeeeiiesie: m|:eeiesazaaae
naeae|a:c s A Study of Husserl's re:ma| aac 1:aaseeaceaia| ie,.e
r.aa| | y, iaei:aas|ai.eaaas|eeaceae.a|.,aieiaac.aaeee:caaee.ia
Dav.c~||. sea sea:|.e:i:aas|ai.eaeiDe::.ca sSpeech and Phnomena.
i ea|c| .|eieiaaa|va:.eas ee|eie:iae.:.ava|aa||ea.c.a iae
:eeesseiia.s i:aas|ai.ea 1e r:eiesse:sxe|e:i Deie.|e:, w.||.am
nea:cs|ee , aac~:iaa:vaas, i exieacmys.aee:esiiaaa|sie:iae.:
|ea,ie:meaeea:a,emeai i ea|aa|se|.|eieiaaa|r:eiesse:vaas
ie:a.sai.eaieaee|.a,eiiaeeem|eiea:sic:au.iaiaer:eaeaiexi
1aesamea:ee.ai.ea. sexieacecier:eiesse:amesDa,eaa.sie:a.s
.ava|aa||esagesi.eas.a:e|ai.eaieiaea:siaa|ieiiaei:aas|ai.ea ~ac
i ama:i.ea|a:|y,:aieia| ie r:eiesse:Dav. c~| |.sea ie: a.s e:seaa|
i:.eacsa. aac ec.ie:.a| a.c, as e|| as a.s .ava|aa||e i:aas|ai.ea ei
De::.ca s eiae:ma]e:e:|eauasse:| r:eiesse:J. u.| |.su.||e:as
a| seve:yae|ia|.iaa. smaay|.|| .e,:aa.ea|a.csaac,eec.|| .~ac,
aaa| | y, iammesicee|y.ace|iecier:eiesse:De::.caa. mse|iie:a.s
e:seaa|ae| aac ai.eaiacv.ee ca:.a,ia.si.me u.s ee:c.a|.iy aac
sae:ie:e,:eai|ya:ee.aiec
iea|ca|se| .|eieiaaa|i:.eacsae|.ac|yae|ec.aiae:ea:a
i.eaeiiaeaaa|c:aii.nea:cuaii, xeaxem|e:i, aacmesia:i.ea
| a:|yna:|a:aDeCeae.a.aacCa:|asea. sse| ~| se. iewa|ie:xasse||i
aaiieexieac,:ai.iaceie:e:s.sieai,eecaame:aaci:. eacsa.ca:
.a,ia.se:.ec. r.aa||y, i ea|c | .|e ieiaaa|iae ne|,.aa ~me:.eaa
caeai.eaa|reaacai.eaie::ev.c.a, me .ia i.me ie eem|eieia.s
e:|
i .saiecec.eaieia.se:|ie iae meme:yeimyiaiae:, ae ea|y
saaa|i.iseem|ei.ea,aaciemymeiae:
Louvain-Leuven
December 1976
John P. Leavey
Introduction
to
" The Orgin of Geomet"
ny.is caie aac iaemes. ia. s mec.iai.eaei uasse:| [The Origin of
Geometr] ie|ea,sieiae|asi,:eaei :.i.a,siaaisa::eaacThe Crisi
ofEuropean Sciences and Transcendental Phenomenology. i i .scee| y
:eeieciae:e aacieiaaiexieai.ise:. ,.aa| .iy:aasiae:.sseiaeiie.a,
.mmec.aie|yaa:eai iiThe Origin ofGeometr .sc. s:.a,a. s aai|ei:em
iaeCrisi, .i .s aeiieeaase ei .is cese:. i.ve aeve|iy Nea:| ya| | . is
mei.i s a:e a|:eacy :eseai . a eiae: .avesi.,ai.eas. aeiae: iaey ie
|a:,e|y:.e:iee:a|mesieeaieme:a:y.ia. i i aiaei.The Origin of
Geometr s:. | | eeaee:as :ae s:aiasei:ae . cea| ei]eeis eise. eaee ei
a.ea,eemei:y.seaeexam|e, .iae.::ecaei.ea.iy.ceai.iy. a,aeis.
asiaesame . aaciaeeeasi.iai.eaei exaei.iaceia:ea,a.cea| .zai.ea
aacas sa,eieiae| . m.i-a:eeessa.easia:is.ia iae| .iee:|c s
seas.i|e . aa.ie . aac :ese.eai.ae maie:.a| s ~| se .a aesi.ea a:e iae
` Die Krisis der ellropiischen Wissenschaften und die tranzendentale Phanomenologie:
Eine Einleitllng in die phanomenologische Philosophie, ed. Walter Biemel , in HlIsser
liana, Vol . 6 (The Hague: Nijhof, 1 954); English translation [hereafer abbreviated as
ET]: The Crisis ofEuropean Sciences and Transcendental Phenomenology: An Introduc
tion to Phenomenological Philosophy, tr. David Carr ( Evanston: Northwestern Uni ver
sity Press , 1 970) . [Since the ET does not contain al l the appendi ces that the German
edi ti on does, it wi l l be necessary at ti mes to refer to the German pagination. ] Hereafter
the ET wi l l be ci ted as C, the German as K. The Origin ofGeometr (C, pp. 353-78) is a
text appended to 9a on "Pure Geometry" (C, pp. 24-28) . In a forewording note Derrida
says, after stating that he will translate the version presented in K: "The original manu
script dates from 1 936. Its typed transcription bears no title . The author of this transcrip
tion, Eugen Fi nk , has also publ ished an elaboration of it in Rel ' lIe Interationa!e de
Philosophie , I , No. 2 (January 1 5, 1 939) . pp. 203-25 , under the ti tle ' Die Frage nach dem
Ursprung der Geometrie al s i ntentional -hi storisches Problem: Since then, this text has
been read and frequently ci ted under this form. Its hi story, at l east , then. al ready con
ferred on i t a certain right to i ndependence. "
25
26
Jacques Derrida
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e|]eeis . |aa,aa,e. .aie:sa|]eei.v.iy. aac iae e:|c as iae aa.iy ei
,:eaacaac ae:.zea r.aa||y. iae ieeaa.aeseiaeaemeae|e,.ea|ce
se:. i.ea,aeia||yiaeseeiiaeva:.eas:ecaei.eas, a:ea|aysai.| . zec
iessiaaaeve:ce iae.:va|.c.iy aaci:a.iia| aessaea: .ma.:ec . a
uasse:| seyes
Ne:, .a.i.a| | ,, . s The Origin of Geometr c. si.a,a. saa|| e |, . is
cea||ee|asie:eie:.i.aesiaaia:ec. :eeiec, eaiaeeaeaaac,a,a.asia
ee:ia.aieeaa.e.siaace|]eei.v. si.::eseas. |. | .i,.a iae:aei.eeeise.
eaee aaca. |esea,, aacea iae eiae: aaac, a,a.asi a a. sie:. e. sm
|| .acec|,iaeem.:. e. si ea|ieifact aaceaasa| . si:esami.ea 1ae
a:sie:.i. e. smas iae sia:i.a,e. ai ie: Formal and Transcendental
Logic, iae Cartesian Meditations, aac iae Crisis. 1ae seeeac aac
aea:ecmaeaea:| . e:, . aiaeLogical Investigations, . a ra. |esea,
as k.,e:eas e. eaee ,. a a.ea . ias iae iaacameaia| :eeeeaa
i.ea), aac.aIdeas I. 1ae:ecaei.ea ,.iaeieeacemaai.ea ,eia. sie:. e. si
,eaei. e. sm as a|a,s .aie::e|aiec . ia iaai eis,eae,eaei. e. sm,
eveaaeaaee:ia.aa. sie:.e.i,aas |eeemeaeaemeae|e,, siaeme.
ces.ieiaea. ,a eesiei.isc. t ea|i.es , ia. s aei.eaeaaaeiess.||,|e
:ei:aeiec

naiaeve:aaciae ieceaaae.ai.easeia.sie:.e.smaace|]eei.v.sm
|eease e:,aa.ea|| yaa.iec as .aThe Origin of Geometr, ae:e iaey
:eeeeci:emiae same. ma| seaaca:e maiaa| | y.ave|vecia:ea,aeai
aa.i.ae:a:yaese|ea:.a,. ssemei.mesc.seeaee:i.a,

Neiaes.a,a
|a:.iy eiea:iexi :esis ea iae iaeiiaai iae eea]aaei.ea eiiaese ie
siaac.a,aaciesiec:eiasa| se:eaiesaaeseaeme.eaiaeeaeaaac,.i
|:.a,sie| .,aiaaeiyee::eiaac.iyeia.sie:.e.iy.eaiaeeiae:aaac.
aacee::e|ai.ve| y. .iceie:m.aesiaeaeiee|saace:. ,. aa|c.:eei.eaei
a.sie:.e:eaeei.ea1aea.sie:.e.iyei. cea|e|]eei.v.i.es .. e .iae.:origin
aactrdition ,.aiae am|.,aeasseaseeiia. se:ca.ea. ae|aces|eia
iae mevemeaieii:aasm.ss.eaaaciaee:ca:aaeeeiae:.ia,e . e|eys
c.ae:eai:a| es. a.eaa:eae.iae:iaeiaeiaa|.aie:eeaaeei.easeiem.:.
ea| a.sie:y. ae: aa .cea| aac aa.sie:.e acc.a, ea. 1ae |.:ia aac
ceve| emeaieise.eaeemasiiaea|eaeeess.||eieaaaaaea:ceisiy|e
ei a.sie:.ea| .aia.i.ea . a a.ea iae .aieai.eaa| :eaei.vai.ea eisease
saea|cc,.c~:eeeceaaceeac.i.eaiaeem.:.ea|ceie:m.aai.eaei
iaei
2 I n efect these pages of H usserl . frst written for hi mself. have t he rhythm of a thought
feel ing i ts way rather than setting i tsel f forth . But here the apparent di sconti nui ty al so
depends on an always regressive method. a method whi ch chooses i ts interruptions and
mul ti pl i es the returns toward i ts beginning in order to reach back and grasp it again each
ti me i n a recurrent l i ght .
27
Introduction to the Origin of Geometr
iaiae. :.::ecae. ||e e:.,.aa| .iy. iaea.sie:.e.iyeise.eaeeaac iae :e
aeei.ea iaai .i .av. ies, Geschichtlichkeit aac Historie, aave ee:ia.a
eemmeaa:.e:.eeac.i.eas re:uasse:| .iae.:c.se|esa:e. sess.||e.a
:.ae.|eaacia.ssaea|c| eacasie:eeeas. ce:iae:e||emseiaa.ve:sa|
a.sie:ie.iy.aia-.:|:eacesiexieas.eai aeiae:e:cs. iaeess. |. |.iyei
semeia.a, | . se a a. sie:y ei se.eaee .meses a :e:eac.a, aac a :e
aa|ea.a, ei iae sease ei a.sie:y .a ,eae:a| . a| i.maie| y. .i
aeaemeae|e,.ea|sense . ||me:,e.ia .isie|ee|e,.esense.
uasse:|i:.es ie aeeem|.saas.a,a|a::eeieiiaeseesseai.a|es
s.|.|.i.es. aeeaaeei.ea.ia,eemei:yaaciecee.ae:iae:e. aiae:e
se:.i.ea eia ,eae:a| iass 1aas . | .se mesieiuasse:| s iexis, T/c
Origin of Geometr aas|eiaa:e,:ammai.eaacaaexem|a:yva| ae
Ceaseaeai| y, ea: :eac.a, ei .i masi |e ma:|ec |y iae exem| a:y
eease.easaess:ee:iea||e. cei.eaiieai.eaaac|e,a.cec|yiaee| e
eiia. s .aaa.ie ias|. i:em a.ea aeaemeae|e,y a|eae eaamase. is
ay iaiae.ai:ecaei.eaeaeaiiemi .ea:se|eam|.i.ea. |||eie
:eee,a.zeaacs.iaaieeaesia,eeiuasse:| s iaea,ai.. ia . issee.ae
:esaes.i.easaac.isa:i.ea|a:aaaa.saeciaie1aea,aia.smemeai
eiuasse:| s :ac.ea|aess.sa|i.maieaeee:c.a,ieiaeiaeis ,.i.se:aas
aeisece]a:e uasse:|:eeaiec|yseemsiea,:ee.iaia. s 1ae:eie:e.
e. | | a|aysi:yie|e,a.cec|ya. sea. aieai.eas. eveaaeae,ei
eaa,aia.aee:ia.ac.mea|i.es
I
1ae maiaemai.ea| e|]eei seems ie |e iae :.v. |e,ec exam|e aac
mesie:maaeaiia:eac,a.c.a,uasse:| s:eaeei.ea1a.s.|eeaaseiae
maiaemai.ea| e|]eei.sideal. iis |e.a,. s iae:ea,a|y i:aasa:eai aac
exaaasiec|y.is aeaemeaa| .iy ~|se| aie| ye|]eei.ve. . e . ieia| |y:.c
eiem.:.ea|sa|]eei.v.iy. .iaeve:iae|ess. sea|yaai. iaea:sie|e
1ae:eie:e..i.sa|aysa|:eacyreduced ie. isaeaemeaa|sease .aac. is
|e.a, . s. i:em iae eaisei. ie |e aa e|]eei [etre-objet ] ie. a a:e
eease.easaess
In our translation [of The Origin of Geometry] , we wi l l i ndi cate t he di stinction be
tween Historie and Geschichte i n parentheses only when t his di sti nction correspnds to
Husserl ' s expl ici t intenti on. which i s not-i ndeed . far from it-always the case.
On the questi on of knowi ng whether. for HusserI
.
t he mathematical obj ect is the mode
of every object' s consti tution. and on the consequences of such a hypothesis
.
cf. the
di scussion i n which Walter Bi emel , Eugen Fi nk, and Roman I ngarden parti ci pated fol l ow
i ng Bi emel ' s l ecture on " Les phases deci si ves dans I e devel oppement de la phi l osophi e
de Hu sser\ . i n Husser/ ( Cahiers de Royaumont . Phil osophi e No. 3 ) ( Paris: Minui t. 1 959) .
pp. 63 -7 1 .
28
Jacques Derria
1aePhilosophy of Arithmetic, uasse:| sa:si. me:iaaie:|. eea|c
aave|eeaeai.i|ecThe Origin of Arithmetic. Des. ie asyeae|e,.si.e
. areei.eaaesee:.,.aa| .iyaaseuea aac]asi|y|eea emaas. zec. . i
a|:eacyeeaee:as . asceesThe Origin of Geometr, iae:eaei.vai.eaei
iae:.me:c.a|seaseeia:.iaei.e s . cea| aa. i. es|y :eia:a. a, ieiae
si:aeia:eeie:eei.eaaaciaeaeiseiaeeae:eiesa|]eei.v.iy uasse:|
a. mse|ia|:eacy:eesecieaeeeaaiat once ie:iaeae:mai.ve. cea| .iy
eiaam|e:,a.ea.saeve:aaem.:.ea|iaeiaeeess.||eieaa. sie:y.a
:ee.se|yia.ssamesiy| eaacie:.is,:eaac.a,.aaacia:ea,aiae| . vec
aeiei.is :ecaei.ea
i asaeaaease .aeeve:.iae,eaes. seia:.iamei.e. saeiiaea,aieias
aa.sie:yeia:.iamei.e.. e . asaea|ia:a|ie:maacacveaia:eeiaamaa
. iy ia 1 887-91 , iae e:.,. aei a:.iamei.e as cese:.|ec . a ie:ms ei
psychological genesis. ia The Origin of Geometr, arie: auy yea:s ei
mec.iai.ea. uasse:| :eeaisiae same :e]eei aace: iae see. eseia
phenomenological histor. 1a. sace| .iy.sa||iaeme:e :ema:|a||es. aee
iaeaiai:ave:sec. s. mmease iiassesa:siia:ea,aiae:ecaei.eaei
a||a. sie:.ea|e:syeae|e,.ea|,eaes. s ~rie:iaai . aeaiae,eaei.ec.
meas.eaeiaeaemeae|e,y. sc.seeve:ec.,eaes.s. ssi.||aeia. sie:yi a
ass.a,i:emsiai.ei e,eaei.eeeasi.iai.ea.as aaaeaaeec. aIdeas I aac
iaeaaeeem|.saec|eieeaiaeyea:s1 91 5 aac 1 920, uasse:|si. | | aac
aeiea,a,ecaeaemeae|e,.ea|cese:.i.ea.aiae:e||emseia. sie:.e
.iy1aeiaemai.zai.eaeii:aaseeaceaia|,eaes. sma.aia.aeciae:ece
i.eaeia.sie:y.a||iaaieea|c|e|aeecaace:iaeeaie,e:yeie|,eei.ve
: ; Cf. in particular Biemel , ibid. , pp. 35f. [ A German version of Bi emel ' s l ecture, "Di e
entscheidenden Phasen in Husserls Phi losophie , " ' appeared i n ZeitschriJt fijr phi
losophische Forschung, 1 3 ( 1 959) , pp. 1 87-2 1 3 . An ET of thi s German version, enti
tled "The Deci si ve Phases in the Development of Husseri ' s Phi l osophy, " is i n The
Phenomenology of Husser!: Selected Critical Readings, ed. and tr. R. O. El veton
(Chicago: Quadrangle, 1 970) , pp. 1 48-73. Reference above begins on p. 1 48f. The Ger
man and Engl i sh versions di fer from the French version publ i shd i n Husser; they also
do not i ncl ude the di scussi on mentioned in note 4 above. ] Despite hi s severity as regards
thi s psychologi stic tendency, Husserl conti nual l y refers to hi s frst book , especi al l y in
Formal and Transcendental Logic.
"Numbers are mental creations i nsofar as they form the resul ts of activi ti es exerci sed
upon concrete contents : what these acti viti es create, however, are not new and absol ute
contents whi ch we could fi nd again in space or in the ' external worl d' : rather are they
uni que relation-concepts which can onl y be produced again and again and which are in no
way capable of bei ng found somewhere ready-made. " This remakable asse , whch
already desi gnates the production, therefore the primordi al historiCIty, of ldealt tles whIch
no longer wil l ever belong to the time and space of empi rical hi story , i s from Con
cerning the Concept of Number ( 1 887) , whi ch is taken up again as the frst chapter of
Philosophy of Arithmetic ( 1 89 1 ) . The passage is translated in Bi emel ' s articl e , in Husserl,
p. 37 [ ET: p. 1 50] .
29
Introduction to the Origin of Geometry
s.:.iaac iaeea|ia:a|e:|cas:e:essec.ia. aiae sae:eei.ai:a
e:| c|. aess 1ae:eia :aie:e:ec.eai. eese:. eaee..aExperience and
Judgment aac.aFormal and Transcendental Logic, exieacecceaiea
:eea| ia:a|aac:ea.sie:.esi:aiaei|.vecexe:.eaee
~ac .a iae Cartesian Meditations, aea uasse:| seass a|eai iae
aa.iyeiaa.sie:y..i.saaesi.eaeiiaeaa.iyeii:aees. ei:eie:eaees .
eisyaiaei.e:es.caes within iaea:ee,e|e,.ea|sae:e uasse:|aa
ce:see:es ia. s. iae .cea| eo]eeis. iae a. ,ae: ie:s eiproducts ei
:easea. a.eaa| eae assa:e iae ess.|.| .iyeia.sie:.e.iy. . e iaea|
ays .aie:sa|]eei.ve eease.easaesseia. sie:y. ce aei|e| ea, ieiae
eidos eiiae eeae:eieego (CM, 38. 78) . ~iiae eac eiiae1a.:c
Ca:ies.aa Mec. iai.ea. iae . avesi.,ai.eas iaai a:i.ea |a:|yeeaee:a iae
"theor o eiaa. eiaaaaeeaa.iy.eiea|ia:e .aac seie:ia.
a:eceaaecasa| ie:.e:.:e,.eaa| .aacceeaceaiias|s( ibid. , 29, 63) .
~||iaese :ecaei.eas ae|c a fortiori ie:iae cese:.i.eas ei :.me:c. a|
ieme:a|.iyaac .maaeaica:ai.ea
1aas iaeaeai:a|.zai.eaeisyeae|e,.ea|,eaes. saaciaaieia. sie:y
a:e si.||ea eaa|ieei.a, .a iae iexisa.ea |aee iae i:aaseeaceaia|
ceve|emeai .aieeas naiaea. .aiae e:.ec eiiaeCrisis, a. sie:y
.ise|i|:ea|sia:ea,a.aieaeaemeae| e,y.aaesaeeeiaesi.ea.a,.s
eeaec.eaeiaai.|||ec.mea|iiema.aia.a. aiae:e,.eaa||. m. isa.ea
e:ese| ea,:ese:.|ecie:.i
wa.|e eeasiaai| ypracticed .a iae Crsis .ise|i.ia. s ae aeeessie
a. sie:y. saeve:made a problem. ~i| easiaeic.:eei|yaacassaea Oa
iae eae aaac. iae eease.ea saesseia e:.s.saaciae am:mai.ea eia
ie|ee|e,y ei :easea a:e only ae aias e: eaas ie: |e,.i. m.z.a,
i:aaseeaceaia|.cea|.smeaeea,a.aOaiaeeiae:aaac.ieaiiaeae|e
ceve|emeai ei wesie:a a. | eseay .aie e:seei. ve. ie ceaae iae
ra:eeaaeidos aaciaeaaei.aaa.ieiasss . aacie:eeeaaiiaeacvea
ia:esaac .sacveaia:es eiiae i:aaseeaceaia|mei.i.eeaeea|eceaea
i.me|yiaeve:y,esia:eiaaiaaeeve:s.ia| |ia. sea|c,. vee:ec.iiea
|.aceisyaei.e:ei:eseei.eaiaaiaee:.i.e. sm eia. sie:.e:easeaaac
ex| .e.iy]a si.aeci:eiaesia:iNe.iae:iaesi:aeia:eseia. sie:.e.iy.a
Edmund Husser! , Cartesian Meditations: An Introduction to Phenomenology, tr.
Dorion Cairns ( The Hague: Nijhof, 1 970) ' Medi tation I V, 37 and 38, pp. 75-80
-hereafter ci ted as CM.
On the probl em of hi story in Husserl ' s phi l osophy , we refer particularl y to Paul
Ricoeur' s very fne arti cl e, " Husserl and the Sense of Hi story ," in Paul Ricoeur, Husserl:
An Analysis of His Phenomenology, tr. Edward G. Ballard and Lester E. Embree
( Evanston: Northwester Uni versity Press, 1 967) . pp. 1 43-74. On what obstructs the
di rect thematization of hi story in a transcendental phenomenology which at the same time
calls for this thematizati on, cf. more part icularl y pp. 1 45-5 1 .
30
Jacques Derrida
,eae:a|,aace ceaei,ei|aeaeiae:iaea. sie:.e.i,eise. eaeeaac
iaai eia. |esea,a:eexa|ese:exeei.eas . aeiae:iae,a:eiae
a. ,aesiaacesi:eve|aie:,ess. |. | .i.es .e:.iiae,a:es. |,|e,eac
a. sie:,.ise|i) .ae:iaeeiaecseiiaeaeaeeae|e,,eia. sie:,e:e
aceiaee|]eeiseisee. ae . e:. ,.aa| aesi.eas

1a. seeaaceaeeas
sae:iec|,iaes,sieeiaec.ei.eee:ia.ai.eseiaeaeeae|e,,.i
se|i.a.eaeea|c|eeeas. ce:ecasae:.i. e. sei:easea.a,eae:a| i i
ia. sie|ee|e,.ea|:eac.a,eia. sie:,eea|caei|eeaa:aeie:.zec. auas
se:| se,es|,iaece,ai.e. :aceaee. ia a. easeaa,a. |ese
ae:s,i:eA:.siei|eieue,e|ien:aaseav.e,)e:ee. ve. aiaeasiea|,
iae|a|e:ec:eseai|eaieiiae. :eaiaea,ai.|i| s|eeaaseia. s :eac|a,
:eie::ecieiaeve:,i ceaeii:aaseeaceaia|aeaeeae|e,,-a.ea. s
aei.ise|iaa. |esea. ea|s,sie
naiia.s :eac.a, :eie::ec ie iaai iceaea|ymediately. ii as si.||
aeeessa:yiesae.aasee.ae.eeae:eie.aacc.:eeiaaae:.
i iaaia.sie:y.asem.:.ea|se.eaee. as.| .|ea||em.:.ea|se.eaees .
ceeaceaieaaeaeeae|e,y~|.eaa|eaeeea|c:evea|i e. i. isiaac
eie.cei. e :esaes.i. eas ,ia. sceeaceaee. i:eaeai|y am:mec. aac
a|ays|eeai:eaiec|y:eie:.i.ea. s.,aa|ec:aiae:iaaaex|e:ec .
2 . iaai a. sie:y-aese ea eeaieai ,eeai:a:y ie iaaieiiae eiae:
maie:.a|aacceeaceaise.eaeesas. |yv.:iaeei.isseaseei|e.a,.
a|ays a:|ec |y eaeaess aac .::eve:s. |.|.iy. . e . |y aea
exem|a:.aess-si.|||eai .ise|iie .ma,.aa:y va:.ai.eaaac ie e. cei.e
.aia.i.eas .
3. iaai . .aacc.i.ea ie iae em. :.ea| aac aeaexem|a:y eeaieai ei
a.sie:y. ee:ia.ae.cei.e eeaieai,ie:exa|e. iaai ei,eemei:y as iae
e.cei.eaaa| ys.seisai.a|aaia:eaac.ise|i|eea:ecaeece::evea|ec
.a aa. sie:ya.ea.::ecae.||y. aaa|.is. is|e.a, sease ii. asuasse:|
am:ms. iaea. sie:yeiiae,eemei:.ea|e.cei.e.sexe|a:y.iaeaa.sie:y
.a,eae:a| ae |ea,e::. s|s|e.a, ac.si.aeiaacceeaceaiseeie:eia
e:e:ac.ea|aeaemeae|e,y ny:ema.a.a,ee|eie|y.ia. aaceie:
m.aec :e|ai. v.iy. a. sie:y .a ,eae:a| ae | ess eem|eie|y ea,a,es
aeaeeae|e,y.ia a||. isess.|.|.i.esaac:eseas. |. | .i.es. .ise:.,.aa|
ieeaa.aesaacaii.iaces
That, for exampl e, was not the case wi th psychology, whose relati ons wi th
phenomenology have been most abundantly defned, notably in ldeen II [ldeen ZI einer
reinen Phinomenologie und phinomenologischen Philosophie, Vol . I I , ed. M. Biemel , in
Hllsserliana, Vol . 4 (The Hague: Nijhof, 1 952) ] . in the Cartesian Meditations, and i n the
third part of the Crisis . The recent publ ication by Walter Bi emel of the Lectures of 1 925
and of appended texts devoted to Phinomenologische Psychologie ( in Husserliana, Vol .
9 [The Hague: Nijhof, 1 962]) is a very rich testi mony to thi s.
r
31
Introduction to the Origin of Geometr
Ne cea|i:aeseia:eea|.i.eas. a. eaa:ea|sec. uea|ieaes. aa.
a:e:

eCrisis aae.: ea| ||aiea:saaea:eses . :

eea:| .e:e:ss na: . :

. s.aThe Origin of Geometr aac. aiaesae:ii:a,meaiseiiaesae
e:.eciaaiiaesea|.i.eas. .iseems .a:eesi.ec.aie| yassamec
wemasi|eea:eia|ae:e. iaeseam|.i.easa:eea|yserved |ya|:eacy
iam.| .a:iaeesa. eaiaeye:.eai. aaaec.:eei.ea

i asieaceisee. a,. i
asa:e|ea,ai.eaeiiaeCrisis, em.,ai|esi:ea,|yiemiecieseeThe
Origin of Geometr ,aiie:ia|.a,.aieaeeeaaiiae|:ev.iyeiia.ss|eiea
ea|y as iae :eiaee ie a:e. ssaeeiFormal and Transcendental Logic,
aesea:eses. m| yea|c|eacaiecieamaie:.a|eaie|e,yi aa.s
i ai:ecaei.eaie iaai e:|. uasse:|e:ee.vesiae mei.iei:ac.ea| .a
vesi.,ai.easeisease .ia. aiae:eseaieeac.i.eaeira:eeaa se.
eaees naie|aeiaaiie:uasse:|iaee:.i.ea|s.,a.aeaaeeeiia.s
s.iaai.ea:esa|is|essi:esemee.siee|e,.ea|eeaa .ei. aae:eai.aiae
.aiea|ceve|emeaieiiaesese.eaeesiaaai:emac.ve:ee|eieeaa
iaeiaee:ei.ea|aac:aei.ea|aei.v.iyeiiaese.eaee.aiaeve:y:eaea
ei.is:e,:essaacsaeeess. aac|.isseaseie:| .ieaaciaeess. |. |.iyei
|e.a,:e|aiecieour ae|ee:|c

1a. si:ee.a,eise.eaee.ia:eseeiie
.is|ases.aiaeLebenswelt aac.isieaac.a,sa|]eei.veaeisaacea|iec|y
:ema. asaaeees sa:yeeac.i.eaie:.iseeaaesi s naiia. si:ee.a,a|se
.ave|vesiaeia:eaieiaae|]eei. v. sia| .eaai.ea.a.eaeeaeea| siae.a
si.iai.a,e:.,.asaac:eace:siaemsi:aa,eaac. aaeeess. ||eieas 1a. s
eeea|iai. ea.a. ea. sa| seaieeaa. e. zai.eaaacsaesesiae"naivete of
a higher level" eiaa . avesi.,aie:|eeeme .::eseas.||e. aas s.ma|ia
aeeas|y:a.aeciae ,:eai |e|.ei eiiae se.eaees aac a. |eseay .a
iaemse|ves . .iaasaceea:e:|caa.aie| |.,.||e. 1emec.iaieeae:
.avesi.,aieiaesease(besinnen) eie:.,.as.saiiaesamei.eie. ma|e
eaese|t:eseas.||e(verantworten) ie: iae sease(Sinn) eise.eaee aac
a.|eseay .|:.a,ia.sseaseieiaee|a:.iyei.isia|a|,eai} . aacai
eaese|i.a aes.i.eaeiresponsibility ie:ia. sseasesia:i.a, i:em iae
ieia|seaseeiea:ex. sieaee
1ae sae c.sa.eiace aac iae same .|| a:e aace:see:ec aac ex
:essec. a:.,e:eas| y. ceai.ea|ie:msi:emiae| :sia,eseiThe Origin
1 0 Formal and Transcendental Logic, tr. Dorion Cairns (The Hague: Nijhof, 1 969) , p.
5-hereafter ci ted as FTL. Al so cf. the commentary of Suzanne Bachelard, A Study of
Husserl' s Formal and Transcendental Logic, tf . Lester E. Embree ( Evanston: North
wester Uni versi ty Press, 1 968) , notably pp. xxxi i i-l i i i .
I I
"We must place oursel ves above thi s whol e life and all t hi s cultural tradition and, by
radical sense- investi gations, seek for oursel ves si ngly and i n common t he ul ti mate pos
si bi l i ti es and necessi ti es, on t he basis of whi ch we can take our position toward
actual i ti es in j udging, val ui ng, and acting" (FTL, pp. 5-6) . The citations are from
FTL, pp. 2, 5, and 9.


i
32
Jacques Derrida
of Geometr. ~actaeaest.eaas|ectae:eaea:sata:sts.,atte|e
ea|yasee.| eat.eaeitae,eae:a|aest.ea|e,aaaacce| aec. aFormal
and Transcendental Logic. is.taetaaest.eaae:eeia|y.a,a,eae:a|
:e]eetaese :e,:amaac a|:eacy|eeae:,aa.zectea s. a,a|a:aac
ceeaceatse.eaee:D.caetuasse:|:. te. 1aese. avest.,at.eas. eea
eeo.a,taeess.||eseaseaacess.||emetaecei,eaa.aese.eaee as
saea.a:eaata:a|yc.:eetec| :steia||teaat.sesseat.a| |yeemmeate
a|| ess.||e se.eaees 1aey saea|c|e ie| |eecseeeaca:.|y|yee::e
seac.a, sease.avest.,at.eas ie: a:t.ea|a: ,:eas ei se.eaees aac
s.a,|ese.eaees(ibid. , - :

1aeaate:.e:.tyeiFormal and Transcendental Logic .a:e|at.eatetae

:e||emseie:.,.aie:taeetae:se.eaeesaasasystemat.eaac]a:.c.ea|
s.,a.aeaaee 1a.saeeessa:yaate:.e:.ty| :stce:.vesi:emtaeaata:eei
t:ac.t.eaa| |e,.e. a.ea .s a|ays :eseatec astae ,eae:a| taee:y ei
se.eaee. as tae se.eaee ei se.eaee 1a.s statemeat a| se :eie:ste tae
a. e:a:eayeieate|e,. esa|:eacye|a|e:atec.aIdeas I. uate:.a||ycete:
m.aeceate|e,.esa:esa|e:c.aatecteie:ma|eate|e,y.a.eat:eatstae
a:e:a|eseiO|]eet.v.ty.a,eae:a| ' Ne,eemet:y. samate:.a|ea
te|e,yaesee|]eet. scete:m.aecastae sat.a|.tyeitaeta.a,|e|ea,
.a,teNata:e
1aeiaettaateve:yc. meas.eaeiThe Origin of Geometr aeeeataates
ta. sceeaceaeeaacta. s:e|at.vesae:ae. a| .tyeicese:.t.ea. ||taas
|eex|a. aecOaseve:a|eeeas.eas uasse:|aetestaatae:esaeses
tae eeast.tat.ea eitae . cea| e|]eet.v. t. es ei|e,.eaac |aa,aa,e . a
I
On the "di recti ve" character of logic, al so cf. FTL, 7 1 , pp. 1 8 1 -82.
I I
Cf. Ideas: General Introduction to Pure Phenomenology. tr. W. R. Boyce Gibson
( 1 93 1 ; rpt. New York: Col l ier Books, 1 962) , 8-1 O. 1 7 . pp. 56-62 and 70-71 -hereafer
cited as Ideas I. [At times Derrida refers to the notes of Paul Ricoeur in his invaluable
French translation. Idees directrices pOllr line phenomenologie et line philosophie phe
nomenologique pures . Tome I: Introduction Jenerale a la phenomenologie pure (Pari s:
Gal limard. 1 950) . We wi l l refer to thi s translation as Idees . ] Here formal ontology desig
nates formal logic "in the narrower sense" and "al l the other di scipl ines which constitute
the formal ' mathesis universalis ' (thus arithmetic also. pure anal ysi s. theory of mul ti
pl i ci ti es) . " Ideas I, p. 57 [ modi fed] .
"I t is clearl y realized that it is the essence of a material thing to be a res extensa, and
that consequently geometry is an ontological discipline relating to an essential phase of
sllch thinghood (Di ngl ichkei t) . the spatial form" ( Hu sserI ' s emphasi s) . Ideas I, 9. pp.
58-59.
Al so cf. Ideas I, 25. p. 84: there geometry and ki nematics (which HusserI always
associates with geometry in the Crisis and in the Origin) are al so defi ned as " pure
mathematical . . . material" di scipli nes.
1 5
0n the translation of Gegenstindlichkeit by objectivity [F: objectite (and Objektivitit
or objectivite by Objectivity)] , cf. the French translation of FTL, p. 1 8, n. 3 . and the
f
33
Introduction to the Origin of Geometr
,eae:a|.taeee::e|at.veeeast.tat.eao .ate:sa|]eet.v.ty.aaca||:e|atec
. avest.,at.eas iaaee:ta.asease . .t. st:a|yaeeessa:yteseetaatta. s
e:ce:eiceeaceaee. saet:eve:sec 1ae aeaemeaeaeie:. s. s. as
ie:,etia|aesseie:.,. as. aas:ee.se| ytaeseaseeita.styeei :eve:
sa|( Umkehrung) .
nata.|eeem|ete|y]ast.iy.a,tae:.e:.tyeia.s:ea eet.easea|e,.e .
uasse:|a| se see.aes.aFormal and Transcendental Logic taat ta.s .s
ea|y eae ata amea, etae:s "Other paths a:e ess.||e ie: sease
.avest.,at.eas.taa:ac.ea|a. m. aactae:eseate:|attemtsteeea
a. t |east .a

ma.a seet.eas . eae sa,,estec|ytaea.ste:.ea||y,.vea

:e|at.eaeitae.ceaei,eaa.aese.eaeete|e,.eas.tsaateeeaceatae:
(FTL, 7; uasse:| semaas.s
~| se. |yaspirling movement a.ea.stae ma]e:|aceiea:text. a
ET. p. 3 , tr. note 2 . Of course the notion of objectiv ity here is not in any snse tied to
Schopenhauer' s concept of Objektitit. [On matters of translation related to Husser! we
have fol lowed i n the main the suggestions of Dorion Cairns in Guide for Translating
Hlisser! (The Hague: Nihof, 1 973) . ] As for translations which we have had to do, we wi l l
be l ed to justify them i n the cours of thi s Introducti on.
| 6
Cf. FTL, p. 2: " the original relati onshi p between logic and sci ence has undergone a
remarkable reversal in modern times. The sciences made themsel ves independent . With
out bei ng able to satisfy completely the spirit of critical self-j ustifcati on. they fashioned
extremel y diferentiated methods. whose frui tful ness. it i s true . was pract ically certai n.
but whose productivity (Leistung) was not clarifed by ulti mate i nsight . " Our emphasi s.
oreover, concerning geometrical science and mathematics i n general . Husser! has prin
ci pal l y and most often defned thi s Umkehrung as the fal sifcation of sense . the di splace
ment of ground, and the forgetti ng of origins . He has done this under at least three forms:
1 . Geometry. the model of exact science. i s responsi ble for the naturalization of the
psychic sphere-a fact that was pointed out i n the fi rst part of " Phi losophy as Rigorous
Science, " in Phenomenology and the Crisis of Philosophy, tr. Quentin Lauer (N ew York:
Harper and Row, 1 965) , pp. 7 1 -1 47-hereafter ci ted as "PRS" ( cf. in particular pp. 82,
84, and 93) . We should also remember that i n Ideas I (72-75 , pp. 1 85-93) Husser! de
nonces the absurdity of geometrizing l i ved experience, on account of both geometrical ex
actitude and deductivity.
2 . The geometrical ideal (or that of mathematical physics) , dogmatically recei ved, i s
what impel l ed Descartes t o cover over again the transcendental motif that he had ingeni
ouly brougt to l ight . The certitude of the cogito becomes the axiomatic ground, and
phi l osophy lb transformed i nto a deductive system. ordine geometrico: "only thi s
axioatic foudation l i es even deeper than that of geometry and is called on to partici
pate In the ul timate groundi ng even of geometrical knowledge" (CM, 3, p. 8) ; cf. al so C,
Part II, i n particular 2 1 .
3 . Final l y, the whole Crisis tends to show how geometry, the ground for the mathemati
zation of nature, hides true Nature. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why later on
Husserl will hardl y us-yet without expli ci tl y questioni ng again-the defni ti on of
geometry as an eidetic sci ence or as the material ontology of spatial l y extended, natural
thi ngs, a defni ti on often proposed as an example up to Ideas I.
-
34
Jacques Derrid
|e|ce|ea:.a,.s|:ea,aia|eai.ia.aiae:e,.eaa||.m.iseiiae.avesi.,a
i.eaaaci:aas,:essesiaemiea:caaeie:mei:ac.ea|. iyCeaee:a.a,
iae .aieai.eaa| a.sie:y ei a a:i.ea|a: e.cei.e se.eaee, a sease
.avesi.,ai.eaei. iseeac.i.easeiess.|.|.iy.| | :evea|ieasexem|a:. |y
iaeeeac.i.easaacseaseeiiaea. sie:.e.iyeise. eaee.a,eae:a| ,iaeaei
aa.ve:sa|a.sie:.e.iy-iae| asiae:.zeaie:a| |seaseaacO|]eei.v.iy. a
,eae:a| . Ceaseaeai| y, iaea:ea.ieeiea.e :e|ai.eas eve|eca memeai
a,ea:eeem|.eaiec, .iaei.ave:iec.1a.sea|ccemeasi:aie ,.i . ie:e
si.||aeeessa:y,aiaaie.aiiae]a:. c.ea|e:ce:ei. m| .eai.eas. saeise
|. aea:aacaec.mea|i.i. sie:eee,a.zeiaesia:i.a,e.ai .
ii.s.aiaem. csieiiaesec.mea|i.esaac. iaexi:eme:aceaeeiaai
uasse:| i:.es ie ma|e a.s a:ese aace:sieec .a The Origin of
Geometr.
II
ua sse:|ia|esaame:eas, c.ve:se ,aac:aiae:. ai:.eaiemeiaece|e,.ea|
:eeaai.eas.aiaea:sia,es .
1 . r:ev.ceciaeaei.ea eia.sie:y. s eeaee.vec. aaae sease, iae
aesi.eaesecmasi|eaace:sieec.a.ismesia.sie:.e:eseaaaee ii.sa
aesi.eaei:eeai.a,aae:.,.a.i aeiae:e:cs, :ereei.eaceesaeie:|
aeae:.ia.a,eemei:y.ise|ias:eacymace,aaaceccea( 1 57) . 1 7
1aeaii. iaceia|ea,iaea,.saeiiaaieia,eemeie:. iae| aiie:aasaia.s
c.sesa|aaa|:eacy,.veasysiemeii:aiasiaaiaesaesese:ai. | .zes
.aa. s,eemei:.z.a,aei.v.iy.e:.ia:iae:,aia.sc.sesa|a:eess.|.| . i.es
eiaeax.emai.zai.easa.ea ,evea.ia iae. ::e||emsaacc.mea|
i.es,already a:eaaaeaaeecasgeometrcal ess.|.|.i.es . 1ae :ea.:ec
aii.iace.sae|ea,e:iaaieiiaee|ass.ee.sieme|e,.siae,.ia.aa|.ac
eiae:.zeaia|aacaa.sie:.eeai,ea| csiacyiaesysiemai.esi:aeia:eei
,eemei:.ea| se.eaee e: eiva:.ea s ,eemei:.es . neia iaese aii.iaces
ea|c ceeac ea aai uasse:| aac ceaaec .a Formal and
Transcendental Logic aac:eea||ec.aiaeCrisis asa aa.vei-eia:.e:.
se|iev.ceaeeiaai|ees eve:yae:ma|,eemei:.ea|:e]eei.amei.ea
(C, 9b, 29) . Nei ea|y a:e iae . aie||.,eaee aaciae :aei.ee ei
,eemei:ya|aysess.||eaaceeas.eaa||y:eieaacaace:eai.ve, |ai
se. saee:ia.aseeeac:ereei.eaeaeeasi.iaiec,eemei:y, a||.iaeai
c.sia:|.a,e:saa|.a,[solicitee] ,eemei:y.a.is|a:.ecseaseeie:.,. a.
1aeCrisis a|ayseeaeecia.s 1ae:e. saeaeecie:,iaeaesi.eaeiiae
e:.,.a} .a iae aii.iace ei iae ,eemeie:. eae aas, arie: a|| , siac.ec
,eemei:y, eae aace:siaacs ,eemei:.ea|eeaeeisaac:ees.i.eas, . s
' The Origin of Geometry. p. 1 57 i n Appendi x. Hereafter all references t o the Origin
wi l l be placed in parentheses, as done here. [When placed in brackets , they indicate the
addition of the translator. ]
,
35
Introduction to the Origin of Geometry
ia. |.a:.ia eiaecs ei ee:ai.eaasaysei cea| .a,. ia :ee.se|y
ceiaecsi:aeia:es . . . " (ibid. ).
l 8
Ne,eemei:.z.a,aei.v.iyassaea, aeeve:e:.i.ea| ,eaa:eia:aiea
e.aisae:ieiiaai iam.| .a:.iy
2. nai .i e |eave iae aeiaa| e: v. :iaa| ,.veas ei iae :eee.vec
,eenei:y. aac.ieiaeaeemeiea.sie:y sve:i.ea| c. meas.ea, ia:ee
eeaias.easa,a.a|.e .aa.iie:as
A) i aiaei:si|aee,ea:eaei. aie:esiecae:e. a iaemaaae:ei
|e.a,a.eaiaesease,ei,eemei:y}aac.a,Ca|.|ee s}ia.a|.a,, e:.a
iaai eia| | iae | aie . aae:.ie:seiiae e|ce:,eemei:.e sae|ec,e ( 1 57
, mec.aec} , Des.ie iae va| ae a.ea ea|c |e aiiaeaec ie saea aa
a:eaea,iae|aiie:ceeacs ,.aiae|esiayeiaes.s ,ea|yeaasyeae|
e,ye:a. sie:yeiee,a.i.ea ~aceveai, |yv. :iaeeiiae.:cese:.i.ve
siy|e , ia. sa.sie:yaacsyeae|e,y eseaecaai uasse:|a|ayssas
eeiec,evea.iiaeyc. caei:ecaeeiaeae:mai.v.iyei.cea|e|]eeisaac
,eemei:.ea|truth ieiaeem.:.ea|iaeisei| .vecexe:.eaee, iaeyea|c
ea|y.aie:m asa|eaiiaeiaeiaa| :eeiecaesseii:aia .aaa. sie:.ea|e:
syeae| e,.ea|m.|.eaeiiaei. Necea|iia.s:eeiecaessmay|eaeeess.
|| eieacese:.i.veaeaemeae|e,ya.eaea|c:eseeia| | . ise:.,.aa|
.iy. |ai.iea|cieaeaasaeia.a,a|eaiiaei:aiaei,eemei:yaac. is
seaseeie:.,.a
re:Ca| . |ee-aeseaame ae:e.siaeexem|a:y.acexeiaaaii.iace
aacamemeai ,:aiae:iaaaa:ee:aame -asa| :eacyaa.aae:. ie:ei
,eemei:y ii, .a iaeCrisi, ave:y .me:iaai |aee . s :ese:vecie:
Naturall y, here "geometry" serves i n an exemplary way t o designate mathematics
and even l@gic in general .
l !|
Cf. C, 9 1 , p. 57: . . . I have l i nked all our consi derations to hi s name [Gali leo' s] ,
i n a certain sense simplifying and ideali zi ng the matter; a more exact hi storical
anal ysi s would have to take account of how much of his thought he owed to hi s
predecessors. ' ( I shal l conti nue, i ncidentall y, and for good reasons, i n a similar
fashion. ) "
20
What Galileo inaugurated, openi ng the way for objecti vi sm by making mathematized
Nature an " in i tself, " marks the birth of a cri sis in the sciences and in philoso
phy. All the more, then, does i t command the attention of the author of the Crisis.
Besides, Husserl already i nsists a great deal on the secondary character of Galileo' s
revol uti on and on the scientifc heritage that i t supposed , notably that of . . ' pure
geometry, ' the pure mathematics of spatiotemporal shapes in general, pregiven to Galileo
as an old tradition" (C. 9a, p. 24) , "the relatively advanced geometry known to Galileo,
already broadly applied not only to the earth but al so i n astronomy" (ibid . . 9b , p. 28) .
For Galileo, the sense of the geometrical tradition' s origin was already lost: "Gali leo was
himsel f an heir i n respect to pure geometry. The inherited geometry. the inherited manner
of ' intuiti ve' conceptual i zing, provi ng, constructi ng, was no longer original geometry: in
this sort of ' intuiti veness ' it was already empty ofits sense" (ibid. , 9h, p. 49 [modifed] ;
Husserl ' s emphasis) .
36
Jacques Derrid
Ca| . |eeaaca. s:eve|ai.ea, a.eauasse:|s.iaaies aiiae e:.,.aeiiae
mece:as.:. i s e:. | s . ae:eiae :ac.ea| . sicemaacaaisie aaceiae
sec.meaiai.easaeaa.eaiaeeaie::.seeiaa.aaa.iemaiaemai.zai.ea
as |asec we masireduce iaeve:y :ema:|a||eaesseiiaeCa|.|eaa
aa.vei-iei:eeiaeaesi.eaasieiae e:.,.aei,eemei:y
ia iae Crisis, a.|e . ave|.a, Ca| .|ee s ||.acaess ie iae i:ac.i.eaa|
saeeeia. seaacveaia:eaacces. ,aai.a,a. siaieia| em. ss.ea.
"Z
l
uasse:| aaaeaaeesve:y:ee.se|yiaeias|iaaiae.||aace:ia|ea|.ii|e
|aie:ea. aiaeOrigin: re:Ca|.|ee.iaea. ,a:e,eemei:yasi:ac.i.ea}
as ,.vea-aac eieea:seae. a.ieaace:siaaca||y. c. caeiiee| iae
aeecie,e. aieiaemaaae:.aa.eaiaeaeeem|.sameaiei. cea| .zai.ea
e:.,. aa||ya:ese ,. e . ae .i,:eea iae aace:|y.a,|as.seiiae :e
,eemei:.ea| . seas.||ee:|caac.is:aei.ea|a:ise:ieeeeaya. mse|i
' " It was a fateful omission that Gal i l eo did not i nquire in retur as to the original
sense-bestowi ng production whi ch, as ideali zation practiced on the original ground of all
theoretical and practical l ife-the i mmedi ately i ntuited world ( and here especial l y the
empirical l y i ntui ted world of bodi es)-resulted in the geometrica ideal formations)" (C,
9h, p. 49 [modi fed] ) .
Li ke al l forgetful ness i n general , the "fatefl ness" of t hi s "omission" or negligence
( Versiumnis) , which is never questioned for or i n itself, assumes one of the three fol low
ing signifcations, each varying according to text and context:
a) that of an empirical necessity (on the order of i ndi vi dual or soci al psychology as
well as that of factual history) , and thus, of an extrinsic necessity , one which is thereby
contingent i n comparison with the sense and teleology of reason. This necessity, then,
has the inconsistent negati vity of the "non-essence" (das Unwesen), of the "apparent "
defeat of reason. I ll uminated by the tel eology of Reason, i t ceases to be "an obscure fate,
an impenetrable desti ny" (cf. "Philosophy and the Crisis of European Humanity, " Ap
pendi x I in C, p. 299) . [The ET of das Unwesen ofered by Carr is "disarray. " Paul
Ricoeur in his French translation of thi s text points out the l i teral translation as "non
essence": "La Crise de I ' humanite europeenne et la phi l osophi e, " Revue de
Meraphysique et de Morale, 55, No. 3 (Jul y-October, 1 950) , p. 258. For the relation of
Ricoeur' s translation and the English one, see note 1 49 below. ]
b) that of a radical ethico-phi l osophical fault : the bankruptcy of philosophical fee
dom and responsi bil ity.
c) that of an eideti c necessity: th necessity of sedimentation prescribed for al l
constitution and al l tradi tionalization of sense , therefore for al l hi story . Thi s prescription
i n turn is sometimes valued as the condition of hi storicity and the progressive advent of
reason, sometimes deval ued as what makes origins and accumulated sens become dor
mant . It trul y is a threatening val ue.
I t is a matter of course that these three sigifcati ons, appaentl y i rreducibl e t o one
another, are concei ved by Husserl on the basis of one and the same latent i ntuition.
History itsel f is what this i ntui ti on announces. Even if we managed si multaneousl y and
without contradiction to think the uni tary ground on the basis of which these three
propositions can be recei ved, i t i s history itself that would be thought . But then the
possi bi li ty of a crisis of reason woul d disappear, the negativity of which ought to be
unthinkable in itself.
r
I
37
Introductin t o the Origin ofGeometr
.ia aesi.eas a|eai iae e:.,.as ei aec.ei.e. maiaemai.ea| se|i
ev.ceaee (C, 9b, . 29) .
~ac. i . aiaeOrigin uasse:|sea|sei ea,a,.a,a. mse|i .a :eree
i. easa.easa:e|yaeve:eeea::ecieCa|.|ee( 1 57) , .i. s|eeaase.asae
iacsa.c. aiaeCrisi: i ic.caeieaie:iaem.aceiaCa| . | eeiaai. i
ea| ceve: |eeeme :e|evaai . .aceec eiiaacameaia| .me:iaaee. ie
,eemei:y.asa|:aaeaei aaa.ve:sa||ae|ec,eeiaai. s,a.|eseay .
iema|e,eemei:.ea|se|iev. ceaee-iae aeei. ise:.,.a-.aiea:e|
| em re:as. :eeeec.a,|eyeacCa|.|ee.aea:a.sie:.ea|:ereei.eas. .i
.|| |e eieeas.ce:a||e .aie:esi ie see ae a sa.u eiieeas |eeame
a:,eaiaacaeiae e:.,.aei|ae|ec,eaacie|eeemeama]e::e|
|em (9b, . 29) . z
Z
iiiaeCa|. |eaac. seeve:y:es. cesesee.a||y.aaie:ma| .z.a,.aaa.i.za
i.eaeiaae.eaimaiaemai.es. ceesaeiiae:eia:aieiaemasaae:.,.ai. e
:.me:c.a|.iyieaee:ia.aaa.iace: Nes. m|e:esease . sess.||eie
saea a aesi.ea we .|| see iaaiiae . aaa.ie aac a|:eacy |:e|ea
ia:ea,a.asa|:eacyaie:|.aeaiaea:si,eemei:y|e,aa-iaai. i.
iee.asa|:eacyaa.aaa.i.zai.ea
B) nai.ie:eia:aieae.aiia.ss. ce eiCa|.|ee. .siaeaesi.ea
aeeaeeisiacy.a,ie:.ise|iiaeae:.ia,ea.eaas,.veaiea. m:Nei
aayme:e 1ae aesi.eaeie:. ,.a.||aei|eaa.|e|e,.ea| a.sie:.ea|
sea:ea . aiae. avesi.,ai.eaei a:i.ea|a::ees.i.eas ( 1 58) iaai
iaea:si,eemeie:sc.seeve:ece:ieuaa| aiec 1ae:e..iea| cea| y|ea
maiie:ie:iae a.sie:yeise.eaee.a iaee|ass.ea|seaseieia|e siee|ei
iaea|:eacyeeasi.iaieceeaieaisei,eemei:.ea|ee,a. i.eas. .aa:i.ea| a:
eiiae a:siesia|ai-. ax.ems. iaee:ems. aac seie:ia. eeaieaisiaai
masi |e ex|e:ec aac ceie:m.aec as :ee.se|y aac as eem|eie| yas
ess.||ei:ema:eaee|e,.ea|ceeameais Des.ie. is.aeeaiesia||e.aie:
esi. saea aa. avesi.,ai. eaeaaieaea as aeia. a,+|eaiiae,eemei:. ea|
seaseeiiaea:si,eemei:.ea|aeis iieaaaeievea:eee,a.zeaac. se|aie
iaese aeis as saea exeei |y saes.a,iaaiiae :. me:c.a| sease ei
,eemei:y.sa|:eacy|aea
c, r.aa|| y. .ieaemasi:eia:aieiae.asi.iai.a,seaseeia:siaeis. .i
.saeiaia||aaesi.eaeiceie:m.a.a,aaiin fact e:eiaea:s|aeis.
iaea:siexe:.eaees . iaea:si,eemeie:saee:ein fact :eseas.||e
22
These sentences announce what follows i n the Crisis, devoted to the transcendental
motif i n post-Galilean phi l osophy, as well as i nvesti gations like that of the Origin .
` "Fi rst" (erste) nearly always designates in Husserl ei ther an undetermined primacy,
or, most ofen, a de facto chronological priority i n constituted cosmic time, i . e . , an
original factuali ty. Proto-, Arch-, and Ur- refer to phenomenological primordi ali ty. i . e . .
to that of sense, of ground, of the de jure, afer the reduction of all factuality.
I
38
Jacques Derrida
ie: iae acveai ei,eemei:y saea a ceie:m.aai.ea. evea .i ess.||e .
ea|caaiie:ea:a.ste:.ea|ea:.es.iy,aaceve:yia.a,iaaiuasse:|aii:.
|aies ie aee:ia.a:emaai.e. sm, . iea|c ea:.eaea:|ae|ec,eei
em.:.ea|e.:eamsiaaees. eiaames. caies. aacseie:ia naievea.i.ai
.is |. m.i. ia. sceie:m. aai.eaea|cem|:aeea||iaea.sie:.ea|iaeisiaai
aaveeeasi.iaieciaeem.:.ea|m.|.eaie:i:aia s ieaac.a,..iea|csi.||
|eaveas||.aca|eaiiaeve:yseaseeisaeaaieaac.a,. aseaseiaai.s
aeeessa:y aac eema:ec ie a.ea iaeseiaeisaave ai |esiea|y aa
exem|a:ys.,a.aeai.ea saeaem.:.ea||ae|ec,eeaa]asi.aa|| y:e
seai. ise|iasa.sie:.ea||ae|ec,eofia.a,s:e|aiecie,eemei:yea| y|y
saes.a, a ia||y ceve|eec e|a:.iy a|eai iae ve:y sease eiaai .s
ea||ecthe ,eemei:.ea| se.eaee ~ac ae:e. ia. smeaase|a:.iya|eai. is
seaseeie:.,. a 1ae]a:.c.ea|:.e:.iyeiiaeaesi.eaeiaeaemeae|e,.
ea|e:.,.a.siae:eie:ea|se|aie
naiia.saesi.eaeaa|eas|ecea| ysecondarily aacat the end eiaa
.i. ae:a:ya.ea. .a. isia:a.ea]eysameiaece|e,.ea|aac:.,aiia|:.e:
. iy iaiaei . a||iaeseva:.eas|.acsei.aa.:.ese]asic. sm. ssecaave
|eeaeaa,aia.aiaee|emeaieiaeeasi.iaiec,eemei:y 1ae. :e|]eei
saesece:aseeaiasec.ia iae :esa|iseiaready-made ,eemei:y
iaaiea|caaveie|ereduced .ae:ce:ieaiia.aaeease.ea saessei.is
e:.,.a. aeease.easaessa.eaasaiiaesamei.meaa .aia.i.eaei. is
esseaee ia eiae:e:cs. a|iaea,a.i ea|y aas ie:.iseeaieai.cea| es
seaees. ready-made ,eemei:y ae|cs ae:e.a |a||iae siaias eia iaei
a.eamasi|e:ecaeec.a .isiaeiaa|.iyseiaai.is sease eaa|e :eac
i aceec..aia.sease.iaefact aasiaeie:,eiieaseaseeiiaeready-made.
nai ia. s:ecaei.ea aeecsas.is sia:i.a,e.aiiae eeasi. iaiec:esa| i. i
aeai:a|.zes 1ae:emasia| aysa|:eacyaave|eeaiaeiaeieiaa.sie:y
ei,eemei:y . seiaaiiae :ecaei.eaeaa|ee:ie:mec i masia|:eacy
aaveaaa.ve|ae|ec,eei,eemei:yaacmasiaeibegin ai.ise:.,.a
ue:eiaemeiaec s] a:.c.ea|aeeess.i,eve:|asa. sie:, siaeiaa|aeees
s.i,Des.ieee:ia.aaea:aaees. a. |eseae:seimeiaeca:ee:aas
me:e:eieaac|,seas.i.veiea. sie:.e.i,.eveaiaea,aiae,seemie:e
mevec. ,:ess. easi:ema. sie:, saia
neiaiae aeeess.iyie:eeeec i:em iaeiaei eieeasi.iaiec se.eaee
aac iae :e,:ess.ea iea:cs iae aeaem.:.ea| e:.,. asa:e ai iae same
i.meeeac.i.easeiess.|.|.iy.saeaa:e .ase|ae.iae.me:ai.vesei
eve:yi:aaseeaceaia|a.|eseayiaeec.ia semeia. a,|.|eiaea. sie:y
eimaiaemai.es ~aacameaia|c.ae:eaee:ema. as. aeeve:.|eieea
` On the necessity of starting from existing sci ences that are util ized as the thread
guidi ng the transcendental regressi on, cf. FTL, pp. 8-9: "Thus we are presupposing the
sciences, as wel l as logic itself, on the basi s of the ' experience' that gi ves them to us
39
Introductin to the Origin of Geometry
kaai s . aieai.ea aac iaaieiuasse:| . eae iaai . se:aas |esseas.|y
c.si.a,a.saa||eiaaaea|ca:si|e . ma,.aec
ia aa. sie:.ea|:ei:eseei.eaiea:cs e:.,.as. kaai a|se eve|es ia.s
maiai.eae:i:aasie:mai.ea( Uminderung), ia.s revolution" a.ea,ave
|.:iaiemaiaemai.eseaieisemeem.:.ea| ,:e.a,s .aiae,yi.aa
i:ac.i.ea(Kritik der rein en Ver u nft, r:eiaeeie:acec . x,
1aea. sie:yeiia. s:eve|ai.ea. aii:.|aiecieiaeaayiaea,aiei
as.a,|emaa .a aa exe:.meaii:ema.eaiae aiaiaaihad ie|e
ia|eamust ae|ea,e:|em. ssecaaci:ema.eaiaesa:eayeise.eaee
asopened aacprescribed (eingeschlagen und vorgezeichnet war) for all
times and in endless expansion (fur aile Zeiten und in unendlich Weiten),
asme:ecee.s.veiaaaiaeem.:.

a|c. seeve:yeiiaeaiaa:eaac
iaeiameasCae eiCeec uee} (ibid. , x.,
1aas. | .|euasse:| . kaai.s aiieai.ve ie iae a.sie:.ea| c. meas.eaei
a:.e:.ess.|.|.i.esaac ieiae e:.,.aa|,eaes. seiai:aia. aese |.:ia
,e: |.:ia ee:i.aeaie, . ase:.|es aac :ese:.|es ema. ieme:a|.iy aac
aa.ve:sa|.iy-aei ea|yie:iaeeea.a, ei.is ess.|.|.iy. |ai a|se ie:
eaea ei. is ceve|emeais aac ie: iae ieia|.iy ei . is|eeem. a, i.|e
uas se:| . aeaeai:a| .zesiaeiaeiaa|eeaieaiseiia.s :eve|ai.ea. aiae
mece eiia.a|.a, .iaiae same.ac.ae:eaee. i aeiieei. .i .s ei|. ii|e
eeaseaeaee ie: a.m iaai .is a. sie:y aas aei :eaeaec as 1ae
seaseeiiaea:sicemeasi:ai.eaeaa|e:.,e:eas| y,:asec.eveaiaea,a
e|aeaeia.a,eiiaea:siiaeiaa|exe:.eaeee:iaea:si,eemeie:.
aeiae:. as kaai see.aes. ae |e ea||ec1aa|ese:aaieve:eae
ces. :es(ibid.).
Neve:iae|ess. kaai s .ac.ae:eaeeieiaeiaeiaa|e:.,.a,ase||asie
iaeeeaieaieiiaeexam|e-iae. sesee|esi:.aa,|e-eeaee:a.a,a.ea
ae ceve|es iae .m|.eai.eas ei . is c.seeve:y, . s me:e .mmec.aie|y
|e,.i.maieiaaauasse:| s re:iae .aaa,a:a|maiai.eaa.ea.aie:esis
kaaihands over ,eemei:y:aiae:iaaae:eaies.i ..iseisi:eeaess.|.|
.iy. a.ea. saeia.a,|essiaaaa. sie:.ea| . . ae:ce:ieaaac.iieas ~i
a:siia. s:eve|ai.ea. sea|ya:eve|ai.eaie:iaea:si,eemeie:ii. s
beforehand. Because of thi s, our procedure seems not to be at al l radical , since the
genui ne sense of al l sciences . . . i s the very thi ng i n quest ion . . . . Nevertheless,
whether sciences and logic be genui ne or spurious, we do have experience of them as
cul tural formations gi ven to us beforehand and bearing withi n themsel ves their meani ng,
their ' sense. '
. .
Cf. also on thi s FTL. I ntrod . , pp. 1 3-1 4
.
and 1 02, pp. 268-69 : and
eM, 3, pp. 8-9.
We emphasize those Kantian expressions which are also among t he most frequent i n
The Origin of Geometry. [The bracketed expression "of Good Hope" i s added i n con
formi ty to the Engl i sh translation of Norman Kemp Smith. ]
40
Jacques Derrid
aei:ecaeecoya. m. ii .saace:sieecaace:acai.veeaie,e:y, aaciae
aei.v.iyeiiae,eemeie:iea.eaiaeaayiaea,aieeea::ec.sea|y
iaeem.:.ea| aaie|c.a,eia :eieaac:eeei.ea waai .s mesieriea
i:aas|aiecoy:eve|ai.ea . siaea||as.eaie a | .,aiiaai.s,.vea, ie
a| .,aicaasea . "Dem ersten . . . dem ging ein Licht auf" (ibid. ,
X
)
. 26
uaceaoiec|y, uasse:| s :ecaei.ea (Leistung)
2
7 a|se .ave|ves a
si:aiamei:eeei.ve. aia.i.eanaiaaimaiie:sae:e.siaaiia.suas se:
|.aa.aia.i.ea, as.ieeaee:asiae.cea|eo]eeiseimaiaemai.es , .saose
|aie|yeeasi.iai.veaace:eai.ve. iaeeo]eeise:eo]eei.v. i.esiaai. i.a
ieacsc.cft ex.sibefore .i. aacia.s before" eiiae. cea|eo]eei.v.iy
ma:ss me:e iaaa iae ea:eae|e,.ea| eve eia iaei. .i ma:ss a i:aas
eeaceaia| :ea. sie:y i a iae kaai.aa :eve|ai . ea. ea iae eeai:a:y.
iae |:si ,eemeie: me:e|y oeeemes eease.eas iaai .i saueesie: a. s
maiaemai.ea| aei.v.iyie :ema.a.ia.aaeeaeeiiaai .ialready pos
sesses. 1aeeeasi:aei.eaiea.eaae,.vesa. mse|i,iaea, .sea|yiae
ex|.eai.eaeiaaa|:eacyeeasi.iaieceeaeeiiaaiaeeaeeaaie:s , as.i
e:e, .a a. mse|ia cese:.i.ea a.ea ae ceaoiie: uasse:| as e||
ea|coei:aeeieve:yaeae:eai.ve,eemei:.ea|aei, aaca.eaieaeaes
as aoeai iae sease ei :eacymace ,eemei:y as saea, oaiaei aoeai
,eemei:y .a iae aei ei oe.a, . as..iaiec re:, as kaai says. ae
c.seeve:eciaaiaemasiaeiie||eiaei:aeeeiaaiaesa.aiae| ,a:e
26
Cf. for example the French translation of A. Tremesaygues and B. Pacaud, Critique
de la raison pure (Paris: Presses Uni versitaries de France, 1 950) , p. 1 7. Of course , we are
authorized to pay such attention to these Kantian expressions only by the confrmation
that all of Kant' s phi l osophy seems to give them.
Among all the translations already proposed for the notion of Leistung, so frequently
utilized i n the Origin, the word "production" seemed to overlay most properly all the
signifcations that Husserl recognizes in thi s act that he al s designates by some com
plementary notions: pro-duetion, which leads to the l ight , constitutes the "over against
us" of Objecti vity; but this bringing to l ight i s also, l ike all production (Erzeugung) in
general , a creation (Sehopfung) and an act of formation (Bildung, Gestaltung), from
which comes ideal objectivity as Gebilde, Gestalt, Erzeugnis, and so on. To be clear on
this, we have translated by "formation" the notion of Gebilde, which appears so often in
the Origin, and which up to now has been very di versely translated. The very vague
character of the word "formation" seemed to us to suit the indetermination of Husserl ' s
notion. I t also agrees with the geological metaphor which runs throughout t he text, where
all usions to sedimentation, to deposits, to stages, to strata, and to substrata of sense are
everywhere. But we were also unable to designate the act which engenders das Gebilde.
namel y, die Bildung, except by "formation. " Each time BiLdung has th i s active sense,
we wi l l insert the German word between parentheses. Do not forget, fi nally (and thi s i s
especially important here), that i n German Bildung also carries the general sense of
culture. There again, the notion of formation seemed the least foreign to thi s vi rtual
signifcation.
41
Introductin to the Origin of Geometr
e:.aiaeoa:eeeaeeieiiaaisamea,a:e kaiae:aemasioe,ei(hervor
bringen) , .iseo]eei,w.iaiaeae|eiaaiaea. mse|iai.aie.iaacaai
a priori as :e:eseaiec .a.iia:ea,a iaeeeaeei,ia:ea,a eeasi:ae
i.ea, .~actesaesemeia. a,a priori .iaeem|eie seea:.iy,aemasi
aii:.oaieieia.a,s(Sache) aeia.a,oaiaaiaeeessa:. |yie||eeci:em
aaiaeaacaiiae:ea. mse|i.aaeee:caaee.iaa. seeaeei(ibid. ) . 21
Neceaoi, eaee iae ,eemei:.ea| eeaeeiaas:evea|ec .is i:eecem
.ia :eseeiie em.:.ea| seas.o.|.iy, iae syaiaes.seiiae eeasi:ae
i.ea . s . ::ecae.o|e ~ac .aceec .i . s aa .cea| a.sie:y nai .i . siae
a.sie:y eiaa ee:ai.ea, aac aeieiaieaac.a,. iiaaie|csex|.eai.ve
,esia:es. aiaesaeeeiaess.o. |.iya|:eacyeeaieiae,eemeie:1ae
memeai ,eemei:y . sesiao|.saecassaea, iae memeai, iaai .s, seme
ia.a,eaaoesa.cei. i, iaea,eemei:ya|:eacy .||oeeaiaee.aiei
oe.a,:evea|ecieiaeeease.easaesseiiaefrst ,eemeie:,ae. saei ,as
.a iae Origin, :eie,eemeie:, iae :.ma| | y .asi.iai.a, (urstiftende)
,eemeie:.~i|easi.i. ||oe:eacyieoe:evea|ec.a.is.a. i.a|eeaeei.
iaaieeaeeiaesea:.e:.Oo] eei.v. iy.||:eseai|ysi:.seaaysao]eei
aaieve: .ia ,eemei:.ea| . as.,ai [lumiere] . ~ac s.aee kaai . s .a
ie:esiec.aiaeess.o.|.iyei,eemei:yie:asao]eei.a,eae:a|,.i.saei
ea|y |ess eeasi:.ei. a,. oai a| se ce]a:e aeeessa:y. iaai iae ce iaeie
sao]eeieisaeaa:eve|ai.eaoe aayeaeaia|| , aaciaaiiae,eemei
:.ea| exam|e se:v.a, as ,a.ce-iae cemeasi:ai.ea ei iae . sesee|es
i:.aa,|e-oe.ac.ae:eai. 1aea:.e:.aaia:eeiiaaieeaeei.ia. aa.ea
eee:aie:ee|acesa| |a. sie:.ea|.avesi.,ai.eaaaieve:aoeai.issao
]eeimaiie:Ceai:a:yie.issyaiaei.eex|.eai.ea.iaeeeaeei.ise|i,asa
si:aeia:eeia:.e:.:ese:.i.ea. eea|caei oea.sie:.ea| , oeeaase .i .s
aei , assaea .:ecaeecaac,:eaacecoyiaeaeieiaeeae:eiesao]eei
2
!1
ue:e a|| a. sie:y eaa ea| y oe em.:.ea| ~ac .i iae:e .s a o.:ia ei
,eemei:yie:kaai , .iseemsie oe ea| yiae exi:.as.ecircumstance ie:
iaeeme:,eaeeeiai:aia,a.ea.s . ise|ia|aysa|:eacyeeasi.iaiecie:
aay iaeiaa| eease.easaess, 1aas iae seaiaaeeas e.cei.e :ecaei.ea
a.eai:eesiae,eemei:.ea|esseaeei:ema||em.:.ea|:ea|.iy-iaaiei
seas. o|ea,a:ai.eaase||asi:emiae,eemeie: ssyeae|e,.ea| |.vec
exe:.eaee-.sie:kaaia|aysa|:eacyceae si:.ei|yseas.a,. iae
2
The Erdmann edition notes that hen10rbringen has no "object" i n Kant' s text.
The absence of the deci si ve notion of "material" or "contingent" a priori , such as
Husserl defned it, thus seems to uproot Kant ' s formalist apriorism from all concrete
hi story and to inhi bit the theme of a transcendental hi story.
On the notion of the contingent a priori , cf. in particular FTL. 6, pp. 29-30. The level
of geometry as a material ontology i s precisely that of such a . 'material a priori . "
Thi s seems true, furthermore, of the whole of Kant' s transcendental analysi s.
, I
42
Jacques Derrid
:ecaet.ea. saetie:e:|yasa|]eetaema|esa. mse|i:eseas.||eie:.t
. aat:aaseeaceata|acveata:e.a:ete,eemete:e:a. |eseae::ereet
.a,ea:ete,eemet:y..t.sa|aysa|:eacymacees

.||ea

caeeess

:y
|ytaeaata:eei,eemet:.ea|saeeaactae

,eemetne

|,

et .na:na,
a sea:ee| y a|te:ec eeaveat.eaa| r|atea. sm. kaats mc.ae:eaee te
em.:.ea|a.ste:y. sea|y| e,.t.mateci:emtaememe

ttaata

e:

:e
ieaac a. ste:yaas a|:eacy e:eatec aeaem.:.ea| e|,eets 1a.s a.

te:y
:ema.asa.cceaie:kaat Caaeaetsayae:etaat

ta

taee:ei. cea|
saeeaact.me|eta:ea.:esaac

a:esseste|na,m,te| .,ateiaa
.at:.as.eaacaeaem.:.ea|a.ste:.e.tyeitaes.. eaeeseisaeeaacme
t.ea: iisaeeaact.mee:et:aaseeaceata|:ea|.t.e

. a
*
yeac

|e
eeaec|etaie:aaaa.ste:.emetaays.esaacie:aa. stene. stem.ne

|
se.eaee te .ate::e|atecess.|.|.t.estaat kaat a|ays ceaeaaeecm
eaeaad taesamemevenatteave.cem.:.e.smi:emtaesta:taacat
aay:.ee .kaataacteeeaiaea. st:aaseeaceata|c.seea:s

teae:|c
ei. cea|eeast.tatece|]eets .aeseee::e|ateastae:

ie:e.tse|iaeea
st.tatec sa|]eet 1a. saet.ea eia:etea. ste:y. a.ea te

ae|e

ei
kaat.aaa.|eseayseemstema|eeeat:ac.ete:yeveaa.|emve|m,
.t |eeemesuasse:| s taeme

uasse:| stas|.staasa||taeme:eaaza:ceas. aaca. si:eecem

.ta
:eseetteem.:.ea||ae|ec,e. sme:ec.mea|tte]asti;ati:sts.,a
iaiaet eaeeace:a|eattaeseaseeitae:ecaet.ea
^
i,eemetn
ea|eeeets|eie:e aacta.ss.ceeitaekaat.aa:eve|at.ea. |eie:e
aacta.ss.ceeitaeeeast.tat.eaeiaa.cea| | ya:eaacesaetsaeeaac
t.me s.aeeeve:y.cea|e|]eet.v.ty.s:ecaeec|ytaeaeteiaeeae:ete
eease.easaess ,tae ea|y sta:t.a, e.at ie: a t:

as

eaceata|
aeaemeae|e,y, .eve:y.cea|e|]eet. v.tyaasaaste:ya.ea.sa ays
a|:eacyaaaeaaeec.ataateease.easaess. evea.ie|aeaetam,ei
.tscete:m.aeceeateat .
uteIdeas I tae metaece|e,.ea|e:eeast. tat.veaaa| yses:emmec
stn.eta:a| aac stat.e. aac a|| a.ste:y as "reduced" as iaetaa| . ty e:
` Here we fnd, locally and through a diferent approach, the i nterpretatio prosed
by Fi nk and approved by H usserl concerning the intraworldliness of te Kantlan cntl
.
que
compared wi th Husserl ' s investigation of the "origin of the world. Cf. Eug m:
"The Phenomenological Phi losophy of Edmund Husserl and Contemporary Cntlcl sm,
.
in R. O. Elveton, ed. , The Phenomenology of Husserl, pp. 73- 1 47 . [The above quote I S
found on p. 95. ]
.
'
.
"I
'
't t'
,
.
can only be measured by
Perhaps the depth of vigi lance H thIS Kantmn I ml a Ion
its difcul ty, its failure.
Husserl often stresses that the reference to a hi storical birth be i ncribed wi
.
ti n the
sense itself of every cultural ideal i ty, especiall y in Beilage XXVI I m the KnS1S, pp.
503-07.
43
Introductin to the Origin of Geomety
se.eaeeeieeast.tatecaac.at:ae:| c|yiaetaa|. ty1aas . ta.sa. ste:yei
,eemet:yaac:ema.aec.ataeca:|aacas]ac,eceicea|tia|ess. |. |
. tye:mec.ee:e.ate:estie:taeaeaemeae|e,.ste:mataemat.e.aaas
saea Ceemet:y s t:ata..tsae:mat.veva|ae. .s:ac.ea|| y.aceeaceat
ei.tsa.ste:ya.ea.atta.smemeateiuasse:|s. t.ae:a:y..seeas. ce:ec
ea|y as a iaetaa| a.ste:y ia| | .a, aace: tae st:e|e eitae saseas. ea
(Ausschaltung) . 35 uasse:| says ta. s , .a tae e:.ec ei ra.|eseay as
x.,e:eas se.eaee aacIdeas l) .a seme i:aa| a:asesa.ea. .itae
|eve|seies|.eat.eaaactaeseaseseitaee:ca. ste:yaacaet|eea
e|ea:|yc.st.a,a.saec. ea|c|e.ara,:aateeat:ac.et.ea.tataese ei
tae Origin. 1aas . Ce:ta.a|y tae mataemat.e.aa tee . | | aet ta:a te
a.ste:.ea|se.eaeete|etaa,ata|eattaet:ataeimataemat.ea|taee:. es
it. ||aeteeea:tea.mte:e|atetaea.ste:.ea|ceve|emeateimatae
mat.ea| :e:eseatat.eas tae Ce:maa aac r:eaea ec.t.eas acc aac
]ac,meats}.tataeaest.eaeit:ata , rxs. 1 26) . O:a,a.a. at
tae eac eie:.t.e.z. a, aa em.:.e.sttaee:y eitae e:. ,.aei,eemet:y
iasteac ei a. | esea.z.a, aac syeae|e,.z.a, a|eat ,eemet:.ea|
taea,ataac.ata.t.eai:emaaeats.ce staace.at .e saea|ceate:v.
ta||y.atetaeseaet.v.t.es. aacta:ea,ac.:eetaaa|ysesceie:m.aetae.:
. mmaaeatsease.itmaye|||etaateaave.aae:.tecc.ses. t.easie:
ee,a.t.eai:em tae ee,a.t.easeiast,eae:at.eas . but for the question
concering the sense and value of what we cognize, the history of this
heritage is as indif erent as is that ofour gold currency to its real value "
(Ideas 1, 25 , . 85-86 ,mec.iec} .ea:emaas.s .
` Cf. in particular Ideas I, 1 , n. I , p. 45, and p. 46, where both hi storical origin and
hi story as a human science are excluded. Conceri ng the human sciences, the question is
"provi si onally" lef open whether they are "natural sciences or . . . sciences of an
essentially new type. "
Of course, i t i s as facts and not as norms that the hi storical gIvens are pa
renthesized. I n asking hi mself, ' which sciences' " can phenomenology " ' draw from' "
i nsofar as phenomenology is itself "a science of ' origins, ' " and what sciences must i t
. . ' not depend on: " Husser! writes: "I n the frst place i t goes without saying that wi th
the suspending of the natural world, physical and psychological, all individual objecti vi
ties whi ch are constituted through the functional acti vi ti es of consciousness in valuation
and i n practice are suspended-all varieties of cultural expression, works of the technical
and of the fi ne arts, of the sciences also (so far as we accept them as cultural facts and
not as validity-systems) [our emphasi s] , aesthetic and practical values ofe very shape and
form. Natural in the same sense are al so reali ties of such kinds of state, moral custom,
law, religion. Therewith all the natural and human sciences, with the entire knowledge
they have accumulated, undergo suspension as sciences which require for their develop
ment the natural standpoint" (Ideas I, 56, p. 1 55 [modifi ed]) .
`` Cf. the defnitions of hi story as an empirical human science in "PRS , " in particular
pp. 1 24-26.
I
f
44
Jacques Derrid
1aeeeat.aa.tyaaceeae:eaeeeitaesee|se:vat.easa:et:a|y:ema:|
a||e.i:st, iaetaa|a.ste:ymast|e:eaaeec.ae:ce:te:eseetaacsae
taeae:mat.ve.aceeaceaeeeitae. cea| e|]eet.a. ts ea:.,at taea
aacea|ytaea,|ytaasave. c.a,a||a.ste:.e. ste:|e,.e.steeaias.ea, .a
e:ce:te :eseetaac sae tae aa.aea. ste:.e.ty eitae .cea| e|]eet
.tse|i.1aat. saytaesei:st:eaaet.easeiiaetaa|a.ste:y.||aeve:|e
:emevec.ataeo,-evea|esssetaaae|seae:e
1a.s .s |eeaase ra. |eseay as x.,e:eas se.eaee as eeaee:aec
.ta:eseac. a,tetae|.aceia.ste:.e.sma.ea:ecaeecae:mteiaet.
aacIdeas I, .tas. taat.a,,eemet:y. aaaesem|a:yiasa.eaamea,tae
a:e esseat.a| se.eaees s.aeeaeexistential thesis (Daseinsthesis) as
aeeessa:ye:e:m.ttec.taesese.eaeese:e. mmec.ate|yi:eeci:ema||
iaetaa|.ty. Ne seas.||ei,a:at.ea.atae:ea|e:|c,
aesyeae|e,.ea|
ese:.eaee , ae iaetaa| [ evenementiel] eeateataave, as saea, aa, . a
st.tat.a,sease1ae,eemet:.ea|eidos . s:eee,a.zec. ataat.t. tasteec
taetesteiaa||ae.aat.ea.
There are pure sciences of essences, such as pure logic, pure
mathematics, pure time-theor, space-theor, theor of movement, etc.
These, in all their thought-constructions, are free throughout from any
positings of actualfact; or, what comes to the same thing, in them no
experience qua experience, i.e. , qua consciousness that apprehends or
sets up reality or factual existence, can take over the functin of
supplying a logial grounding. Where experience functions in them, it
is not as experience. The geometer who draws his fgure s on the
blackboard produces in so doing strokes that are actually there on a
board that is actually there. But his experience of what he thus
produces, qua experience, afords just as little groundfor his seeing
and thinking of the geometrical essence as does the physical act of
production itself. Whether or not he thereby hallucinates, and whether
instead of actually drawing lines he draws his lines and fgures in a
world of phantasy, does not really matter. The scientic investigator of
Nature behaves quite diff erently. (Ideas I, 7, p. 55 [modied ]; Hus-
serl's emphasis) :n
`I
The essential usel essness or the "inadequacy" of sensibl e " i l l ustration" i s already
underscored in the Logical Investigations, tr. J. N. Findl ay, 2 vol s. (New York:
Humanities Press, I 970)-hereafter cited as L/. [ All future references wi11 l i st the vol ume
number, the i nvestigation number or Prologomena, the s ection number, and the page:
e. g. , L/, I , I , 1 8 , pp. 301 -02 means the frst volume, First Investigation,
.
etc. uss
.
erl
does this i n a passage (LI, 1, I , 1 8 , pp. 301 -02) where he recalls the Cartesian dl stmctlon
between imaginatio and intellectio concerning the chiliagon and very preci sel y an
nounces the theory of geometrical " idealization" that he wil l maintain in the Origin.
`I
Thi s autonomy of mathematical truth compared to perception and natural reality (on
which mathematical truth could not be based) is described here only in a negative way.
Non-dependence is what is stressed. The positive ground of truth is not i nvestigated for
45
Introductin to the Origin of Geometr

ue

:e taeayetaes.seiaa||ae. aat.ea ta|es a tae :e| eass.,aec. .a

e. cet.. cete:m.aat. ea. |e et.ea .a ,eae:a| "the vital element ofphe
nomenology" (Ideas /, 70, 1 84 ,mec. ec} nat.iaa| |ae.aa|.eacees
aetaace:m.ae taeeidos eitae eeast.tatec . cea| e|]eet ,|eeaase tae
eidos .a,eae:a|aac tae .cea|e|]eet.a a:t.ea|a:a:e .::ea| . taea,a
aetaaa|asy:ea|.t.es-vea.iaa||ae. aat.ea:evea|staemassaea . .i.
eat

ae?tae:aaac

taeeidos aactae.cea|e|]eetceaet:ees.steve:y
sa|]eet.veaet,asmaeeaveat.eaa|r|atea. sm, .itaeatae,aaveaa. s
e:,,tae,mast|e:e|atecte,. e ,tae,mast|e:. me:c.a||,,:eaacec
m

tae :ete. cea|. zat. eas |asec ea tae sa|st:ate eiaa aetaa| | , e:-
e. ve :ea|e:|cuattae,mastceta. sta:ea,ataee|emeateiaae:.,-
ma|a.ste:,

tself. S
.
tarting from an anal ysi s of the mathematical " phenomenon: ' or in order to better
Isolate ItS "sense, " one simpl y reduces what is i ndicated in this sense as what cannot
presently be
.
retained by vi rtue of this gound. Husserl measures the eidetic intangibil ity
of mathematIcal sense by hallucination. In the Theaetetus ( 1 90b) , Plato had recourse to
dream. Hussr\ ' s devel
.
opment is al so situated on the same plane and dons the same style
as the arteslan anal YSI S before the hypothesi s of the Evi l Demon i n the First Meditation:
"At thl
.
s rate we might be justified in concl udi ng that . . . arithmetic, geometry, and so
on, whIch treat onl y of the simplest and most general subject-matter, and are i ndiferent
whether i t exi sts i n nature or not, have an el ement of i ndubi table certainty. Whether I am
awake
.
or asle

p, two and three add up to fve, and a square has onl y four sides; and it
sees ImpOSSIble for
.
such obvious truths to fall under a suspicion of being fal se" [par. 7:
ET: In Descartes: Phi losophical Writings, tr. El i zabeth Anscombe and Peter Thomas Geach
(New York: Bobbs-Merri l l , 1 97 1 ), p. 63] .
For Descartes, only after this phenomenology of mathematical evidence and with the
hypothesi s of the Evil Demon wi l l the critical or juridical question be posed of the ground
that guarantees the truth of naive evidence. The description i tsel f and the "natural "
val i dity of tis tru
.
th , moreover, wi l l never be put i nto question on their own specific
level . The pnordlal round of these constituted truths, whose mode of appearing is thus
clearly recogmzed, WIll be delegated to a veracious God who i s al so the creator of eternal
ruts .
.
Husserl . afe an analogous descriptive stage, will investigate this in primally
mstttutmg acts ( Urstiftung) , themsel ves hi storical. In this respect, Descartes' God, like
?at of the gre
.
at assic rational i sts, woul d only be the name given to a hidden hi story and
woul funct on as the necessary reduction of empi rical hi story and the natural world . a
reductIon which pertains to the sense of these sciences.
But we wi l l see that, despite thi s extraordinary revolution which grounds the absolute
ad eteral truth without the aid of God or infnite Reason, and which seems thus to
dl sc
.
l o
.
se (and
.
eescend toward) a primordial l y i nst ituted fnitude while completel y
a:OIdmg mpl ncl sm, Husserl i s less di stant from Descartes than it seems. Thi s hidden
?Istry WIll take its sense from an i nfnite Tel os that Husserl will not hesitate to call God
m hiS
.
l ast unpb
.
l i she
.
d writings. It is true that this i nfnite, which i s always already at
work
.
I n the ongms, IS not a positive and actual i nfnite. It i s given as an I dea i n the
KantJan sense, as a r
.
egulative .. indefnite" whose negativity gives up i ts rights to history.
ot ?nl y
.
th
,
moraltty but also the historicity of truth itself woul d here prevent thi s
flslfcatton of the actual infnite i nto an indefnite or an ad infnitum, a fal sifcation of
whi ch Hegel accused Kant and Fichte.
46
Jacques Derrid
ua||ae.aat.ea. taea. .s t:ata s aeeem|.eeea|y .a a st

t.e

e:|c ei
eeast.tatecs.,a.ieat.eas 1e:eeeectetae,:eaacaacome:c.a|eea
st.tat.eaeit:ata. e mast :eta:a. sta:t.a,i:emtae :ea|e:| c.

te a
e:eat.veese:.eaee vea e:e .t aa.ae aac |a:. ec.ta. seseneaee
:ema. as. ce]a:ease||asceiaete.i:stwe:eee,a.ze.tea. tat!e:
taesae:eeisease.taet:aeeeat:a:yeia

| | ae. aat.ea

,aac.ma,ma.

a
.a,eae:a|.saetc.:eet|ye:eet.ea.|ata. ste:y:. .iyea
(

:eie:..t.s
tae eease.easaesseia.ste:.e.tyaac tae :eaa|ema,eieo,ms .
1aasea|y at tae | eve| aac e.atma:|ec |yIdeas I cee

uasse:|
:e]e.a kaat s .ac.ae:eaee te a |.ac eia.ste:y tat ea|c s.m|y |e
est:.as.e aacem.:.ea| ~| se. as seeaas uesse:|s aeeeaat|e

emes
eeaeeoec.tatae,eaes.sei,eemet:y aac ,ett.a,|eyea ta.

s :e
|. m. aa:y sta,e. e m.,at eseet te see a.m :emeve tae e.cet..

ac
t:aaseeaceata|:ecaet.easa:e|yaacs.m|y. aac:etaoteaeeast.ta
t.ve a.ste:y. aa. ste:y . aa.eatae eeas. ce:at.eaeiiaes taems| ves
ea|c|eeeme. ac.seasa||e.|eeaaseae:eie:taei:stt.me.assm,a
|a:a.ste:.ea|e:.,. a. tae. ast.tat.a,iaetea|c |e.::e|aeea||e. tae:e
ie:e invariable. 1a.s .ava:.aaeeeitae iaet,eiaateaa aeve:|ere
peated assaeaea|cce]a:ee

::y ev

e:. ts

e.cet.e ava:.aaee

aat
eaa|erepeated ve| aata:.|yaacmceimte|ymteaa.ste:yei

:
,s
u.ste:yas .ast.tat.veea|c|etae:eiea
c

a:

ae:esease. s mc. s
see. a||ei:em |e.a,. ae:e taeceiaete .smc.ssee.a||e i:emae e
]a:e 1aeaet.eaeie:.,. ae:,eaes.seea|cae|ea,e:|e:eee,mzecm
'I
The interpretation of Trfm-Duc-Thao, Phenomenologie et materialisme di

le

tique
( 1 95 1 ; rpt. New York: Gordon and Breach, 1 97 1 ) , i s strongly oriented tward thIs kmd f
a conclusion. At the end of Husser\ ' s i ti nerary, the return to the " 'technical and economic
forms of production" (namel y, i n Husserlian languge, he retur to real , factual,
.
and
extri nsi c causality outside of every reduction) seems mevI
.
table to that ator, who thmk
Husserl was himself "obscurely" resigned to thi s at the tme of The Orzgm ofG

0
m
etr.
" Moreover, this i s what Husserl was obscurely presenting when he
.
was search 109 10 the
famous fragment on The Origin of Geometr to ground geoetncal truth on humn
praxis " (p. 220). "The phenomenological explication is thus onented towards determm-
i ng the actual conditions in which truth is engendered" (p. 2 2 1 ) .
.
Husserl ' s reduction never had the sense (quite the contrary) of a negatIon-f n
ignorance or a forgetfulness that woul d ' ' leave" the real conditions of sense and factualIty
in general in order to " come back" or not, in order to "pass on"
.
or not, to th
.
real
anal ysis [of what i s] (for sense is nothing

ther thQ1

the sese of realIty o
,
of faual It).
Otherwise, his reduction mi ght seem vam and dIssembl Ing, and the rtu to
.
an
empiricist histori ci sm, fatal . That does not appear to be the case, since, WIth dl lectIcal
material ism "we fnd oursel ves on a plane subsequent {posterieur] to the reductIOn, the
latter havin suppressed the abstract conception of nature but ot
.
te
,
ctually real ature
which implies in its development the whole movement of subjectiVity (the author s em-
phasis; pp. 227-28).
47
Intrduction to the Origin of Geometry
tae a:e aeaemeae|e,.ea| sease taat uasse:| se ce,,ec|y
c.st.a,a.saeco:
neeaase. ie:uasse:| . .t aastae eaa:aete:.st.ea.eaceiaesiaet-
aame| y. s.a,a|a:aac em.:.ea|es.steaee. tae .::ecae.|.|.ty eiahere
and o-tae teta| iaet ma:|.a,,eemet:y s esta|| . sameat ea|c |e
.ava:.a||ei aceec.uasse:|saystaattaeasa:,eei,eemet:y.ate:ests
a.mae:e. aseia:as.taacta|ea|aeeeaee(dereinst), ie:taei:st
t.me(erstmalig), sta:t.a,i:ema"frst aea.s.t.ea(aus einem ersten
Erwerben) ( 1 58-59) . nat aat aatae:. zec tae esseat.a| :eac.a,of aac
within eeast.tatec,eemet:yastaeess.|.|.tyei. ma,. aat. ve| yva:y.a,
taeaata:a|here and now eitaei,a:ee:taesyeae|e,.ea|ese:.eaeeei
tae,eemete:ae. aseaaveseea.asaet.ts. ast.tate:ue:e .eatae
eeat:a:y.taehere and now eitae i:stt.me. s. ast.tat.veaace:eat. ve
i s ta.sese:.eaee ,aa.aeei. ts|.ac .aetas.a,a|a:iaet-eaeie:a.ea
esaea|caet|ea||etesa|st.tateaaetae:iaetasaaesam|e.ae:ce:
tecee.ae:.tsesseaee:
i sta. stesaytaatta.s.asea:a|.|.tyeiiaetaacsease.ataeeaeaess
eiaa.ast.tat.a,aet:ee|acesaeeessie:aeaemeae|e,ytea| |a. ste:y
aactetaea:eeidos eiaie:eve:sa|me:,ece:.,.a:
Netat a| | 1ae .ac.ssee.a|. |.ty. tse|iaas a:.,e:eas| ycete:m. aa||e
aeaemeae|e,.ea| sease 1ae .ma,.aa:y va:.at.ea ei stat.e ae
aemeae|e,y s.m|y saesec a tye ei :ecaet.ea aese sty|e .||
aavete|e:eaeec. aaa.ste:.ea|aeaemeae|e,y.1aee. cet.easeetei
ta. s:ecaet.eaastaeiteration eiaaeema s.aeetaeeidos . seeast.tatec
aace|]eet.ve. tae se:.es eiaetsa.ea.ateacec .teea|caet|at. a
ceia.te| y:este:etae. cea|.ceat.tyeiaseasea.eaasaete|sea:ec
|yaaya.ste:.ea|eae.ty,aac.tea|cea|y|eaaest.eaeie|a:.iy.a,.
. se|at.a,,aaccete:m. a.a,.tsev.ceaee..ava:.aaee.aace|]eet.ve.ace
eaceaee 1aea.ste:.ea|:ecaet.ea. a.eaa| seee:ates|yva:. at.ea.
. | | |e reactivating aacaeet.e. i asteac ei:eeat.a, tae eeast. tatec
seaseeiaa.cea|e|]eet. eae.||aavete:eaa|eataeceeaceaeeei
Opening Ideas I (Chapter 1 , l a, p. 45, passage already ci ted), this defnition of
phenomenological origin ( in disti nction to genesis in the worldly human and natural
sciences) was already clearly specifi ed i n the LI, I , Prol. , 67, pp. 237-38; i n The
Phenomenology of Internal Time-Consciousness, ed. Martin Heidegger, tf. James S.
Churchill ( Bloomington, I nd. : I ndiana University Press, 1 97 1 ) , 2, pp. 27-28; and i n
"PRS," pp. 1 1 5-1 6. This di stinction, whi ch Husserl wi l l always j udge as deci sive, wil l
sti l l be underscored qui te frequently i n Experience and Judgment: Investigations in a
Genealogy of Logic, tf. from rev. ed. of Landgebe by Jaes S. Churchi ll and Karl
Ameriks ( Evanston: Northwestern Uni versity Press, 1 973)-hereafer cited as E
paricularly 1 , p. 1 1 ; i n FTL, in parti cular 1 02, p. 269; i n the eM, 37, pp. 75-76; and of
course in the Origin.
48
Jacques Derrid
sease.ta:eseetteaa.aaa,a:a|aac. ast.tat.eaeteeaea|ec

aace:
seeeaca:y ass..t.es aac .aia.te sec. eatat.eaa ne:

c.a| et
a.ea e:eatec tae e|]eet aese eidos .s cete:.aec|y tae .te:at.e
:ecaet.ea ue:ea,a.aea:e,e.a,te seetaattae:e. saes.|e:e
seasetetaeaest.eaeitae:.e:.tyeieae:ecaet.eaee:aaetae:

1ae s.a,a|a:.ty eitae .aa:.a||efrst time a|:eacy aasa aeeess.ty

aesee.cet.eiaac. s.aceec:atae:ee|es.
First, t|e:e. s aaessence-of-the-frst-time . a,eae:a| .anErstmaligeit,
aa. aaa,a:a|s.,a.ieat.eataat.sa|ays:e:ecae.||e. aatee:.tsce
iaete esa|e ay |e waatee: e:e tae e.:.ea| eeateat eitae
e:.,.a..t. saec.et.ea| |yaaca:.e:.aeees sa:ytaat,eee:yaas

aac
aae:.,.aaactaas aasaea:ecai:stt.e .i cea|,eeetnea|e|,eets
eaaaetaaetae.:e:.,.aa||aee.aseetopos ouranios. uase:|a|:eacy
eaas.zec ta.s . ataeLogical Investigations, ae:e ae

c. seasseca

||
. cea|s.,a.ieat.easaace|]eets. ' 1ae. :a.ste:..ty.

tea. .s

eaeeitae.:
e.cet.eeeeaeats. aactae:e. saeeeae:etea.steoe. ty:a.aceeset
aeeessa:.| y. |. eate. a. tse|itae:eie:eaeeteaaEr

tmaltgkelf. wesa.c.
aeeata,e.taat.tea|c|e. ess.||eteSa|sttate.anothe iaetie:
taeaa. aeiaeteitaefrst time. uacea|tec| y natea|y.iother .saat
teaa|.iy esseaee aacaet e.:.ea| es. steeeas saa. re: amae
iaeta|:eacyaas.tsesseaeeasaa.aeiaetwa..a.|yem aetm,etae:
taaataeiaet.tse|i,ta. s.staetaes. seitaeaeaiet. e.::eaaty?itae
esseaee, ..saettaeiaetaa| .tyeiiaet|attaeseaseei iaet-tattaeat
a.eataeiaeteea|c aetaea:aac,.e:.seteaaycete:mt.eae:
c.seea:se . ~| :eacy. aeauasse:|:ete. a ra.|eseayasx. ,e:es
se.eaeetaat. ie:taeaeaeeae|e,.ea|sa|sat.ea} .aes. aa| a . s
ete:aa||y taeapeiron. raeaeeae|e,y eaa:eee,a.ze w.ta ?|,eet. e
a|.c.ty ea| yesseaeesaacesseat.a|:e|at.eas , 1 1 6 ,ec!ic}, . ae
e.ceat|yaace:steec|ys.a,a|a:.tyea|ytaeeaeaesseiiaeta.tsa:e
iaetaa|.ty aac aet taat ei tae e. cet.e s.a,a| a:.t. esceiaec mIde

s I
( 1 1 , 1 4, 1 5 .62-63 aac66-69) asa|t.ateate:.a|esseaeeswa..a.
` In its substantive form, this notion does not seem to have been employed b Husserl
himself. It is found i n place of the adverbial expression erstmalig in the transcnpt of the
Origin published by Fink in Revue Internationale de Philosophie ( 1 939), pp. 203-225:
Fink, who also italicizes erstmalig (p. 207), speaks of Erstamaligketsmous [po 208] and
thus gives a thematic value to a sigifcation aimed at by a profound mtentIon of Husserl .
` Cf. in particular I , 1 , 3 1 , p. 330. There Husserl completely condems i
,
n a latonic
manner those who, like the "sons of the earth, " can "understand by ' bemg (Sem) nlY
I b "
.
e "being" in the world of natural reality, and he simultaneously rejects rea emg, . . ;
h the hypothesis of the intelligible heaven. " They [the significaton] are not for t a reasn
objects which, though existing nowhere in the world, have bemg m a top ouramos or U
a divine mind, for such metaphysical hypostatization would b absurd.
49
I ntroductin to the Origin of Geometry
as x.eeea:aetes. ese|aceea|ye. :.ea|. ac. .caa| .ty .eai y iaetaa|
.ty " (Idees I, . 239, a 1 eit: , . . e .taetode ti ei|:atees.steaee 1ae
:e||eeiceeaceaeee:.aceeaceaee. eitae a|st:aete:eeae:ete
eaa:aete:eitaesee.cet.es..,a|a:.t. es . esec. aIdeas I i:etaeaet.eas
eitae1a.:cie,.ea|i aest.,at.ea..s:ea||ye:ec.meaatese| eaea
.teeaee:asa. ste:.ea|s.a,a|a:.t.es . aesee.:.ea|).:. saee:. e
c.ate|y :eseat . it eea|c |e sa.c taat tae e.cet.e aeaeeae|e,y ei
a.ste:y. aa.a,tet:eatea|ys.a,a|a:. t.esassaea . .s.aeaeseasetae
estceeaceataactaeesta|st:aeteise.eaees . nat. ae:se| y. s. aee
ee:ta.aaeae.:.ea|s.a,a|a:.t.es. asuasse:|says. eaa|eeeas. ce:ec.a
ee:ta.a:eseetsastaeesteeae:eteaacest.aceeaceat .s.aeetae
s.a,a|a:.t.es ei e:.,.as a:e taese ei .ast.tat.a, aets ei ee:y .cea|
s.,a.ieat.ea aac. .a a:t.ea|a:. ei tae ess.|.|.t.eseise.eaee aac ei
a.|eseay. taea tae.:a. ste:y .s tae est.aceeaceat. tae esteea
e:ete.aactaei:steise. eaees
i aceec.taetaeeeie. cet.es.a,a|a:.t.es. sa|:eacyt.es| . saeaea,a. a
Ideas I. ueee:. s.aeetaee|aetae:e. stae. aaeat| .ecese:.eaee
e:taeseas.||eta.a,e:ee.ecoriginaliter, s. a,a|a:iaetaa| .ty.sa|ays
:eseat . a|taea,a :ecaeec. te ,a.ce aac eeat:e| tae .ata.t.ea eitae
a|t. ateate:.a|esseaee. nat as seea as a. ste:.ea|c. staaee .s . ate:
esec. tae . aest.,at.eaeie:.,. asae |ea,e::eeeecs .a ta.s ay ~
ceet:.aeeitradition astaeetae:eia. ste:.ea|e:eet.eataea|eeees
aeeessa:y .t. sattaeeeate:eiThe Origin of Geometr.
Oa|yaace:taeseeeac.t.easeaauasse:|:.te ea:. ate:estsaa|||e
tae. aa.:y|aes.atetae este:.,.aa| sease .a a.ea ,eeet:yeaee
a:ese.as:eseatastaet:ac.t.eaei. ||eaa.a . e.aa. :e.atetaat
sease.aa.ea.taea:ec.aa. ste:yie:taei:stt. ewhich it must
have appeared ,ea:eaas. s} .eeataea,aesaeaeta.a,eitaei:st
e:eate:saaca:eaeteeaass. a,aite:tae ( 1 58 ec.iec}, .
ue:e.tae"in which it must have appeared" e|ea:|y:eea| suasse:| s
.ateat. eaaacsasataeseaseei ee:y:ecaet. ea1a. s"must " ,aae
aea:ec,a:|staeaeeess.tyae:eee,a.zecaact.e| ess| yass.,aec
teaastiaeteiaae.cet.e:e se:.t.eaaaceiaaa:.e:.ae: i eaa
state ta.s a|ae ei aeeess.ty .aceeaceat|y ei a|| iaetaa| ee,a.t.ea .
He:eee:. ta.s .s a cea||e aeeess.ty .t .s taat ei a Quod aac a
Quomodo, aaeeess.ty eihaving had a a.ste:.ea|origin aaceiaa.a,
aacsuch aae:.,.a.saeaaseaseeie:.,. a. nataa.::ecae.||ea.ste:.e. ty
.s:eee,a. zec.ataatta.s must" .saaaeaaeecea|yafter taeiaeteitae
eeat .i eea|caetceiaetaeaeeessa:yseaseaactaeaeeess.tyeitae
Thi s notion of "must , " of apriori requi si te, concerning H past is frequently util ized i n
the Origin. It marks the possibility of a recurrent structural determination i n the absence
50
Jacques Derrid
e:.,.a|eie:e,eemet:yasin fact |eoaac|eie:e.taac.a iaet|eea
,.veateme. ~|se|ate|yi:ee.ta:eseetteaa|.t,eveos. tae|a
ia| aesseisease. saeta.a,.a.tse|i
~|se. aacsecond, aateve:in fact taei:st:ecaeece:c.seeve:ec
,eemet:.ea|. cea|.t.ese:e . .t.sa priori aeeessa:ytaattaeyie||eec
i:em ase:teiaea,eemet:y. taattaey s:aa, i:emtae se.| ei:e
,eemet:.ea|ese:.eaee~aeaemeae|e,yeitaeese:.eaee.sess.||e
taaa|stea:ecaet.eaaacteaaa:e:.atecesec. meatat.ea
Third, aac | aa| |y. aeeve:in fact tae | :st ,eemete:s e:e . aac
aateve:in fact taeem. :.ea| eeateateitae.:aetsas . .t. sa pror
aeeessa:y taat tae esta||.sa.a, ,esta:es aac a sease . saea taat
,eemet:y . ssaeci:emtaemwith the sense as we now know it. re:. ei
eea:se . tae :eaet.vat.a,:ecaet.ea saesestae.te:at.ve:ecaet.eaei
taestat.eaacst:aeta:a|aaa| ys. s.a.eateaeaesa s eaeeaacie:a||aat
tae ,eemet:.ea| aeaemeaea .s aac aea .ts ess.|.| . ty .s eeast.
tatec. 1a.smeaas-|yaaeeess.tya.ea.sae|esstaaaaaaee.ceata|
aaceste:.e:iate-taatimaststa:t.ta:eacymace,eemet:y.saeaas
.t . s ae . ae. :ea|at.ea aac a.eai eaa a|ays aeaemeae|e,.ea||y
:eac..ae:ce:te,e|ae|ta:ea,a. taacaest.eataeseaseei.tse:.,. a.
1aas . |eta taaa|s te aac ces.te tae sec.meatat.eas . i eaa:este:e
a.ste:yte.tst:ac.t.eaa|c.aaaae.ty.uasse:|ae:esea|seiRuckfrage,
aaet.eaaecea|tea::eateaea,a .|ata.eaaeta|eseaasaa:aac
:ee.se sease. weaavet:aas|atec. t|yretur inquir (question en re
tour) . i.|e. tsCe:maasyaeaym.:eta:a.aa.:y,aacquestion en retour
ase| | .sma:|ec|ytaeesta|aace.ste|a:y:eie:eaeee::eseaaaee
eiaeemmaa.eat.eai:emac. staaee i.|eRuckfrage, :eta:a. aa. :y.s
as|ec ea tae |as.s eia i:st est.a,. r:em a :eee.vec aac already
:eaca||edocument, taeess.|.|.ty.seae:ecmeeias|.a,a,a.a.aacin
return, a|eattae:. me:c.a|aaciaa| .ateat.eaeiaataas|eea,. vea
me|yt:ac.t.ea.1ae|atte:.a.ea. seo|ymec.aey.tse|iaaceeaaesste
ate|eeemmaa.eat.ea. a,eae:a| .. staea.asuasse:|says. eea. te
eeat. aaec.aa.:y ( 1 58) .
1aeseaaa|e,.es. taemetaae:.ea|ieeaseiea:test. eeai:mataat
e.at.s:ea. :ectae"zigzag" ayei:eeeec.a,-a:eeeca:etaattae
of every material determi nati on. And if thi s apriori normativity of hi story is recognized
starting from the fact , after the fact, thi s after i s not the i ndication of a dependence. The
fact does not teach us through its factual content but as an example. It i s due to thi s
qfters own specifc character, in the necessity of preserving transcendence or reduced
factuality as clue , that the parti cular hi storicity of phenomenological di scourse is
announced.
51
Introduction to the Origin ofGeometry
Crisis :eesesas ase:teiaeeessa:y "circle "":l aaca.e|.s ea|yt|e
a:eie:meieve:ya.ste:.ea|ese:.eaee
xeta:a. aa. :y. tae:eaet.eaa:yaactae:eie:e:eve| at.eaa:ymeaeat
ei ta. s .ate:|ay ( Wechselspiel) , ea|c |e . m:aet.ea|| e .i,eemet:y
e:e esseat.a||y semeta.a, a.ea eeat.aaa||y e.:ea| atec as eemmea
ee.a.ataeva|.c.tyei.cea|.ty. tacea|t-c|y.aeme:etaaatae|. ste:y
ei.tst:aasm.ss.ea,:eaacstaeva|aeei,e|c.eaaaaye:c|ya.ste:y
,.vetae seaseeita.se.:ea|at.eaaseemmeaee.a. s.aee . ea tae eea
t:a:y. a. ste:y saeses. t xatae:. taema.ateaaaeeeita.se. :ea|at.ea
e:m.tstaeaeat:a| .zat.eaeie:|c|ya.ste:y. Neat:a| . zat.eataeaeeas
taesaeeie:aa.ateat.eaa|aac. at:.as.ea.ste:yeita. sve:ye.:ea|at.ea
aace:m.tstaeeem:eaeas.eaeiaeat:act.eaeit:ata.sess. ||e.a
,eae:a| . iasae:t.aatseemste|eeiatmest. me:taaeeteuasse:|.s
asmaeaaaee:at.ea,:eaet.vat.ea.tse|iastaea|.|.tyteeeaaa.ccea
a.ste:.ea| ie|c as tae aata:e eitaat ie|c .tse|i,astae ess.|.|.ty ei
semeta.a,| .|e:eaet.vat.ea
1aas ea|yaace:taeeeve:eistat.eaeaemeae|e,y s :ecaet.easeaa
ema|eetae:.aia.te|yme:e sa|t|eaacaaza:ceas :ecaet.eas. a.ea
y.e|c |eta tae s.a,a|a: esseaees ei . ast.tat.ve aets aac. .a tae.:
esem|a:ye|.taeae|eseaseeiaaeeaa. ste:y.a,eae:a| w.taeat
taeWechselspiel eita.s cea||e:ecaet.ea. tae aeaemeae|e,y eia.s
te:.e.tyea|c|eaaese:e.se. avaa.ty.asea|c|ea||aeaemeae|e,y.
iieta|eie:,:aatectaea.|esea.ea|aeaseaseeiaa:e|yem.:.ea|
a. ste:yaactae. meteaeeeiaaaa.ste:.ea|:at.eaa| .sm.taeae:ea|.ze
taese:.easaesseiaat.satsta|e
III
~||taese:eeaat.easaavemaceasseas.t.vete taeest:emec.mea|ty
ei tae tas| 1aas uasse: aace:see:es tae :e|.m. aa:y aac ,eae:a|
eaa:aete:eita. smec.tat.ea. aaseateaeea.eaaea:s|e::eece:c
` "Thus we fnd oursel ves i n a sort of circle. The understanding of the begi nni ngs i s to
be gained ful l y onl y by starting with science as gi ven i n its present-day form, looking back
at its development. But in the absence of an understanding of the beginnings the
development i s mute as a development ofsense. Thus we have no other choice than to
proceed forward and backward in a ' zigzag' pattern . . . " (91 , p. 58 [modifed]) .
[ Derrida puts the phrase "pas plus que I ' hi storie de sa transmi ssion ne fonde la
valeur de I ' or" in quotations . I have been unable to locate thi s phrase, and Professor
Derrida himself does not remember from what i t is taken. It might simpl y be an adapta
tion of the l ast phrase quoted from Ideas I on p. 43 above. ]
I
52
Jacques Derrida
ie: e:ci:emFormal and Transcendental Logic ,i at:ecaet.ea, . 6) :
1a. s :eta:a . aa.:y aaave.ca||y :ema.as .ta.a tae sae:e ei,ea
e:a|. t.es , |at , asesaa| | seeasee,taesea:e,eae:a| . t.esa.eaeaa|e
:.ea|yes|.eatec . . . " ( 1 58 , mec.iec},
Dea|t|ess, as a:.e:. cete:m.aat.ea, aeaemeae|e,y . | | aeve: |e
a||eteea:.eataese,eae:a| .t.es , aese.ac.,eaee.sesseat.a| .~actaey
.|| |e :.ea|yes|.eatec ea|y .aa:eseet.ve, :e,.eaa| , aac, .aa
ee:ta.a sease, naive sty|eeie:|. natta. saa.vet- ea|cae |ea,e:
aave tae sease .tasecte aavebefore tae sease.avest.,at.eaeitaese
,eae:a|.t.es . asease.avest.,at.eataatuasse:|te:msae:.t.e. smaac
a.ea.||aave a:e,a| at.veaacae:mat.ve va|aeie:ta. se:|. Cea
t.aaa||yea| | . a,as|ae|tetaeaaaet.eec:esaes.t.easeieve::eea:
:.a,:e||ems, sease.avest.,at.ea. | | |eeasi:ema|e::at.ea,ie:,et
ia|aess, aac . ::eseas.|.| .ty. ii se.eaee, .ta :ac.ea| :eseas.|. | .ty,
aas :eaeaec cee.s.eas, taey eaa .m:ess ea | .ie aa|.taa| ae:ms as
ve| .t.eaa||eats,as:ece|.aeatecie:ms.ta. aa.eatae.ac.v.caa|cee.
s.easea,at. aaayeaseteeeaiaetaemse| ves, aaceaaeeaiaetaem
se| vesseia:astaeseaa.ve:sa|cee. s.easaave|eeemeaetaa| | ya:e
:.atec. re:a:at.eaa|:aet.ee, taee:ya:.e:.eaa|eea|yace| .m.t.a,
ie:m..teaaea|y|aatieaees, taee:ess.a,eia.ea. ac.eatesa|sa:c.ty
e:a|e::at.ea (FTL, . 6) .
1ae | :st ei taese :ac.ea| ,eae:a| .t.es .s :ee.se|y taat a.ea aa
tae:. zestae:eta:a.aa.:y. taeaa.tyei,eem

t:y s sease .staateia

t:ac.t.ea. Ceemet:y s ceve|emeat .s ahistor ea| y |eeaase .t .s a
a. ste:y. ueeve:ia:. ts|a.|c.a,a:e,:esses, aeeve:,eae:eastae
:e| .ie:at.eaei.tsie:msaacmetame:aesesmay|e .taeyceaetea||
a,a.a.ateaest.eataeaa.iecseaseeiaat, .ata.sceve| emeat ,.ste
|etaea,ateiasthe ,eemet:.ea|se.eaee .1ae,:eaaceita.saa.ty.stae
e:|c .tse|i. aet as tae ia.te teta| .ty ei seat.eat |e.a,s , |at as tae
.aia.teteta|.tyeiess.||eese:.eaees.asaee.a,eae:a| .1aeaa.tyei
the ,eemet:.ea|se.eaee .a.ea. sa| se.tseaeaess, . saeteea| aectetae
systemat.eeeae:eaeeeia ,eemet:yaeseas.emsa:ea|:eacyeeast.
tatec. .tsaa. ty. staateiat:ac.t.eaa|,eemet:.ea|sease. aia.te|yeea
tea||its own :eve|at.eas . 1eesetaeaest.eaeita. st:ac.t.eaa|aa.ty. s
teas|eaese|i.ae, historically, aavea||,eemet:. es|eea,e:. | | taey
|e,,eemet:.es :
ra:tae:me:e,ta. saa.tyei ,eemet:y s sease, saeaas . t . s announced
.ataeOrigin, . saeta ,eae:a|eeaeettaat. sest:aetec e:a|st:aetec
i:em va:.eas|aea,eemet:. es . Oataeeeat:a:y, .t. stae:.me:c. a|
eeae:eteesseaeeei,eemet:ytaatma|essaeaa,eae:a|.z.a,ee:at.ea
ess.||e . Ne:.sta.sseaseaa.tyte|e eeaiasec.tataeeeaeettaat
uasse:|in fact cete:m.aecastae. cea|e:.eat.a,,eemet:.ea|:aet.ee. a
53
Introductin to the Origin ofGeometry
,eemet:y s objective taemat.eie|c 1a.seeaeet,a|:eacyma:|ec|y
a.ste:y, .s,ase|ae,taateia"defnite" aeme|e,yaacaaesaaas
t. vececaet. v.ty.sta:t.a,i:emasystemeias.emsa.ea ,eve:as a
ma|t.|.e.ty,eve:y:ees.t.ea.scete:m.aa||eeither asaaa|yt.eeease
aeaeeor asaaa|yt.eeeat:ac.et.ea. 1aatea|c|eaaa|te:aat.vee
eea|caet,et|eyeac.saeaeeaiceaeec.caetaave|ea,tea.t|eie:e
|e.a,eeat:ac.etec. .aceec.ts va|ae:a|. |.tyaas|eeae||saea, a:
t.ea|a:|yaea Cece|c. seeve:ectae :.ea ess.|.| .tyei"undecidable"
:ees.t.eas.a 1 93 1 .
nata|| taeaest.easa|eattaeess. |.|.tye:. mess. |. |. ty eima.a
ta.a. a,uasse:| s cemaacs~e.tae:asaaesseat.a||y. aaeeess.||e:e,a
| at.ve.cea|e:asametaece|e,.ea|:a| eaacaetaa|teeaa.ae,a.eaae
| ea,e:. a,eae:a|seemsess.||e,~a:etaeyaetas|ec:ee.se|ywithin
ta.saa.tyeitae,eemet:.eemataemat.ea|ae:.zea.a,eae:a| ,. ta.atae
eeaaa.tyeiase.eaee:~ac.t.s.ta.ataeae:.zeataatuasse:|ae:e
aest.eastaattae:eeeeaat.ea.tacee. ca|. | . ty|e|ea,s . | a.tsve:y
ae,at. v.ty, taeaet.eaeitaeaacee.ca||e~aa:ti:emtaeiaettaat .t
ea| y aas saea a sease |y seme .::ecae.||e :eie:eaee te tae .cea| ei
cee. ca|.| .ty~a|se :eta.as a mataemat.ea| va|ae ce:.veci:em see
aa.aesea:eeeiva|aevaste:taaatae:e]eeteidefniteness .tse|i.1a. s
ae|ece|ate. sea| yaace:staaca||e. ta. asemeta.a,|.|ethe ,eemet
:.ea|e:mataemat.ea|se.eaee, aeseaa.ty.sst.||to come eatae|as.sei
aat. saaaeaaeec .a.tse:.,.a. waateve:may|etae:eseaseseea
t:.|atec|ytaee. steme|e,.ste:|ytaeaet.v.tyeitaese.eat.| e.aves
On the two ' ' faces" of science' s thematic and the objecti ve character of the thematic
on which the sci entifc researcher i s excl usi vel y focused in his activity as researcher. cf.
FTL, 9, pp. 36-38. "Thus the geometer . . . wi l l not think of explori ng, besides geomet
rical shapes, geometrical thi nking" (p. 36) .
``On these questions, cf. i n particular Jean Cavai l l es, Sur f a Logique et f a theorie de fa
science (Pari s: Presses Uni versitaires de France, 1 947) , pp. 70f. : Trm-Duc-Th{,
Phenomenofogie, p. 35 : and especi al l y S. Bachel ard, A Study ofHusserl' s Logic [Part I ,
Ch. 3] . pp. 43-63.
Thi s i deal is cl early defi ned by Husserl , notably in the LI, I , Pro! . , 70, pp. 24 1 and
243, before a section in which the relations of the phi losopher and the mathematician are
defned: in Ideas I. 72, pp. 1 87-88: and in FTL. 3 1 , pp. 94-97.
`' Moreover, that the anal yses of the Origin concerning the synthetic style of mathe
matical tradition serve as an example of tradition i n general is thus confrmed. The very
movement whi ch enriches sense retains a sedimentary reference to the antecedent sense
at the bottom of the new sense and cannot di spense with i t . The intention which grasps
the new sense is original i nsofar as the prior project stil l remains and the i ntention wi l l
si mpl y not "gi ve way" to i t. Thus, undecidabi l i ty has a revolutionary and di sconcerti ng
sense, i t i s itsel onl y if i t remains essentially and intrinsically haunted i n its sense of
origin by the te/os of decidabi l i ty-whose di sruption i t marks.
54
Jacques Derrid
t.,ate:tetaese.me:taat.at:amataemat.ea|aest.easeiceia.teaess
aac eem|eteaess. taey eaa ea|y|e.ate,:atec. ate ta.saa. ty eitae
mataemat.ea|t:ac.t.eaa.ea.saest.eaec. ataeOrigin. ~actaey. ||
aeve:eeaeeo. .a tae e|]eet.ve taemat.e sae:e eise.eaee ae:e
taeymastexe|as.ve|y:ema.a. aayta.a,|attae cete:m.aecaata:e ei
taeax.emat.esystemsaaceitaececaet.ve.ate:eeaaeet.eastaattaey
cee:ceaetaatae:.ze natt|ee|]eet.vetaemat.eie|ceimataemat.es
masta|:eacy|eeeast.tatec.a.tsmataemat.ea|sease ..ae:ce:ie:tae
va|aeseieeaseaeaee aac. aeeas.steaeyte|e:eace:ec:e||emat.e.
aac .a e:ce:te|ea||etesay.a,a.asttae e|ass.eam:mat.easeiuas
se:| . "tertium datur. "
Ceaseaeat|y.. itaee:.,.aeimataemat.esaactaeaa.tyei.tssease
e:e .auasse:| s eyes esseat.a||yt.ecte ta. s.cea|eiexaaast.vece
caet.v.ty.aacevea .itaeye:e .ceat.ea|.tata.s. cea| .taeOrigin' s
aest.eaea|c|eta.atecattaeeatset|yaee:ta.aa.ste:.ea|:e|at. v. ty.
aematte:aatuas se:|a. mse|imay|avetaea,ata|eatta. s:e|at.v.ty
aacces.teaateve:.ate:est.tmayst.||ae|cassae| iaetae:e:cs.
.itae:.me:c.a|aeteia:eaac.a,taatuasse:|.saestee|.e.t[solliciter ;
ae:eastae.ast.tat.eaeiaaax.emat.eaaccecaet.veie|ce:eveatae
.ast.tat.eaeiax.ema t.esaactae. cea|eicecaet.v.ty.a,eae:a|-aac.i
ta.s. ast.tat.ea as cese:. |ec as taat eimataemat.es. tse|i-taeatae
uasse:|.aa:e]eetea|c |e se:.eas|yt|:eateaec|y tae eve|at.eaei
+x.emat. z. at.eatea:cateta|ie:ma|.zat.ea. ta. aa.eaeaeaeeessa:
.|yeemesaa,a.asttae|.m.tsstatec|yCece| staee:em,aac:e|atec
taee:ems natt|at. saetse vea.iuasse:|ateaet.meacetectae
eeaeet.eaei,:eaac.a,ax.emat.esaacevea:eesec. tastae .cea|
ie: a|| exaete.cet.ec. se.| . aes(Ideas I, 7, 56) , .tseems|eea|y
eeas.ce:ecta.ste|easecondar ,:eaac.a,1ae:e.saecea|t. . aaay
ease.t|att|e|.acsei:. me:c.a|ev.ceaeeae.avest.,atesae:ea:eie:
+' l
Husserl wri tes i n FTL, 3 1 , p. 96: "the idea of a ' nomolofical science ' , or correla
ti vely the idea of an infnite province (in mathematico-logical parlance , a multi pli ci ty)
goverable by an expl anatory nomology, includes the idea that there is no truth about
such a province that is not deduci bly i ncluded i n the 'fundamental l aws' of the corre
spondi ng nomological science-just as, in the ideal Euclid, there i s no truth about space
that is not deducibly included in the ' complete' ( vollstindigen) system of space-axioms . "
Then , defi ning the "multiplicity-form in the pregnant sense, " Husserl conti nues: "Such a
multi pli ci ty-form is defi ned, not by just any formal axiom-system, but by a 'complete'
one. . . . The axiom-system formally defni ng such a mult i plicity i s di sti ngui shed by the
ci rcumstance that any proposition (proposition-form, natural l y) that can be constructed,
in accordance with the grammar of pure logi c, out of the concepts (concept-forms) occur
i ng [sic] i n that system, i s either ' true'-that i s to say: an anal ytic (purely deducible)
consequence of the axioms-or 'false'-that is to say: an analytic contradiction-; ter
tillm non datllr . . .
55
Introductin to the Origin of Geometry
a. m:.e:tet|eseeiax.emsaacse:veastae.:,:eaac i aiaet. eeaa
:eac .a taeOrigin ( 1 68) : eaemasta| seta|eaeteeitaeeeast:aet.ve
aet. v.t.estaatee:ate.t|,eemet:.ea|.cea|.t.es|.e||ave|eea ex
| .eatec |ataet|:ea,atte:.me:c.a|ev.ceaee ,r:. me:c.a|ev.ceaee
mastaet|eeeaiasec. tataeev. ceaeeei ax.ems ; for axioms are in
principle the results ofprimordial sense-fashioning , s. aa|.|caa,and al
ways have this behind them)" ,mec.iec} .
~x.emat.es .a,eae:a|,i:ema.e| a|eaeeve:y .cea| eiex|aast.ve
aacexaetcecaet.v.tyeaata|e.tssease .i:ema.e|a|eaeeve:y:e|
|em ei cee.ca|.|.ty eaa taea s:.a, a|:eacy saeses. tae:eie:e . a
sec.meatat.ea ei sease . . e . ax.emat.es saeses a :.me:c.a| ev.
ceaee .a:ac.ea|,:eaaca.e|. sa|:eacyast it. staeaa|:eacyex.|ec
i:emtaee:.,.aste|.eauasse:|ae.saeste:eta:a
Ceaseaeat| . .iuasse:|,i:em taeLogical Investigations teIdeas I
aac teFormal and Transcendental Logic) .aceecass.,aectae aa::e
seaseeicee.ca|. | . tytetaeaet.eaei,eemet:.ea|cete:m.aa|.| .ty.ta.s.s
|eeaaseae|eta. mse|i|e,a.cec.aa.s aeaa.ste:.ea|.avest.,at.eas|y
tae:eseatstateeiaready-made se.eaee natasseeaastaeaest.eaei
e:.,.a a:.ses. ,eemet:.ea| cete:m.aa|. |.ty seems .aceec te aave tae
seaseei,eemet:.ea|cete:m.aa|.|.tyin general, astae.aia.teae:.zeaei
ase.eaee.aateve:iata:eie:msceve|e. waeauasse:|sea|s.atae
:;O Our emphasi s. "Expl i cati on" ( Verdeutlichung) i s not to b confused either with
clarifcation (Klirung) or reacti vation: remai ni ng wi thi n const ituted sense, expl ication
makes that sense distinct wi thout restoring i t to its ful l clarity, i . e. , to i ts value as present
cognition, and above all without reactivating its primordi al intention. It is for reasons of
grammatical construction (the use of past or present parti ci pl es, of substanti ve or infni
ti ve forms, etc. ) that we have kept the classic translation of Verdeutlichung as expl i ca
tion. S. Bachel ard comments more rigorousl y on the sense of thi s notion by translating i t
as "process of di sti ngui shi ng" or "process which renders di sti nct . " On al l the problems
concerning expl i cation, clarificat ion, and reactivation of proposi tions in general . problems
to whi ch al l usi on is made i n the Origin, cf. notably FTL, 1 6 and 1 7, pp. 56-63, and
Appendix I I , pp. 3 1 3-29: also S. Bachelard, A Stlldy ofHusserl ' s Logic, Ch . 1 , pp. 1 4-23 .
I n his formulation of the Origin, Fi nk specifi es these di stinctions. Instead of opposing
"reacti vation" and "expl ication, " he di sti ngui shes between two moments or types of
reactivation in general: reactivation as "l ogical explication" and reactivation of the
"tradi tion of sense-formation (Sinnbildungstradition) i nternally present i n a t hemati c
sense-formation. " "When reactivation i n the first sense i s completed, when i t comes to
an end, only then does reactivation as return i nquiry concerning the ' pri mal i nstituting'
begi n" ( "Die Frage, " p. 2 1 5) . Thus, t hi s formulation confi rms and underscores the
necessary anteriority of the static analysi s and the static fi xi ng of sense, both of whi ch
must control al l genetic bearing [demarche] .
' Geometrical determi nabi l i ty i n the broad sense would onl y be the regional and
abstract form of an i nfnite determi nability of being in general , which Husserl so often
called the ultimate horizon for every theoretical attitude and for al l phi l osophy.
.
{
. ,
56
Jacques Derrid
Origin eia ae:.zeaei,eemet:.ea|iata:e.a:ee.se| yta. ssty| e , i , .
ta.ssty|e.saettaateicecaet..ty.|atei,eemet:ye:mataemat.es.a
,eae:a| . i:ema.eaasyetaaca|aystaeaacee.ca||ese:aayetae:
iata:emataemat.ea|ie:mat.ea.||stem
1a.smeaas taat i:em ae ea aea .aest.,at.a,e:.,.as. tae . cea|
.tse|ieicee.ca|.|.ty. a|ea,.taee:yiaetaa| sta,eeitaea.ste:y ei
mataemat.es as saea . . sreduced; se. tee. .s eaea cete:m.aeciaetaa|
t:ac.t.ea-|y c.se|es.a, tae a:e|y mataemat.ea| t:ac.t.ea aac a:e
t:ac.t.eaa|.ty.a,eae:a| .1aaseaace:staacuasse:| s :eeatecst.a
|at.ea.ataeOrigin taat .eeaee:a.a,esaetse.eaees. ae.ssea|.a,a|eat
taeseea||ec cecaet. ese.eaees . acc.a,.seea||ec. a|taea,ataey
|yaemeaasme:e|ycecaee , | -s, 1ae:e.staasat:ata.e::atae:a
,eemet:.eemataemat.ea|t:ata sease.a,eae:a| .a.eaceesaete:m.t
.tse|ite|e|eaac|ytaea|te:aat.eei"true" e:ia|se. as:ese:.|ec
|ytae.cea|eiace| a.tema|t.|.e.ty..aa.ea"the concepts ' true' and
'formal implication of the axioms' are equivalent, aac|.|e.sea|setae
eeaeets ia| se aacie:ma||y. m|.ecastaeees.teeiaie:ma|. m| .
eat.eaeitaeas.ems (Ideas I, 72, | ss, 1aeaa.tyei,eemet:.ea|
t:ata s:.me:c.a|sease.taataa.tya.eae:.eatstaeOrigin, eea|ctaea
|eesec.aaaest.eaeita.s|.ac aat. smataemat.ea|cete:m.aa|.|
.ty. a,eae:a| ..itaeaacee.ca|.| .tyeia:ees. t.ea.ie:esam|e.. sst.||
amataemat.ea|cete:m.aat.ea:sseat.a| | y. saeaaaest.eaeaaaetes
eetacete:m.aec:esease, .tsaea|cea|y.ac.eatetaea:eeeaaess
aacaa.tyeiaa.aaa.teae:.zea
s. aeeaiaet seae.tyeea|c|e:ecaeeci:emtae e:y|e,.aa. a,|y
tae :ecaet.ea ei.cea|e|]eets. a.ste:.ea| .ate:eeaaeet.eas a:e .ate:
eeaaeet.easeiseaseaaca|ae. a.ea-|yea.ta| .z.a,ad infnitum aac
aeee:c.a,teaae:.,.aa|mece~aaaee:|eetae.:sec.meata:yce
es.tseateie.:ea|at.ea1aat. saess.|.|.ty.|ataetaaeeess.ty.s.aee
tae.ate:estaactae c.mea|ty eiuasse:| s aaa|ys. s :esa|ti:em aat
ta.saaa| ys.saee:aesea|eta |aaesateaee
Sometimes uasse:|eeas.ce:s,eemet:yaacse.eaee.a,eae:a|asee:
ta.aie:msamea,etae:seiaataeea||staeea|ta:a|e:|c iaeaeet
taey|e::ea||tae.:eaa:aete:.st.esi:em.t 1a. se:|ces.stseat.:e|y
ta:ea,at:ac.t.ea, | s, ~actae se.eaeesa:e ea|y semet:ac.t.eas
amea,etae:s Oatae sa|]eeteit:ac.t.ea .a,eae:a| . e aae seme
a:.e:.e.ceaeetaatae.,ae:aaeeeiiaetaa|a. ste:yeaaaace:m.ae Oa
tae eae aaac. e |ae .ta a |ae|ec,e ei aaassa.|a||e
e.ceaee-aa.m|.e.t|ae|ec,ea.ea.aaa|.tsta.siaetaa||ae|
ei|ae|ec,e.ee:yae:eaacesseat.a|| y( I s,-taatea|ta:a|ie:a
t.eas a|ays :eie:te aamaa:ecaet.eas . taea. taey :eie:te s.:.taa|
aets.asuasse:|. mmec.ate|yeeae|aces. aameea.eae .||eea
57
Introduction to the Origin of Geometr
s.ce: |ate: 1a. s :eie:eaee te tae :ecaet.e aet .s . ase:.|ec .a tae
ie:mat.ea.tse|i.|at.teaaassaaaet.eeceaaeeeaateitae.cea|ie:ma
t.ea s aateaemy ueaee tae aeeess.ty te :eea|| tae a:.e:. |aaa| .t.es
|a:.ec |y se.eaee aac ea|ta:e ia a s.m. |a:iasa. ea. e |aetaat
aamaa.tyaasaastaactaat . i:em ta.siaet. .t.s.ataeasttaattae
r :st.aeate:s, | s,taemse| esa:eieaac.aaca|taea,ataeyaae
.ast.tatec ae s.:.taa| ie:ms. taeyaae|eeaa||etece se ea|y|y
c.ses.a, ei :a e: a|:eacy t:ac.t.eaa| . . e . s.:.taa||y saaec.
mate:.a| s
natea tae etae:aaac. t:ac.t.eaa| cee|emeat . i:em a.ea ee:y
ea|ta:e aea.:esteta|.ty at eaea memeat, .a amec.atee:.mmec.ate
syaea:eay, . cees aet aaea eaasa| sty|e ei,eaes. s ia tae e:|c ei
aata:a|:ea|.tysa|]eetteaeaasa|tyeeicee|emeat.sec.meatat.ea.s
aettaateiaaaea.:ecseasetaat.seeat.aaa||yaac.ate:aa| |y:eea.ta
|atec1ae:e. saeaata:a|a.ste:yie:uasse:|aayme:etaaaie:ue,e| .
aacie:taesame:easeas 1aeaaa|e,y.|||eeea,:eate:aeaesee
taat .ie:uasse:|asie:ue,e| .ea|ta:e.tse|i.a.ts| a.teem.:.ea|aa.ts.s
aetsame.eatteeeast.tatetaea:eaa.tyeiaa.ste:y 1a.s.|||etae
ease ie:a|| aata:ee|e,.ea|ea|ta:es a.ea ce aet a:t.e.ate . atae
a:eeaaeidos.
ue:etaeOrigin :eeatsuasse:| s e:.t.aeei D.|taey. ara.| eseayas
x.,e:easse. eaee wa.|eeem|ete|yaeeet.a,D.|taey s e:.t.e. smei
tae eaasa|.st aata:a|.zat.ea eis.:. t aactae :.ae.|e eiaa e:.,.aa|
tyeme:ae|e,y eiea|ta:a| teta|.t. es. uasse:| .saes te est:aet tae
.ceaeise.eaee,. e .a|eea|| .a.|eseay,i:emtaesa|] eet.e.mma
aeaeeeitaeWeltanschauung.
~sea|ta:a|ie:m.tae.ceaeise.eaee. saacea|tec|ya|sea:teitae
Weltanschauung, aactaeeeateateise.eaeeaaca.|eseay.saacea|t
ec|yt:aasm.ttecaeee:c.a,tetae same:eeessasa||etae:ie:s ei
ea|ta:eaact:ac.t.ea. a,eae:a| 1ae:eeess. saaa|e,eas..iaet.ceat.ea|
te taat ei .ate:aa| t.meeease.easaess cese:.|ec i:em tae aeemat.e
.ee.at.atae 1 904-1 0 |eeta:es 1ae:eseataea:sae.tae:astae
ata:eae:taeeaeeteiaast. |atastae:eteat.eaeia:eseatast.
. e . astae:eteat.eaeia:eteat.ea.aacseie:ta s.aeetae:eteat.eaa|
ee:ei|. .a, eease.easaess .s |a. te , ta.s eease.easaess :ese:es
s.,a.ieat.eas. a|aes. aac ast aets as aa|.taa|.t.es (habitus) aac
sec.meatat.eas 1:ac.t.eaa|sec.meatat.ea.ataeeemmaaa|e:|c.||
aaetaeiaaet.eaei,e.a,|eyeactae:eteat.eaa|| a.taceei.ac. .caa|
eease.easaess Oieea:se .sec.meata:y:eteat.ea.saetea|ytaeeeac.
This requirement ofTrivialitit i s frequently justified by Husserl, notably i n C. 9h, p.
50.
58
Jacques Derrid
t.eaie: tae ess.|. | .tyei:eteat.ea. .t a|se|e|ea,sesseat.a| | yte tae
,eae:a|ie:mei:eteat.ea. a.ea .s .tse|ieeaee.vecaace:tae a|se
|ate|y aa.ae aac aa.ve:sa| ie:m ei tae i.v.a, r:eseat 1ae | atte:.
a. ea. stae:.me:c.a|a|se| ateeiteme:a|.ty..sea| ytaema.ateaaaee
eia+t.aceecmast|eea||ectaedialectic ei:eteat.eaaac:eteat.ea.
ces.te uasse:| s :ea,aaaeeie:taat e:c ia taemevemeatei:e
teat.ea. tae :eseat . s :eta.aec aac ,eae |eyeac as ast :eseat . . a
e:ce:teeeast.tateanother :.me:c.a| aac e:.,.aa|~|se|ate. aaetae:
i. v. a,r:eseat.w.taeatta.sest:ae:c.aa:ya|se|atea|te:at.eaeiaat
a|ays:ema.as.ataeeeae:eteaac|.vecie:meiaaa|se|ater:eseat .
.taeatta. s a|ays:eaeece:.,.aa| .tyeiaaa|se| ate:. me:c.a| .ty.
a|ays:eseataaca|ays|.vecassaea .aea. ste:yea|c|eess.||e
~| se. aat.st:aeeitaei.v.a,r:eseat.st:aeeiaatsaeses.tas.ts
,:eaac.taea. ste:.e:eseat .tae|atte:a|ays:eie:sme:ee:|ess. mme
c.ate|y te tae teta|.ty eia ast a.ea . aaa|. ts . taac a.ea a|ays
aea:saace:tae ,eae:a| ie:m eiaproject . ~t eve:y memeat eaea
a.ste:.eteta|.ty. saea|ta:a|st:aeta:eaa.matec|ya:e]eeta.ea.saa
.cea 1aas " Weltanschauung, tee. .saa .cea ,rxs . 1 35) .
natat other times, eatae eeat:a:y. uasse:|cese:. |es se.eaeeas a
aa.ae aac a:eaetya| ie:m ei t:ac.t.eaa| ea|ta:e. nes. ces a|| tae
eaa:aete:.st.es taat .t aas .a eemmea .ta etae:ea|ta:a|ie:mat.eas.
se.eaee e|a.msaaesseat.a| :.v.|e,e . . t cees aet e:m. t . tse|it e|e
eae| esec.aaaya. ste:.ea||ycete:m.aecea| ta:eassaea.ie:.taastae
aa.ve:sa|va| . c.tyeitruth. ~saea|ta:a|ie:ma.ea. saet:ee:teaay
ce iaete ea|ta:e. tae . ceaei se.eaee .s tae . aces eia:e ea|ta:e .a
,eae:a| . .tces.,aates ea|ta:e s eidos par excellence. iata.s sease . tae
ea|ta:a|ie:m se.eaee ,eia.ea,eemet:y .s eaeesam|e, .s . tse|i
esem|a:y .ataecea||eseaseeita. se:c.e. cet.eaacte|ee|e,. ea|
.t.staea:t.ea|a:esam|ea.ea,a.cestaee. cet.e:ecaet.eaaac.ata.
t.ea.|at.ta|se.staeesam|eaacmece|a.eamaste:.eatea|ta:eas
.ts . cea| . se.eaee . s tae . ceaeiaat . i:em tae i:st memeat ei.ts
:ecaet.ea.mast|et:aea|aysaacie:eve:yeae.|eyeaceve:y,.vea
ea|ta:a|a:ea. i t. stae.aia.teeidos eesectetaeia.te.cea|a.ea
aa.matestaeWeltanschauung:
Weltanschauung, too, is an "idea, " but ofa goal lying in the fnite , in
principle to be realized in an individual lie by way ofconstant
approach . . . . The "idea" ofWeltanschauung i consequently a
dif erent one for each time. . . . The " idea" ofscience, on the
contrar, is a supratemporal one, and here that means limited by no
relatedness to the spirit ofone time. . . . Science is a title standing for
absolute, timeless values. Every such value, once discovered, belongs
59
Introduction to the Origin ofGeometr
thereafter to the treasure trove ofall succeeding humanity and
obviously determines likewise the material contel1t ofthe idea of
culture, wisdom, Weltanschauung, as well as ofWeltanschauung
philosophy. (Ibid. , pp. 135-36)
iaaaeacese:.t.vea:ese. eaee .taemeceeisec.meatat.ea. ssaea
taataes.,a.ieat.eaeeasestee.:ea|ateataaymemeataaceaaa|ays
|e:eeeaee.vecaac:eaa|eaec. a.tse.:ea|at.ea. ii. tasaeeessa:y
taea te c.st.a,a.sa |eteea aata:a| :ea| .ty aac s.:.taa| ea|ta:e. e
mast ae c.se:.m.aate. .a e:ce: te aace:staac a:e ea| ta:e aac
t:ac.t.eaa| .ty. a,eae:a| .|eteeaem.:.ea|ea|ta:eaactaateit:ata i a
etae:e:cs. |eteeaceiaete a.ste:.ea| ea|ta:e.eataeeae aaac. . a
a.ea seasesec.meatat.ea cees aet ese| ace tae iaet taat va| .c.ty
,a.ea. s:eetec.aa|aa,aa,e.te::a. a. eeea. aacseie:taeaa|eeeme
catec[eremption] , aaceataeetae:aaac. taeea| ta:eeit:ata.aese
. cea|.ty.sa|se|ate| yae:mat.ve. Necea|t. tae|atte:ea|c|einfact
. mess.||e.taeattaeie:me:nateataeeaeaaac. taeea|ta:eeit:ata
. staea.,aestaacmest.::-cae.|| eess. |. | .tyeiem.:.ea|ea|ta:e .ea
taeetae:aaac. taeea| ta:e eit:ata . s. tse| iea| ytaeess.|.| . ty eia
reduction eiem.:.ea|ea|ta:e aac .smaa.iestecte. tse|iea| yta:ea,a
saeaa:ecaet.ea.a:ecaet.eaa. eaaas|eeemeess.|| e|yaa.::a
t. eaeitae. aia.teasa:eve|at.ea.ta.aem.:.ea|ea| ta:e
~ttae same t.me. tae ea|ta:e aact:ac.t.ea eitaetruth a:eeaa:ae
te:.zec |y a a:aces.ea| a.ste:.e.ty ia eae sease. taey eaa aea:
c. sea,a,eci:ema||a.ste:y.s.aeetaeya:eaet. at:.as.ea| |yaaeetec|y
taeem. :.ea|eeateatei:ea|a.ste:yaac|ycete:m. aecea|ta:a|.ate:
eeaaeet.eas 1a.semaae.at.eaeaa|eeeaiasec.taa|:ea|.a,i:em
a.ste:y.a,eae:a| re:taeseaeeeaiaetaemse| vestea.ste:.ea|iaeta
a| .ty. as e|| asie:taeseae eae|esetaemse| ves . atae .cea| .ty ei
va| . c.ty.taeaa::at.eaeitaet:ataeaaea| yaavetaea. ste:.ee:. ,.aa| .tyei
myta
nat.aaaetae:sease.eaetaatee::eseacsteuasse:| s . ateat.ea.tae
t:ac.t.eaeit:ata.staemest:eieaacaaca:esta. ste:yOa| ytaea:e
aa.ty ei saea a t:ac.t.ea s sease .s at te esta||. sa ta. s eeat.aa. ty.
i aceec. . taeatta. saeaataeat.ea.ste:yea|c|etaea,ate::e]eetec
assaea. tae:eea|cea|y|eaaem.:.ea|a,,:e,ateei| a.teaacaee.
ceata| aa.t s ~s seea as aeaemeae| e,y |:ea|s i:e |eta eea
veat. eaa| r|atea. sm aac a. ste:. e.st em.:.e. sm. tae mevemeat ei
` As Husserl had already stressed in the LI (I, I , 32, p. 3 3 1 ) , ideality i s not always
normative. Validity is a higher ideality which can or cannot be attached to ideality i n
general. We wi ll see this much later: the sense of error has i ts own particular i deality.
60
Jacques Derrid
i :aiaiaai.i.saesiecese:.|e.s :ea||yiaaieiaeeae:eieaacsee. ie
a. sie:y-iae ieaacai.eas ei a.ea a:e a ieme:a| aac e:eai.ve sa|
]eei. v.iy s aei s|aseceaiaeseas.||ee:|caaciae|.iee:|casea| ia:a|
e:|c.
1a.s :e,:ess .s |:ea,ai a|eai |y iae e:maaeai ieia|.zai.ea aac
:eei.i.eaei.isaea. s.i.eas . Ceemei:y. s|e:aeaieiafrst aea.s.
i.ea.eaieii:sie:eai.veaei.v.i.es .weaace:siaac. ise:s.si.a,maaae:
ei|e.a,. .i. saeiea|yame|.|eie:a:c:eeessi:emeaeseieiaea. s.
i.easi eaaeiae:|aia eeai.aaeas syaiaes.s. aa.ea a||aea. s. i.eas
ma.aia.aiae.:va|.c.iy.a||ma|eaaieia|.iysaeaiaai .aieve:y:eseai
sia,e. iaeieia|aea.s.i.ea .s. se ie sea|. iae ieia| :em.se ie: iae
aea.s.i.eas eiiae ae |eve| . . . . 1ae sameia.a,. si:ae eieve:y
se.eaee ( 1 59) .
iei as aace:siaac ia. s as i:ae ei eve:y aeacese:.i.ve se. eaee .
1aese syaiaeses ce aei eeea: .a a syeae|e,.ea| meme:y. aeeve:
ee||eei. ve. |ai :aiae: .a iaai "rational memor" se :eieaac| y ce
se:.|ec|yCasieanaeae|a:c.ameme:y|aseceaa"recurrent fruitul
ness, " a.eaa|eae .seaa||eeieeasi.iai.a,aac:eia.a.a,iae"events
of reason. " ia a.sPhilosophy of Arithmetic, uasse:|a|:eacy c.si.a
,a.saec |eieea syeae|e,.ea| ieme:a|.iy as saeeess. veaess ,aai
uamecese:.|ec,aaciaeieme:a|.iyeiiaesyaiaei.e. aie:eeaaeei.eas
eisease. ue eeai.aaeciees|.eaieia. sc.ne:eaee . aac.aiaeOrigin
( 1 66) aeemaas.zesiaaiase.eai.iesia,e.saeiea|yaseasea.ea.a
iaei eemes|aie:. |aiiae . aie,:ai.eaeiiae ae| eea:| . e: sease. aa
ae:e]eei.
,e|e,.ea|sa|]eei.v.iyeaaaei|e:eseas.||eie:ia. sceve|emeai .
a.ea.seeai.aaa||yieia|. zec.aaaa|se|aier:eseai.Oa| yaeemmaaa|
sa|]eei. v.iyeaa :ecaeeiaea.sie:.ea| sysiemeii:aiaaac|eae||y
:eseas.||eie:.i.ueeve:.ia. sieia|sa|]eei.v.iy.aeseaa.iymasi|e
a|se|aieaaca priori ,eiae:.seeveaiaes|.,aiesii:aiaea| c|eaa
. ma,.aa||e, .s |ai iae eemmea|aee eia|| e,e|e,.ea| sa|]eei.v. i. es.
aeiae:aeiaa||y:eseaie:ess.||e. aeiae:asi. :eseai.e:iaia:e.
aeiae:|aeae:aa|aea. ve:yse.eaee. s:e|aiecieaaeeaeaa.a
eiiae ,eae:ai.eas eiiaese ae e:|ie:aac .iaeae aaeiae:. :e
sea:eae:se.iae:|aeae:aa|aeaieeaeaaeiae:aeeiae :e
caei. vesa|]eei.v.iyeiiaeieia||. v. a,se.eaee ( 1 59 ,mec|iec}, .
s.aeeiae ieia|.iyeise. eaee.s eea. iae aa. ve:sa|eemmaa|iya|se
aasiaeaa.iyeiaae:.zea.ra:iae:me:e.iae. ma,eeiiae eeaeaa|a
cees aeiesaaasiiae ceia eiia.seemmaaa| sa|]eei. v.iy. re: |iaei
,'4 Cf. in particular Le Rationalisme applique, 4th ed. (Paris: Presses Universitaires de
France, 1 970), pp. 2 and 42-46.
61
1 ntroduction to the Origin ofGeometr
ea| yaasiaeaa.iyei.aie::e|aieaaess aac ee:eseas.|.| .iy-eaea. a
vesi.,aie:aeiea| yiee| sa. mse|itied to a| |iaeeiae:s|yiaeaa.iyeiaa
e|]eeie:ias|-|aiiae. avesi.,aie: seasa|]eei.v.iy.seeasi.iaiec|y
iae.ceae:ae:.zeaeiia. sieia|sa|]eei.v.iya.ea.smace:eseas. || e
.aaacia:ea,aa. mie:eaeaeia. saeisasase.eai.ie.avesi.,aie:. ia
aacia:ea,aa.m.iaaimeaas.iaeai|e.a,sa|si.iaiecie:a. m. |eeaase.
ai iaesamei.me.ae:ema. asiaea|se| aie e:. ,. a. iaeeeasi.iai.a,aac:es
eaisea:eeeii:aia. raeaemeae| e,.ea| |y.iaei:aaseeaceaia|we .saei
something other iaaaiae i:aaseeaceaia|Ego . 1ae |aiie: s aei .eea
aeaiaeyseemmaacaiec|yaa.cea|eemmaa.iy.ceaeieeaseie|e. ::e
cae.|| yiaeseeiameaac.e"[ think" -iea.ea.isameesie:ecaeeiae
em. :.ea|e,e| e,.ea|eeaieaieiiaeego .ae:ce:iec.seeve:iaec.mea
s.eaeiiae"we" asamemeaieiiaeeidos "ego. Oaeea|c. aceec
|eiemiecieia.a|iaai.i. siaewe iaaima|esess.|| eiae:ecaei.eaei
iae em.:.ea|ego aac iae eme:,eaee eiiaeeidos "ego, " .isaea aa
ayeiaes.sc.caei| eac. a,a.asiuasse:| s mesies|.e.i.aieai.eas. ie
|ae.a, iae e,e|e,.ea|meaac.aa|si:aei:e|ai.eaie iaeieia|sa|]ee
i.v.iy. ia aay ease. .iiae:e .s a a. sie:y eii:aia . .ieaa ea| y|e ia.s
eeae:eie .m|.eai.eaaacia.s:ee.:eea|eave|emeaieiieia| .i.esaac
a|se|aies . 1a. s. sess.||eea| y|eeaaseea:ecea|.a,.ia.cea|aac
s.:.iaa| . m|. eai. eas. 1ae cese.. i.ea eiiaese ie eaa:aeie:. si. es.
. cea|.i,aacs.:.iaa| .i,. sei:eaeai|,evesec.aiaeOrigin, ceesaei
ee::eseac. asesae.ieaa,meiaa,s.ea|asse:i.ea taacc. i. eaie
a.ea. iae,a:e"founded" .aiaeseaseeiFundierung.
1ae.::ecae.||ea.sie:.e.iyei,eemei:.ea||eeem.a,. seaa:aeie:.zec
|yiaeiaeiiaaiiaetotal seaseei,eemei:y ,aac.isaeeessa:yaeei.e
ee::e|aie .ieia|sa|]eei.v.iy,eea|caeiaave|eea:eseaiasa:e]eei
aaciaeaasme|.|eia|i||meaiaiiae|e,.aa.a,( ] 59) . iiiaea.sie:yei
,eemei:ye:eea|yiaeceve|emeaieiaa:eseae||y:eseaii:em
iae |e,.aa.a,. e ea|c aave ie cea| ea|y .ia aa es|.eai.ea e:a
aas.e:eai.ea. we ea|c aaveea eae s. ce a syaea:ea.ee: i.me|ess
[uchronique p6 ,:eaacaac.eaiaeeiae:s.ce.aa:e| yem. :. ea|c.aea
:eay .ia .is . ac. eai. veiaaei.ea|ai.iaeaiaay:ee:aa.iy ei.is
ea.Ne. iae:a:ec.aea:enyae:a:esyaea:eayma|eaa. sie:y.1ae
Then begins the formidable difculties grappled with in the ffth of the Cartesian
Meditations, and into which we do not want to enter here.
[Derrida wants to suggest by the word uchronie a temporality akin to the spatiality of
utopia. We should also note Derrida' s use of the roots "temporalite" and "chronie" in
various words: panchronie and uchronie versus omnitemporalite and intemporalite (as
ell as synchronie, diachronie, and anachronie) . When uchronie occurs again on p. 73 , i t
lb translated as intemporality. ]
|
I
* |

i
J
62
Jacques Derrda
:e]eetec ayetaes.s .s eaee e:e taat ei a ee| .e.ty -eteea
r|atea.saace.:.e.s
~saatte:eiiaet. evea-eie:etaeess.-.|.tyeitaeeea:e]eetei
,eeet:y. a e:e:..t.veie:at.eaeisease(Sinnbildung) aeeessa:
.|yeat-eie:e. tasa:e|. . aa:y sta,e. aacea-tec|y. asaeaaay
taat.taea:ecie:taei:stt.e.ataeev. ceaeeeisaeeessia|aetaa| .z+
t. ea( 1 59-60 ec.r ec} ,
IV
uav.a, :eaeaec ta. s e.at . uasse:| e:ie:s a cetea:a.ea ay
seec.seeaee:t.a,i asteaceicese:.-.a,ta. s:..t.ve,eaes.seisease
.a. tse|iaac.a. tsErstmaligkeit, aetae.t|yaac:ev. s. eaa||yeeas. ce:s. t
te-ealready ceae. . tssease-e. a, a|:eacyev.ceat ue. seeateatte
:eea||taate|aetae,eae:a|ie:meita.sev.ceaee. tae|atte:mast
-e~.teaaaetaet-e-|.|ea||ev. ceaee,aetae:e:eet.vee:e.cet.e, .
tae.ata.t.eaeiaaata:a|:ea| .tye:eiaa.cea|e|]eet .. e .,:as. a,aa
es. steat . a tae eease. easaess ei.ts e:.,.aa| |e. a,.tse|itae:e ( 1 60
,ec.iec}, 1a.s:eea||stae"principle ofall principles" ceiaec.aIdeas
I. ueeve:| .tt|eeay|aea-eattaei:st,eeet:.ea|ev.ceaee. e
ce|aea priori taat. taasaacteassae ta.sie: uateveataea,a
a|.ecteaa. ste:.ea|e:. ,.a. ata.sease. ta.sa priori |ae|ec,eeea
eeo.a,taeie:eiev. ceaee. saeta.a,| esstaaaa. ste:.ea| Deia. a,a
"source ofauthority" [Ideas I, 24, .s} ie:taeee,a.t.eaeiaaye-]eet
. a,eae:a| ..t. seaeeitaeseformal a prori saesec-yeve:yate:.a|
se.eaee.ae:e|y,eeet:yaaca. ste:y s.aeetaei:st,eee::.ea|ev.
ceaeeaasaacteeeaie:teta.satte:a.eeaaaaveai:stee:ta.aty
a-eat.t .a tae a|seaee eiaay etae: ate:.a| |re|ec,e ueaee tae
content ei,eeet:.ea|ev. ceaee,aeeateata.ea. sa. ste:.ea|-eeaase
e:eatecie:taei:stt. e,.saetceiaecie:taeeeat uasse:|eeas. c
e:s .ta|:eacyaea.:ec
1a.sa|steat.ea-eie:etaeeeateateitae:.e:c.a|aetaacev. ceaee
. s:ev.s.eaa| i t . saaest.eaeiaetaece|e,.ea||. . tat.eaaac.eaee
a,a.a. eitae aeeess.tyteta|eeae s sta:t.a,e.at. ataeeeast.tatec
uatta. setaece| e,.ea| aeeess.ty .s ea|y|e,. t.ate ea tae -as. s eia
:eieaaca. |esea.ea|cee.s.ea uav.a,e|ea:ecta. ssta,e.uasse:|. a
eaeeteeat.aaesa.sec.tat.ea,ae:eteetec-ytaatie:ma| |e,. t.a
t.ea,as.ia. staeee:eae|ea,e:taee:.,.aei,eeet:.ea|sease.|at
` Thi s i s done i n terms which recall those of Ideas I, no doubt, but above al l those of
FTL: cf. notably FTL, 59, pp. 1 56-59.
63
Introduction to the Origin of Geometr
tae genesis of the a-se|ate. . e . .cea| Objectivity eisease. ta. ssease
|e.a, a|:eacy:eseatie:aay eease.easaessaatseeve: uasse:|:e
eatec|yaace|st.aate| y:eta:asteaaest.eaa. ea. sat-ettetae
ie||e.a,. aeeaataesa-]eet.vee,e| e,.ea|ev.ceaeeeisease|eeee
e|]eet.veaac.ate:sa-]eet. ve:ueeaa.t,.ve:.seteaa.cea|aact:ae
e-]eet. .ta a||taeeaa:aete:.st.estaate|ae.tteaave. ea. te
e:a| va|.c.ty. aa. ve:sa| ae:at. v.ty

.ate| | . ,.-.|.tyie:"everyone, " a

:eetecaesseateia||"here and now" iaetaa|.ty.aacseie:

a:1a. s.stae
a. ste:.ea|:eet.t.eaeitaeaest.eaeiO-]eet.v.tysei:eaeat|yas|ec.a
taeive|eeta:eseiThe Idea ofPhenomenolog: aeeaasa|]eet.v.ty,e
eatei. tse|i. ae:ce:teeaeeaate:e:eeast.tatetaee-]eet:
uasse:|aas. taea. :ev.s.eaa|| ya|sta.aec-eie:e tae a.ste:.ea|eea
teat eiErstmaligkeit ea|y te as| tae aest.ea ei .ts e-]eet. ieat.ea
[objectivation], . e . ei.ts|aaaea.a,.atea. ste:yaac.tsa.ste:.e. ty re:a
seaseaaseate:ec.atea.ste:yea|y.i.taas-eeeeaaa|se|atee-]eet.
Husserl had posed thi s question i n the same terms but in i ts most inclusive extension
and with a more cri tical , but less historical, infl exion i n FTL, 1 0, pp. 263-64. There,
however, i t is l i mited to the egological sphere of Objecti vity. Here it i s focused on the
possibi l ity of objecti ve spi ri t as the condition for history and i n thi s respect takes the
opposite vi ew to Di lthey' s questi on. Di l they, in efect, starts fom the already constituted
objective spi ri t . For hi m, what matters i s knowing how the signifcations and the values of
thi s objecti ve mi l i eu can be interiorized and assumed as such by i ndi vidual subjects-first
of al l in the hi stori an' s work on the basi s of testionies which are i ndi vidual in thei r origin
or object . Moreover, this question led Di lthey to di scover, like Husserl , a non
psychological di mensi on of the subject. Di lthey writes: "Now the followi ng question
ari ses: how a nexus which i s not produced as such i n a mind [tete], which consequently i s
not di rectly experienced and can no more be l ed back t o t he l i ved experi ence of a person,
how can it be constituted as such i n the historian on the basis of the statements of thi s
person or of statements made about t hi s matter'? Thi s presupposes that some logical
SUbjects, who are not psychological subjects, can be constituted" (Part I I I : "Plan der
Fortsetzung zum Aufau der geschi chtlichen Wel t i n den Geisteswi ssenschaften. En
twiirfe zur Kritik der hi storischen Verunf" [ "Plan for the Continuation of the Forma
tion of the Hi storical World in the Human Studi es. Sketches for d Critique of Historical
Reason"] , in Di l they' s Der Aufau der geschichtlichen Welt in den Geisteswissenschaf
ten, ed. Bernard Groethuysen, 2nd ed. (Stuttgart: B . G. Teubner and Gottingen: Van
denhoeck and Ruprecht, 1 958), Vol . 7 of Gesammelte Schriften, p. 282.
Thi s question i s "turned over" i n the Origin i n formulas which are strangel y si milar to
those of Di lthey. Thi s "reverse si de" of the question concers the radical origin and the
conditions of possi bil i ty for the objecti ve spirit itself. Afer the interconnections of sense
and the evidences of a monadic ego from which we cannot not start , de facto as wel l as de
j ure, how can an objecti ve spirit i n general be constituted as the pl ace of truth, tradition,
co-responsi bi l ity, and so forth? We wi l l see that, according to Husserl, a "logical "
subject wi l l no more be able to be responsible for such a possi bi l ity than could the
psychological subject .
'
64
Jacques Derrid
. . e , aa .cea| e|]eeta.ea, a:aces.ea||y, mastaave|:esea a|| tae
mee:.a,sa.easeea:ec.ttetaeem.:.ea|,:eaaceia. ste:y.1aeeea
c.t.easeiO|]eet.v.ty+:etaeataeeeac.t.easeia.ste:.e.ty.tse|i.
waeauasse:|ia:tae:eacevetesaie| .aestetae:ecaet.eaaac
ev.ceaeeei,eemet:.ea|seaseassaeaaac.tsea:ee:eeateat, ae
.||ce se ea|yafter aav.a, cete:m.aectae ,eae:a| eeac.t.eas ei . ts
O|]eet. v.ty aac eitae O|]eet. v.ty ei.cea| e|]eet.v.t.es 1aas. ea|y
retroactively aaceatae|as.sei. ts:esa|tseaae.|i am.aatetaea:e
sease eitae sa|]eet.ve :as. sa.ea aas ea,eace:ec ,eemet:y. 1ae
seaseeitaeeeast.tat. a,aeteaaea|y|ecee.ae:ec.ataee|eitae
eeast.tatece|]eet ~ac ta.saeeess.ty .saet aa este:aa|iate, |ataa
esseat.a|aeeess.tyei. ateat.eaa|.ty 1aeprimordial seaseeieve:y. a
teat.eaa|aet.sonly . tsfnal sease, . e ,taeeeast. tat.eaeiaae|]eet,.a
tae|:eacestseaseeitaesete:ms, 1aat. sayea|yate|ee|e,yeaa
eeaaaassa,e,aay|aestea:ctae|e,. aa.a,s
ii tae sease ei,eemet:.ea| sease .s O|]eet.v.ty e:tae .ateat.eaei
O|]eet.v.ty,.i,eemet:y.sae:etaeesem|a:y. acesei|e.a,se.eat.ie ,
aac.ia.ste:y.staea.,aestaacmest:eve|ate:yess.|.| .tyie:aaa.ve:
sa|a.ste:y,taeeeaeeteia.eaea|caetes.st.taeat.t, , taeatae
seaseeisease .a,eae:a| .s ae:e cete:m.aecasobject: as seme ta.a,
taat.saeeess.||eaacava.|a||e. a,eae:a|aaci:stie:a:e,a:ce:,aze
1ae e:|c|y .ma,e eigaze ea|caet|etae aaaet.eecmece| eitae
|aee:et.ea|att.taceeia:e eease.easaess|at , eataeeeat:a:y,ea|c
|e::e.tsseasei:emtaatatt.tace1a.s. sve:ymaea.aaeee:c.tatae
. a.t.a| c.:eet.ea ei aeaemeae|e,y tae e|]eet .a,eae:a| .s tae iaa|
eate,e:y eieve:yta.a, taat eaa aea:, . e , taat eaa |e ie: a a:e
eease.easaess .a ,eae:a| O|]eets .a ,eae:a|]e.a a|| :e,.eas te eea
se.easaess, taeUr-Region. 59
~| se. aeauasse:|am:ms taat asease :ecaet.ea mastaavefrst
:eseatec. tse|iasev.ceaee.ataee:seaa|eease.easaesseitae.avea
te:, aac aea ae asss tae aest.ea ei .ts subsequent ,.a a iaetaa|
ea:eae|e,.ea|e:ce:,e|]eet. ieat.ea.aee|.e.tsas.aceiiet.eacest.aec
te mase tae eaa:aete:.st.es ei .cea| O|]eet.v.ty :e||emat.e aac te
saetaat taeya:eaeta matte:eieea:se 1:a| y, tae:e. saeti:sta
sa|]eet. ve,eemet:.ea|ev.ceaeea.eaea|c taea |eeemee|]eet.ve
Ceemet:.ea|ev.ceaeeea|ysta:tstaememeat tae:e. s ev.ceaeeeiaa
. cea|e|]eet.v.ty.1ae|atte:.s saeaea|y aue:aav.a,|eeaat. ate
. ate:sa|]eet.vee.:ea|at.eaCeemet:.ea|es.steaee.saetsyea.ees. s
teaee .tceesaetes.stassemeta.a,e:seaa|.ta. ataee:seaa|sae:e
eieease.easaess . . t.s tae es. steaee eiaat .s O|]eet.ve|ytae:eie:
Cf. Ideas I. in particular 76, pp. 1 94-97.
65
Introductin to the Origin of Geometr
eve:yeae ,ie:aetaa|aacess.||e,eemete:s, e:taeseaeaace:staac
,eemet:y, i aceec, .t aas, i:em .ts :. ma| .ast.tat.ea, aa es.steaee
a.ea. seea| .a:|ysa:ateme:a|aaca.ea-eita. sea:eee:ta.a-.s
aeeess. ||e te a|| mea, i:st ei a|| te tae aetaa| aac ess.||e matae
mat.e.aaseia|| ee|es , a||a,es. aac ta.s . st:ae eia|| .ts a:t.ea|a:
ie:ms ( 1 60 mec.iec},
neie:eaacaue:masttaea|eaeat:a| .zec. atae.:iaetaa| . tyaac
asec .a aetat.ea ma:ss nat eaa e s.m|y :e|aee taem . ta tae
t.me|ess.iaac:ev.cectaateitaeeeac.t.eaeiess. |.| .ty:
1ae |aa,aa,e ei,eaes.s eea|c e|| seemiet.ve at ta. s e.at . tae
cese:.t.eaeiaay:ea|ceve|emeat,aeat:a| .zec.a:.ae.|e,ea|caet
ea||ie:. t, |at|:.a,.a,te|.,attaeie:ma|eeac.t.easeiess.|.| .ty,tae
ce]a:e .m| .eat.eas. aace.cet.e st:at.ieat.eascees ~:eeaettaea
cea|.a,.taa.ste:y:Deesta. saet:eta:aasteae|ass.et:aaseeaceata|
:e,:ess.ea: ~ac .s aet tae . ate:eeaaeet.a, eit:aaseeaceata| aeees
s.t. es , evea .inarrated aeee:c.a, te ae. tceve|es, at|ettemtae
stat.e. st:aeta:a| ,aacae:mat.veseaemaie:taeeeac.t.easeiaa.ste:y
:atae:taaaa.ste:y. tse|i:
Qaest.easeita.ss.acm.,atse:.eas|y. ma,ataeae|ee:.,.aa|.tyei
ta.s attemt nat. t seems taey :ema.a eats.ce uasse:| s .ateat.ea
uacea|tec|ytae:e.saet.ata. saccount tae|east,:a.aeia. ste:y.ie
aace:staac|ytaattaeiaetaa|eeateateiceve|emeat. nattaeaeees
s.tyeita. s:ecaet.eaaas|eea]ast.iecattaeeatset ~actaeaaaeyec
| etceaeitaeseaeea|c eseetuasse:| tete||taemwhat really
happened, tete||taemaste:y[leur raconte une histoire], eaa|e saa:
aac eas.|y.ma,.aa||e aeeve:, ta.sc. sae.atmeat.s . ||e,.t.mate.
uasse:|ea|y.saectecee.ae:.aacvaaeetaetesta. cceaaace:eve:y
em.:.ea|ste:ya|eata.eaeea| c|eea:.eas raetaa|a.ste:yeaa
taea |e ,.vea i:ee :e. a ae matte: aat .ts sty|e, . tsmeiaec, e:.is
philosophy, .t.||a|ays me:ee:|essaa.ve|ysaesetaeess.|.|.ty
aacaeeess.tyeitae.ate:eeaaeet.eascese:.|ec|yuas:| .uacea|i
ec|y taese .ate:eeaaeet.eas a:e a|ays ma:sec |y a ]a:.c.ea| aac
t:aaseeaceata| s.,a.ieat.ea, |attaey :eie: teconcrete aetslived .a a
unique systemei. ast. tat.a,.m|.eat.eas , . e ,.aasystemtaaiaas|eea
e:.,.aa||y:ecaeecea|yo:e-taat:ema.asce iaeie c ce]a:e,ir
reversible. 1aesetaeaa:e taeinterconnections-of aat.s, . ataen||est
seaseeitaee:c,histor itsel. 1aas, eeai:eat.a,aat.sta:eaaac
ta:ea,a aa.ste:.ea|acveata:e ,tae iaeteia.ea.s .ne|aeea||ei , a
60
Cf. in particular Tran-Duc-Thao, Phenomenoiogie, p. 221 . Following this interpreter,
"the subjectivist point of view" in The Origin ofGeometr would have prohibited Hus
serl from "going beyond the level of common sense remarks. "
66
Jacques Derrid
a:.e:. aac e.cet.e:eac.a,aac c.seea:se saea|c |e ess.|| e uasse:|
c.caet.aveatsaeaaess.|.| .ty. .tass.m|yc. se|esecasaat.m
| .e.t|yaasa| ayseeac.t.eaectaees.steaeeeitae.cea|e|]eetseia
a:ese.eaeeaactaaseiaa:e t:ac.t.ea. aaceeaseaeat| yeiaa:e
a. ste:.e.ty.taemece|eia.ste:y.a,eae:a|
Pure-interconnections-of a.ste:y.apriori-thought-of a. ste:y. ceesta. s
aetmeaataattaeseess.|. | .t. esa:eaet.ataemse| vesa. ste:.ea| :Netat
a|.ie:taeya:enothing but taees s.|.|.t.esoftaeaea:aaeeofa.ste:y
as such, eats.ce a.eatae:e .s aeta.a, u.ste:y.tse|iesta||. saes tae
ess.|.| .tyei.tseaaea:.a,
v
1a.sess.|.|.ty.s| :stea||ec"language. " iieas|ea:se| vesa|eat
taemaaae:.aa.eataesa|]eet.veev. ceaeeei,eemet:.ea|sease,a.as
.ts .cea|O|]eet.v.ty.emasti:staete taat.cea|O|]eet.v.tyaetea| y
eaa:aete:.zes,eemet:.ea|aacse.eat.iet:atas . .t.staee|emeatei| aa
,aa,e. a,eae:a| it. s:ee:teaae|ee| asseis.:.taa|:ecaetsei
taeea|ta:a|e:| c. te a.ea aetea| ya| | se.eat.ie ie:mat.eas aactae
se.eaeestaemse| ves |e|ea, |at a| se. ie: esam|e. tae ie:mat.eas ei
|. te:a:ya:t , | -mec.iec} ,
1a.smevemeat. saaa|e,easteaateaaa|yzecea:| .e:. tae.cea|
O|]eet.v.tyei,eemet:y. s| :st:eseatecasaeaa:aete:.st.eeemmeate
a|ie:msei|aa,aa,eaacea|ta:e.|eie:e. ts esem|a:y :.v. |e,e.s
ceiaec ia aa . me:taat aete . uasse:| see.ies taat tae |:eacest
eeaeet ei| . te:ata:e , i -, eem:. sesa| | . cea| ie:mat. eas . s. aee. . a
e:ce:te|esaea.taeymasta|ays|eeaa||eei|e.a,es:ess.||e. a
c.seea:se aac t:aas|ata||e . c.:eet|y e:aet. i:em eae| aa,aa,e .ate
aaetae:.iaetae:e:cs. .cea|ie:mat.easa:e:eetecea| y.a|aa,aa,e.a
,eae:a| .aet. ataeiaetaa| .tyei|aa,aa,esaactae.:a:t.ea|a:| .a,a. st.e
.aea:aat.eas
i t . s ta:ea,ataesetaemes. a|:eacy:eseat. ataeLogical Investiga
tions aactaei:stseet.easeiFormal and Transcendental Logic, taattae
ve:ysa|t|eaacsee.ie eaa:aete:eitaeuasse:|.aaaest.eaaea:s
1ae.cea|e|]eet. staea|se| atemece|ie:aaye|]eetaateve: .ie:
e|]eets .a ,eae:a| . ' it. sa|aysme:ee|]eet.vetaaa tae :ea| e|]eet.
6 I
This ideality of the object, i . e . , here, of the mathematical thing itself, i s not the
non-reality of the noema described i n Ideas I (especially 88, 97f. ) . The l atter charac
terizes the type of intentional i ncl usion of every noema i n conscious l i ved experience,
whatever the intended type of exi stent may be and however i t may be intended (even if
67
Introuctin to the Origin of Geometry
taaataeaata:a|es.steat re:.itae|atte::es.stse:eesesaayta.a,..t
ea|ca|ays|eaceiaeteem.:.ea|sa|]eet.v.ty1ae:eie:e .tae:ea|
e|]eeteaaaeve:atta.ataata|se| ateO|]eet.v.tya.eaeaa|e:eesec
ie:a||sa|]eet.v.ty.a,eae:a|.atae.ataa,.||e.ceat.tyei.tssease 1ae
aest.ea"how is any object in general possible? " assames.tssaa:est
aacmestaceaateie:m. taea. .ataeOrigin, aea uas se:| eace:s
"How is ideal Objectivity possible? " ue:e tae aest.ea a| seatta.as.|s
,:eatestc.mea| ty.s.aee:eeea:setetaeaata:a|O|]eet.v.tyeiae:|c|y
es.steat.sae|ea,e:ess.|| enes.ces .eaeeaav.a,:eaeaectae| eve|ei
.cea|O|]eet.v.ty.est.||eaeeaate:seve:a|me:ece,:ees
Necea|t|aa,aa,e. s tae:ea,a|ymaceaei.cea|e|]eet.v.t.es . ie:
esam|e. tae e:cLowe ,|.ea} eeea:s ea| yeaee .a tae Ce:maa | aa
,aa,e ..t. s.ceat.ea|ta:ea,aeat.ts.aaame:a|| eatte:aaees|yaay,. vea
e:seas, | - | mec.iec} ,
1aas. taee:co } aasaa.cea|O|]eet.v.tyaac. ceat.ty.s. aee.t. s
aet .ceat.ea| .ta aay ei. ts em. :.ea| . aeaet.e . e: ,:aa.e mate
:.a|.zat.eas it.sa|aystaesame e:ca.ea.smeaataac:eee,a.zec
ta:ea,aa||ess.||e| .a,a.st.e,esta:es i aseia:asta.s.cea|e|]eeteea
i:eats|aa,aa,eas saea.tae|atte:saesesaseataaeeasaeat:a|.za
t.eaeitaeiaetaa|es.steaeeeitaesea|.a,sa|]eet. eie:cs. aacei
taeta.a,ces.,aatecseeea[La parole], taea.. sea|ytae:aet.eeeiaa
. mmec.ate e.cet.e ~ac:- ce Ha:a|t aetes ve:y :ee.se| y taat tae
we are deal i ng wi th perception of a real thing) . However, there is no doubt that thi s
non-reality of the noema (a very difcult and deci si ve notion) may be what, in the last
anal ysi s, permits the repetition of sense as the "same" and makes the idealization of
identity i n general possible. Undoubtedl y, we coul d show this in a precise way on the
basi s of 62 of FTL, devoted to ' ' The I deali ty of All Species of Objectivities Over Against
the Constituti ng Consciousness" and the "universal ideality of all intentional unities"
(pp. 1 65-66).
tI2
The l i nguistic neutralization of exi stence is an original idea only in the technical and
thematic signifcation that phenomenology gives it. Is not this idea the favorite of Mal
larme and Valery? Hegel above al l had ampl y expl ored it. In the Encyclopedia ( one of the
few Hegel i an works that Husserl seems to have read) , the l i on already testifes to thi s
neutralization as an exemplary martyr: "Confronting the nae-Lion-we no longer
have any need ei ther of an intuition of such an animal or even an image, but the nae
(when we understand i t) i s i ts simple and imageless representation; in the name we thi nk"
(462) . (Thi s passage i s ci ted by Jean Hyppolite i n hi s Logique et existence: Essai sur La
logique de Hegel [Pari s: Presses Uni versitaires de France , 1 953] , p. 39, a work which , on
a great many points, lets the profound convergence of Hegelian and Husserlian thought
appear. )
Hegel also writes: "The frst act , by which Adam i s made master of the animal s, was to
i mpose on them a name, i . e . , he anni hi l ated them i n thei r existence ( as exi stents)"
( "System of 1 803- 1 804") . Cited by Maurice Blanchot i n La Part dufeu (Pari s: Gallimard,
1 949) , p. 325.
68
Jacques Derrida
"reduction is implicitly carried o.-s. m|ye:ie:mecaac aetyetmace
es|.e.t-asseeaas|aa,aa,e. seeas.ce:ecea.tseaaeeeaat
"|i'\
ue:e e a:e eeaeeec .ta tae e.cet.e :ecaet.ea. nat. a:aces.
ea||y.ie:ta.s:easea.tseemsme:ec.mea|ttesaytaatataea,ata.ea
mevesse|e|yeatae|eve|ei |aa,aa,e. saeeessa:. |y.ataeatt.taceeitae
phenomenological reduction ea: emaas. s} . .t . s set saa:e|y . a tae
e.cet.ee:|ceis.,a.aeat.ease:a:e| .vecese:.eaees
"|1
re:.itae aeaemeae|e,.ea|:ecaet.ea.s ta|ea .a.tsia||estsease. .t
masta| seeata.|tae:ecaet.eaeieeast.tatece. cet.esaactaeaei.tsea
|aa,aa,e 1ae:eeaat.eaeiaetat.eama:|sea| ysat.s| esta.s.m
e:at.ve.aaaea. veea|iasa.ea1a.st:aaseeaceata|:ecaet.eaeie.ce
t.es. a.ea.a.tsmest:ac.ea|memeatmastst.||ta:a as|ae|tea:ca
ae aac .::ecae.||y aeeessa:y e.cet.e . taat ei a:e eease.easaess.
e:eates .a eaeet seme eeas.ce:a||e c.mea|t.es uasse:| . s ve:y eea
se.easeita.saacaeesesestaesec.mea|t.es.tatae,:eateste|a:.ty
. aIdeas i.
1ae:eie:e . te tae ve:y esteat taat |aa,aa,e .s aet aata:a| . .t
a:aces.ea||y eae:s tae mest caa,e:eas :es.staaee te tae ae
aemeae|e,.ea| :ecaet.ea. aac t:aaseeaceata| c.seea:se .|| :ema.a
B:l The Idea of Phenomenology: Husser/ian Exemplarism, tr. Garry L. Breckon
(Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 1 974) , p. 1 28.
`Ibid. [modifed] .
"Meanwhile we cannot disconnect transcendents indefnitel y, transcendental purif
cation cannot mean the disconnection of all transcendents, since otherwise a pure con
sciousness might i ndeed remain over, but no possbi lity [sic 1 of a science of pure con
sciousness" (Ideas I, 59, p. 1 59) . I n thi s section, devoted to the necessary but difcult
reduction of formal ontology and fonal logic once all the transcendents of the material
ei detics have been excluded, Husserl concludes in favor of the possibility of such a
reduction, provided the "logical axioms " are maintained, axioms (li ke the principle of
contradiction) " whose uni versal and absolute val idity" the description of pure con
sciousness could "make transparent by the help of examples taken from the data of its
own domain" ( p. 1 60) . But he says nothing about the language of this ultimate science of
pure consciousness, about the language which at least seems to suppose the sphere of
fonal logic that we j ust excluded. For Husserl, the univocity of expression and certain
precautions taken within and with the help of language itself (di stinctions, quotation
marks, neologi sms, revaluation and reactivation of old words, and so on) wil l always be
sufcient guarantees of rigor and nonworl dliness.
That is why, despi te the remarkable analyses which are devoted to it , despite the
constant interest i t bears (from the Logical Investigations to the Origin) , the specific
problem of language-its origin and i ts usage i n a transcendental phenomenology-has
always been excl uded or deferred. Thi s is explicitly so in FTL (2, p. 2 1 , and 5, p. 27)
and i n the Origin, where he has written: "we shall not go i nto the general problem which
also arises here of the origin of language i n i ts ideal existence and its exi stence in the real
world" ( 1 61 ) .
69
Introuctin to the Origin of Geometry
. ::ecae.||ye||.te:atec|yaee:ta.aam|.,aease:|c|.aess ny. ma,
.a.a,taattaeOrigin .|| | :st.ac.eatetaeess.|.| .tyeia. ste:yastae
ess.|.|.tyei|aa,aa,e.ea:eea|ea| at.a,aec.mea| t. seve:yattemt
te :ecaee ,.a seme a|t. mate aac :ac.ea| t:aaseeaceata| :e,:ess.ea a
aeaemeae|e,yeia. ste:.e.ty ~acseeaeeme:ee seeaee:ta.aaea
ceeaceaeeeeaa:mec.ataat aeaemeae|e,y
Thi s is a di fculty that Fink has frequently underscored (particularly in hi s famous
article i n Kantstudien of 1 933 [ "The Phenomenological Philosophy of Edmund Husserl
and Contemporary Cri ti ci sm"] ) . For hi m, the phenomenological reduction "cannot b
presented by means of simpl e sentences of the natural attitude. It can be spoken of only
by transforming the natural function of language" ( Letter of May 1 1 , 1 936, cited by
Gaston Berger, The Cogito in Husserl's Philosophy, tr. Kathleen McLaughl in [ Evanston:
Northwestern Uni versity Press. 1 972] , p. 49).
And i n his admirable lecture on " Les concepts operatoires dans la phenomenologie de
Husserl , " he attributes a certain equi vocation in the usage of operative concepts (that of
"constitution, " for exampl e) to the fact that "Husserl does not pose the problem of a
'transcendental language. ' " He wonders if, after the reduction, one can sti l l "have at hi s
di sposal a Logos i n the same sense as before" (i n Husserl, Cahiers de Royaumont, p.
229) .
Si mi larl y, concerning the expression "intentional life, " S. Bachelard evokes the
danger of " a surreptitious return to psychologi sm. " for " language does not know the
phenomenological reduction and so holds us in the natural attitude" (A Study of HusserI' s
Logi c, p. xxxi ) .
On the basis of the problems i n t he Origin, we can thus go on t o ask oursel ves, for
example , what i s the hi dden sense, the nonthematic and dogmatically received sense of
the word "hi story" or of the word "origin"-a sense which. as the common fous of
these signifi cations, permits us to di sti nguish between factual "hi story" and intentional
"hi story, " between "origin" i n the ordinary sense and phenomenological "origin, " and
so on. What i s the uni tary ground starting from whi ch this difraction of sense is permitted
and i ntelligible? What i s history, what i s the origin, about which we can say that we must
understand them sometimes in one sense, sometimes in another? So long as the notion of
origin in general i s not criticized as such, the radical vocation i s always threatened by thi s
mythology of the absolute beginning, so remarkably denounced by Feuerbach in hi s
"Contribution to the Critique of Hegel ' s Phi losophy" ( 1 839) ( cf. Maniestes
philosophiques, tr. L. AIthusser [Pari s: Presses Uni versitaires de France . 1 960] , pp.
1 8-2 1 ) .
These questions can show the need for a certain renewed and rigorous phi lological or
"etymological" thematic, which would precede the discourse of phenomenology. A
fonidable task, because it supposes that all the problems which it would have to precede
are resolved, in particular, as a matter of fact : the i nterloutory problem of history and
that of the possibility of a hi storical philology. I n any c
a
se, this task never seems to have
appeared urgent to Husserl , even when the i dea of l i ngui stic "reactivation" takes on so
much importance for him. Unlike Heidegger, he almost never indulges in etymological
variations, and when he does so (cf. FTL, 1 , pp. 1 8-1 9) , it does not detenine but
fol l ows the orientation of the i nvestigation. For Husserl , it would be absurd for sense not
to precede--e jure (and here the de jure i s difcult to make clear rune evidence
difcile D-the act of language whose own value wi l l always b that of expression .
It is rather signifcant that every critical enterpri se, juri di cal or transcendental, is made
70
Jacques Derrid
na||ae e:c s ce,:ee ei. cea| O|]ee|.v.|y .s ea| y. e eea|c say.
primar. Oa|y.|a.aa iae|ea.s|e:.ea| |aa,aa,e . s|ae aeaa"Lowe"
i:ee. aac |ae:eie:e . cea| . eema:ec . |a . |s seas. ||e. aeae|.e . e:
,:aa.e.aea:aa|.eas . na|.|:ema. asessea|.a||y|.ec.asaCe:maae:c.
|e a :ea| sa|.e|eme:a| .|y .| :ema.as . a|e::e|a|ec .a . |s ve:y .cea|
O|]ee|.v.|y .|a |ae ce iae|e es.s|eaeeeia,.vea |aa,aa,e aac |aas
.|a|aeiae|aa|sa|]ee|.v.|yeiaee:|a.asea|.a,eemmaa. |y i|s. cea|
O|]ee|.v.|y.s|aea:e|a|.veaacc.s|. a,a. saa||eea|yasaaem. :.ea|iae|
i:em|aa|ei|ae r:eaeae:a,| .sae:c lion. "
1ae:eie:eee:ess. a|eaa.,ae:ce,:eeei. cea|O|]ee|.v.|y-|e|as
ea||. | secondar-as seeaaseassi:em|aee:c| e|aeaa.|yei|ae
sease "lion, " i:em "the expression" |e aa| uasse:| ea| | s .a |ae
Logical Investigations |ae "intentional content" e: |ae aa. |y ei . |s
s.,a.iea|.ea. 1aesame eea|ea|eaa|e. a|eacecs|a:|.a,i:emseve:a|
vulnerable by the irreducible factuality and the natural naivete of its language. We be
come conscious of this vulnerability or of this vocation to silence in a second reflection on
the possibility of the jurdico-transcendental regression itself. Despite its necessarily
speCUlative style, this refection is always focused, without having to succumb to empiri
cism, on the world of culture and history. Attentiveness to the "fact" of language in
which ajuridical thought lets itself be transcribed, in which juridicalness would like to be
completely transparent, is a retur to factuality as the de j ure character of the de jure
itself. It is a reduction of the reduction and opens the way to an infnite di scursiveness.
This explains why the retur on itself of thought which has never wanted to prescribe
anything but a turning back [rep/i]
t
oward its own proper conditions remains more dif
fcult for the "master" than for the "disciple. " Did not Herder. in his Verstand und
Erfahrung: Eine Metakritik zur Kritik der rein en Verunft [Leipzig, 1 799; rpt. Bruxelles:
Culture et Civilisation, 1 969, 2 vols. ] . already reproach Kant for not taking into consid
eration the intrinsic necessity of language and its immanence in the most apriori act of
thought? Did not the author of the Essay on the Origin of Language [tr. Alexander Gode
in On the Origin of Language (New York: Frederick Ungar, 1 966)] also conclude that
language, rooted in cultural experience and in history, made all aprioriness of s ynthetic
judgments impossible or illusory? The inability of received language to be treated themat
ically, an inability which precedes every critical regression as its shadow-is not the
unavowed dogmatism he thus denounces that geschichtlose "Naivitit" about which
Fink wonders whether it i s not the basis for "phenomenology' s methodological revolu
tion" (cf. "L' Analyse intentionnelle et Ie probleme de la pen see speculative" [French tr.
Walter Biemel and Jean Ladriere] , in Problemes actuels de La phenomenologie, ed. H. L.
Van Breda [Pari s: Desclee de Brouwer, 1 952], pp. 64-65)? That i s only one of the
numerous analogies which could be taken up between the diferent futures of Kantian and
Husserlian transcendental idealisms, such as they are already outlined. Thus, in any
case, an irreducible proximity of language to primordial thought is signified in a zone
which eludes by nature every phenomenal or thematic actuality. Is this immediacy the
nearess of thought to itself? We would have to show why that cannot be decided.
Vol . I , Introd. to Vol. I I of the German ed. , 5, and 1 , 1 1 , particularly pp. 259 and
284-85. Like those of FTL, the analyses concering linguistic ideality in the Origin
71
Introduction to the Origin of Geometry
|aa,aa,es. aac. |s .cea| .cea|.|y assa:es . |s|:aas|a|a|.|.|y 1a. s. cea|
.cea|.|yeiseasees:essec|y| .ea.leo, Lowe, aacseie:|a ..s|aeai:eec
i:ema||iae|aa| linguistic sa|]ee|.v. |y.
na| |ae "object" itsel . s ae.|ae: |ae es:ess.ea ae: |ae sease
eea|ea| 1ae resa aac ||eec |.ea. . a|eacec |a:ea,a |e s|:a|a ei
. cea|.|.es. . saaa|a:a| .aac|ae:eie:eeea|.a,ea| .:ea| .|y.as|aee:ee
|.eaei|ae. mmec.a|e| y:esea|seas.||e|a. a,,:eaacs.cea|.|.esaace:
|aesee.:eamsiaaees. se|aeeea|.a,eaeyei|ae| .ea. s,e.a,|e:eve:|e:
a|e . a |ae . cea|.|y ei|ae es:ess. ea aac .a | aa| ei . |s sease. 1ae
|:aas|a|a|.|.|yei|aee:clion, |aea. . ||ae|. a:.ae.|e|ea|se|a|e
aacaa.ve:sa| i|.|||eem. :.ea|| yeeac.|.eaec|y|aeeea|.a,ea|ea
eeaa|e:. aa:eee|.ve. a|a. | .eaeiseme|a. a,| .|e|ae| .ea.1ae|a||e:. s
ae|aae|]ee|. v. |yei|aeaace:s|aac.a,. |a|aa e|]ee|ei:eee|.v
.|y 1ae .cea| . |y ei . |s sease aac eiaa| .| eve|es .::ecae.||y
acae:es|eaaem.:.ea|sa|]ee|.v.|y.1a. sea|c|e|:aeevea.ia||mea
aac|eea a|| e|e aaceea|cin fact eaeeaa|e:aacces.,aa|e |ae |.ea.
uace:|aese e.:eams|aaees|ae | .e |eaceiae|eaa|a:ee|e,.ea| ,ea
e:a|.|yea|cae||e:ecaeecaayia:|ae:1a.s. s|eeaase|ae.cea|.|yei
sease.eeas.ce:ec. a. |se|iaac| .|e|aa|ei| aa,aa,e. .sae:ea"bound"
directly suppose the subtle as well as indispensable distinctions found in the LI (nos. 1-5) ,
especially in the first and fourth Investigations.
In the First Investigation, the notion of " intentional content" or "unity of its significa
tion" announces in the linguistic sphere the notion of "noematic sense, " or the " nuclea
tic layer" (Kernschicht) of the noema, a notion the former implies and which is fully
elaborated only in Ideas I (in particular, cf. 90, pp. 241 f. ). Just as the core unity of
noematic sense (which is not the reality of the object itself) can be intended according to
various intentional modes (the sense "tree" can be attained in a perception, a memory,
an imagining, and so on) in order fnally to constitute a "complete" noema with all its
characteristics, so the ideal identity of signifi cation is made accessible to several lan
guages and allows itself to be "translated. " In the Foreword to the 2nd edition of LI
( 1 91 3 ; p. 48 of Vol. I of ET) , Husserl recognizes that the notion of noema and of the
noetic-noematic correlation lacks completion in the First Investigation.
Husserl used a great number of examples when analyzing this distinction for the fi rst
time i n the LI (I, 1 , particularly 1 2, pp. 286-87).
The diference between these two types of Objectivity, which comes back to the
diference between ideal objectivity and real object, is amply described in E (63 , pp.
250t. ) . The objectivities of the understanding are on a "higher level" than those of
receptivity. They are not preconstituted, like the latter, in the pure passivity of sensible
receptivity, but in predicative spontaneity. "The mode of their original pregivenness is
their production in the predicative activity of the Ego . . . " [po 25 1 ] . Another diference:
that of their temporality (64). Whereas the real object has its individual place in the
objective time of the world, the irreal object i s, with respect to this latter, tot

.
lly free,
i . e. , "timeless. " But i ts timelessness (ZeitLosigkeit) or i ts supratemporality ( Uberzeit
lichkeit) is only a "mode" of temporality: omnitemporality (Allzeitlichkeit).
7
Jacques Derrid
.cea|.|yaacae|a"free" eae 1a. sc. ssee.at.ea|e|eea"free idealities"
aac"bound idealities, " a.ea.sea|y. m|.ec.ataeOrigin70 ,|a|. ac.s
easa||e ie: .ts aace:staac.a, . eaa||esas |eeem:eaeac aa| tae
a|se| a|e .cea|O|]eet.v.tyei. ie:esam|e. tae,eemet:.ea|e|]eet eaa
|eaacaatc.s|.a,a.saes.|i:em|aatei|aa,aa,eas such aaci:em|aat
ei|ae seaseeeateatas such.
1ae.cea|O|]eet.v.|yei,eemet:y.sa|se|a|eaac. |aeataay|.acei
|. m.|its.cea| . tytertia. sae|ea,e:ea| y|aa|ei|aees:ess.eae:.a
teat.eaa|eea|eat ..|. s|aa|ei|aeobject itself. ~| |acae:eaee|eaay:ea|
eea|.a,eaey.s:emevec1aeess. |. | .tyeit:aas|a|.ea. a.ea.s.ceat.
ea| .|a taateit:ac.t.ea. . seeaecad infnitum: 1ae ry|aa,e:eaa
taee:em..aceeca||ei,eeme|:y.es.s|sea|yeaee. aema||e:aeeuea
e:evea.aaa||aa,aa,e.|may|ees:esseci | .s. cea|.ea||ytaesame
.atae e:.,.aa||aa,aa,e eiae| . caac.aa|| |:aas|at.eas .aac. ta.a
eaea|aa,aa,e.t.sa,a.a|aesame. aemat|e:aemaay|. mes. | aas
|eeaseas.||yatte:ec.i:emtaee:.,.aa|es:ess.eaaac:.t.a,ceate
|ae .aaame:a||ee:a|a|te:aaeese::. ||eaaac etae:ceeameata|.eas
(Dokumentierungen) " , | -
1ae sease eiea|yeaee e:eieaee aac ie: a| | . wa.ea .s |ae
esseat.a|meceeitaee|]eet s. cea|es. s|eaeeaactaas|aata.eac.s
| .a,a.saes |ae e|]eeti:em taema| t. |.e.ty ei:e|atec aetsaac|. vec
ese:.eaees. seemsteaave|eeae|ea:|yceaaec.ataeseve:yte:ms|y
ue:|a:|(Pschologie als Wissenschaft, i i . i :. 1 75) aacta|eaa
a,a.a|yuasse:| .1ae|atte:.:eee,a.z.a,taataeeesmaea|eue:|a:t
aac:a.s.a,a.mie:aav.a,c.st. a,a. saec|e|te:taaakaat|e|eea|ae
` From the perspective of our text, this dissociation fi nds its most direct and illuminat
ing explication in E (65, p. 267). In particular, we can read there: "Thus it appears that
even cultural systems are not always completely free idealities, and this reveals the
diference between free idealities (such as logicomathematical systems and pure essential
structures of every kind) and bound idealities, which in their being-sense carry reality
with them and hence belong to the real world. All reality is here led back to spatiotempo
rality as the form of the individual . But originally, reality belongs to nature : the world as
the world of realities receives its individuality from nature as its lowest stratum. When
we speak of truths, true states of afairs in the sense of theoretical science, and of the fact
that validity 'once and for all' and 'for everyone' belongs to their sense as the telos of
j udicative stipulation, then these are free idealities. They are bound to no territory, or
rather, they have their territory in the totality of the [mundane] universe and in every
possible universe. In what concers their possible reactivation, they are omnispatial and
omnitemporal. Bound realities [the German and Derrida' s translation thereof reads:
Bound idealities] are bound to Earth, to Mars, to particular territories, etc. " (Husserl ' s
emphasis) . Husserl immediately specifes, however, that by their "occurrence, " by their
coming on the scene and their " 'being discovered' " in a historically determined territory,
free idealities are also factual and worldly. Thus he states the crucial difculty of all his phi
losophy of history: what is the sense of this last factuality?
73
Introduction to the Origin of Geometry
|e,.ea|aac|aesyeae|e,.ea| . :e:eaeaesa. m. aeaetae| ess. ie:aav.a,
eeaiasec.cea|.tyaacae:ma|.v.|y(LI, i . r:e| . 59, : | --i s
1a.s :e:eaea . s ve:y ea|.,atea.a,. s.aee a|se|a|e|y e|]ee| .ve.
|:aas|ata||e. aac t:ac.|.eaa| .cea| .ceat.|y .s ae|]as|aay,eemet:.ea|
e|]ee|.v.|y. |a|genuine e|]ee|.v.ty Oaee e ,et |eyeac |ae |eaac
.cea|.t. es aac :eaea .cea| e|]eet.v.ty .tse|i. e eaa st.|| eaeeaate: a
iae|aa| :es|:.et.ea . |aa| ei c.sva|ae . ia| seaess. e: catecaess
[eremption] . Necea|t|aee|]eet.veseaseeiaia| se] ac,mea|. sa| se
.cea| re:|a.s:easea.teaa|e.ace| a.|e|y:eeatecaac|aas|eeemes
ema.teme:a| 71 nat|ae e:.,.aaac |ae ess.|. |.|yei|a. s.cea|ema.
|eme:a|.ty:ema.ama:|ec|yaiaetaa|eea|.a,eaey.taa|eitae:ea|.|y
.a|eacec |y |ae]ac,mea| e: taat ei sa|]ee|.ve ae|s 1aas . .a ce
se:.t.ve]ac,mea| s|ea:.a,eae:|c| y:ea| .|. es. seaseeaa|ese .|sva
|.c.ty.|aea|s.ma|taaeeas|y| es.a,.|sema.teme:a|.cea| .ty re:.|e
|a|eauasse:| sesam|ea,a. a. I eaa.ace| a.|e| y:eea|.astaesame,
tae :ees.t.ea 1ae aa|eme|.|e .s |ae iastes| meaas ei t:ave| .
ae:easi|ae. || e|eia| seaaceateica|e 1aeaaaea:eayeiva|. c. ty
.aaeayaaee|stae.ateme:a|.|y[uchronie] e:aa|eme:a| .|y[an
chronie] ei .cea|.ty i.|e.se. .a tae .a|e:eeaaee|.eas ei a aea
cese:.|.vese.eaee saeaas,eemet:y. e::e:a| se aas a eeateat a.ea
eaa |eeeme .cea| aac ema. |eme:a| ,e::e: :esa||s e.tae: i:em tae
' Once again it is in Experience and Judgment that the omnitemporality of simple
ideality is scrupulously distinguished from the omnitemporality of validity : " Furthermore,
it should be noted that this omnitemporality does not simply include within itself the
omnitemporality of validity. We do not speak here of validity, of truth, but merely of
objectivities of the understanding as suppositions [Vermeinheiten] and as possible, ideal
identical, intentional poles, which can be ' realized' anew at any time in individual acts of
judgment-precisely as suppositions; whether they are realized in the self-evidence of
truth is another question. A judgment which was once true can cease to be true, like the
proposition 'The automobile is the fastest means of travel , ' which lost its validity in the
age of the airplane. Nevertheless, it can be constituted anew at any time as one and
identical by any individual in the self-evidence of distinctness: and, as a supposition, it
has its supratemporal. irreal identity" (64 C , p. 26 1 [modifed)) . Also cf. LI. I. I , I I , p .
285.
In the Origin Husserl also alludes to the ideal identity of judgments which not only
would be anachronistic in their validity but also contradictory and absurd in their sense
content. These analyses, at the same time that they announce and orient a phenomenol
ogy of the specific ideality of negative validities (of the fal se , the absurd, the evi l , the
ugly, etc. ) , assign limits to the "freedom" of those idealities which will always be, as we
wiII soon try to show, idealities "bound" to an empirical, determined temporality or to
some factuality. For what absolutely frees and completes the ideality of sense (alrady
endowed in itself with a certain degree of "freedom") is the ideality of positive validity
(by which evidence is not only distinct but clear when it reaches judgment) . It alone
causes sense to attain infi nite universality and infinite omnitemporality.
74
Jacques Derrid
|e,.eececaet.veaaac|.a,eisym|e|sa.eaa:eve.ceitae.:seaseaac
. ate a.ea. aa|aeate as. a seas.||e iaetaa|.ty . s :e.at:ecaeec. e:
i:em semesyeae|e,.ea|eeat.a,eaeyaav.a,ae sease . aeema:.sea
.ta,eemet:.ea|t:ata, 1aeeeateateie::e:eaa |eeeme saea evea
aea ,. a e::e: e: assamt.ea, . eaee tae st:ata ei a|:eacy ceiaec
. cea|.t.es . st:ave:sec. e aave aet:eaeaectaet:ataei,eemet:.ea|
Sachverhalt, 72 aaceveaaeataeve:ytaemeeitaestatemeat:ema.as
|eaacteiaetaa| .ty1ae.cea| .tyeiseasesym|e|.ea||yatsa.taa
ce| acec e: . aaataeat.ea||y sat. siec t:ata. ateat.ea7:; it ie||es.
taea.taat. itaeema.teme:a|.tyeic.sva|ae. sess.||e.. t. sa|ays. a
taeseaseeiem.:.ea| ess. |. |.ty. . e . eieeat.a,eateveataa| .ty ne
s.ces. ema.teme:a|.ty. sma.ata.aec. a. tseventualit ea|y|yasease
a.eaa|ays |ees aaee:ta.aesseat.a|:e|at.ea.tataea|seate:
eseeecect:ata.1a.s.s|eeaasei|aetaatsaeaaaeatcatec:ees.
t.eahad been true aacst.||:ema.asaa.iecaacaa. matec|yaa. ateat.ea
eit:ata. aataeat.e.ty. e:e|a:.tyk|.|e, taesete:msa:e .aee:
ta.a:eseetssyaeaymsie:uasse:|taatieaama.ata.aaac:eeattae
.cea| aa.tyei.ts sease ~aeveataa||yabsurd intention, a|sa:c .atae
seaseeiaeaseasee:eeaate:sease . te|eaat.t. s. masteeat.aa
a||ye.at,.as.teei. tse|ntea:ctaetelos eiaataeat.e.tyaac|et.tse|i
|e,a.cecsym|e|.ea||y|y.t. ataeve:y,esta:e.aa.eatae.ateat.ea
:eteacste|ec.se:.eatec.1a.s.ateat.eamast,. ataea:ye|e.aa| aa
,aa,ea.eataeStranger eitaeSophist sea|s, eaate [dire] tae
telos . ae:ce:tec.sea[de dire ] .t
1a.s t:aas,:ess.ea ei |.a,a. st.e . cea|.ty. taea. :ea||y cese:.|es a
mevemeataaa|e,easteaateea:|.e:cese:.|ec se. eaeeasaea|
to:a|ie:m. |at.ts a:eess.|.|.tyaea:ecastaea:eess.|.|.tyei
` A notion difcult to translate other than by the clumsy, strange, and l ess exact (but
for so long accepted) expression "state-of-afairs. "
`` I n the LI, I . 1 , 1 1 , pp. 285-86, these themes are already greatly explicated. For
example, Husserl writes: "What my assertion asserts, the content that the three perpen
diculars of a triangle intersect in a point, neither arises nor passes away. (The frst
German edition and the French translation continue: " Each time I (or whoever else it
may b) pronounce with the same sense this same assertion, there i s a new judgment .
. . . But what they judge, what the assertion says, is all the same thing. "] It is an identity
in the strict sense, one and the sae geometrical truth.
" It i s the same in the case of aB assertions, even if what they assert is false and absurd.
Even in such cases we distinguish their ideal content from the transient acts (of] afrming
or asserting it: it i s the sigifcation of the assertion, a unity in pluraity. . . .
"If ' possibility' or ' truth' is lacking, an assertion' s intention can only be carried out
symbolically: it cannot derive any 'fulness' from intuition or frm the categorial functions
performed on the latter, in which 'fulness' its value for knowledge consists. It then lacks,
as one says, a ' true' , a 'genuine' signifcation. Later we shall look more closely into this
distinction between intending and fulflling signifcation" (modifed] .
75
I ntroductin to the Origin ofGeometry
ea|ta:e ea| y aue: a :ecaet. ea ei eve:y ce iaete ea|ta:e se ae:e
se. aee. s. |.|e |aa,aa,es aac |aa,aa,e .a,eae:a| . eae eitae ie:ms
ei . cea|

O|]eet. v.ty. |at . ts a:e ess.|.|.ty aea:s ea|y ta:ea,a

a:ecaet.eaeia|||aa,aa,e-aetea|yeieve:yceiaete|aa,aa,e|atei
tae

ietei|aa,aa,e.a,eae:a| . 1aasuasse:|see.aes.aaaa|se|ate|y
ce..s.veseateaee nattae. cea|.t. esei,eemet:.ea|e:cs seateaees
taee:. eseeas. ce:ec a:e|y as |.a,a.st.e ie:mat.eas-a;e aet ta
.cea|.t

. es taat ma|e a aat .s es:essec aac |:ea,atte va|.c.ty as

t:at? M ,eemet:y. tae |atte: a:e .cea| ,eemet:.ea| e|]eets. states ei
aaa.:s.

ete.wae:eve:semeta.a,.sasse:tec.eaeeaac.st.a,a.saaat. s
taemat.e . taat a|eat a.ea .t . s sa. c ,.ts sease, . i:em tae asse:t.ea
a.ea .tse|i.ca:.a,taeasse:t.a,.. saeve:aaceaaaeve:|etaemat.e
~ac tae taemeae:e .s :ee.se|y.cea|e|]eet.v.t.es. aac a.tec.ae:eat
eaes i:em taese eem.a, aace: tae eeaeet ei |aa,aa,e ,| - |
,mec.iec} ,
iet as i:staete taat .a ta. sseateaeetaeseaseeitaeasse:t.ea tae
: taeea|eata.ea , semeta.a,}.ssa.c. aactaee|]eet. tse|f a:e
.ceat.ea| .aiaeta.eaeea|caeve::esa|t.ataeeaseei:ea|e|]eetse:ei
: |eac .cea| e|]eet.v.t.es re: tae i:st t.me. . ta tae a|se|ate
. cea|.ty ei aa e|]eet-tae ,eemet:.ea| e|]eet a.ea . s ta:ea,a aac
ta:ea,aea|ytaeaa.ty ei.ts t:ae sease-e ass |eyeace::.cea:
se|veseitae. cea| .|atst.|||eaac. O|] eet.v.tyei|aa,aa,ewes.ma|
taaeeas|yeae? aO|]ee. v.tytaat. sa|se|ate|yi:ee.ta:eseettea||
iaeaa|

s|,eet.v.ty1aat.saytaeesem|a:yaest.eaeitaee:.,.aei
O|,eet.v.tyee|c

aet|eas|eca:ees| .a,a. st.e.cea|.tyassaea.|at

a:eesaat . smteacec ae:ess[d travers ] aac eataeetae:s. ce ei
[u-eld de] ta.s.cea|.ty.natastaea|se|ate. cea|e|]eet.v.tyceesaet
|.veM atapas ouranios, .tie||estaat.
1 . tsi:e?em.ta:eseette a|| iaetaa|sa|]eet.v.ty aas ea|y|a.c
|a:e.ts|e,. t. mate[de droit ] t.es.taat:aaseeaceata|sa|]eet.v.ty.
2. . ts a.ste:.e.ty.s .at:.as.eaacesseat.a| .
Taasaesaeeie:atranscendental historicit .s:ese:.|ec.a a||. ts
m,at.ecta. ~i:e:aav.a,cete:m.aecaac:ev. cecaeeess,. taa||
.ts c.uea|t.es, te ta.s saee . uasse:| eaa taea as| tae a. ste:.ee
`` By the distinction they propose, these sentence.s give the greatest and most
exemplary sharpness to the central question of the Origin. Husserl added them after the
fact
.
to Fink' s typed version of the manuscript. They do not appear in the published
verSIon of 1 939.
At the end of a similar analysis, Husserl writes in FL: loutions "are not thematic
ends but theme-indicators" (5 , p. 27).
76
Jacques Derrid
t:aaseeaceata|aest.eaa.eaieeasesa|| tae c.sa.etace eia.s text
Oa::e||emaeeeaee:as:ee. se|ytae. cea|e|]eet.v.t.esa.eaa:e
taemat.e.a,eemet:yaecees,eemet:.ea|. cea| .tyast|.|etaateia||
se.eaees,:eeeeci:em .ts :. ma:y .at:ae:seaa|e:. ,. a. ae:e .t . sa
ie:mat.ea:ecaeec. ta. atae eease.eas saeeeitae i:st.aveate: s
sea| . te.ts . cea|O|]eet.v.ty:( 1 6 1 mec.iec} ,
VI
uasse:| s :esease.sc.:eetaaceemesve:ya.e||y. itaastaesty|e
eiaturnabout a.eaeaa|esa::.s.a,. icea|.tyeemeste.tsO|]eet. v. ty
|y meaas ei |aa,aa,e. ta:ea,a a.ea .t :eee. ves. se te sea|. .ts
|.a,a. st.eresa( 1 6 1 ,mec.iec} , .uasse:|aetestaateseeta.s. a
acvaaee 1aeea|y aest.ea. taea. . s ae (Quomodo): ae cees
| .a,a.st.e. aea:aat.eama|eeateitaeme:e|y.at:asa|]eet.veie:mat.ea
taeObjective, taata.ea. ie:exam|e.as,eemet:.ea|eeaeete:state
eiaaa. :s..s. aaetaa|iaet:eseat. .ate||.,.||eie:a|| .aeaaca|ays.
a|:eacy|e.a,va|.c. a. t s| .a,a.st.eex:ess.eaas,eemet:.ea|c.seea:se.
as ,eemet:.ea| :ees.t.ea .a .ts ,eemet:.ea| .cea| sease: ( 1 6 1
,mec.iec} , .
we m.,at|esa::. sec. ~rte:aav.a,seat.eat|yext:aetectaetae
mat.et:ataeiSachverhalt i:em| .a,a.st.e. cea|.tyaaci:ema|||eaac
.cea|. t. es. uasse:|taeaseemsteredescend tea:c|aa,aa,eastae .a
c.seasa||emec. amaaceeac.t.eaeiess.|.| .tyie:a|se|ate.cea|O|
]eet.v.ty. ie:truth .tse|i. a.eaea|c |e aat .t.s ea| y ta:ea,a .ts
a.ste:.ea|aac.ate:sa|]eet.vee.:ea|at.ea.1aas. ceesuasse:|aetcome
back te|aa,aa,e.ea|ta:e. aaca.ste:y.a||eia.eaae:ecaeec.ae:ce:
teaavetaea:eess.|.| .tyeit:ataeme:,e:isaeaet|eaaca,a.ate
|eac. atea.ste:ytaataesea|se|atei:eecemae]astcese:. |ec:r:em
taeaea. .||aeaet|eeeme||ecte:emevea||tae:ecaet.easste|y
ste. .ae:ce:te:eeeve:iaa||ytaereal texteia. ste:.ea|exe:.eaee
i a:ea| .ty-aac e ta.a| .t tae mest . ate:est.a, c.mea|ty ei ta.s
text-uasse:|ceesexaet|ytaeees.te. 1a.sreturn te|aa,aa,e. asa
return home teea|ta:eaaca.ste:y.a,eae:a| .|:. a,ste.tsiaa|eem|e
t.eataea:eseeitae:ecaet.ea. tse|i. Ce.a,|eyeac |eaac.cea|.
t.estea:ctaetaemeeit:ata. s.tse|ia:ecaet.eaa.eama|estae
.aceeaceaeeeit:ataaea:.ta:eseettea||ceiaete ea|ta:eaac
|aa,aa,e. a,eae:a| .nateaeeme:e.t. sea|yaaest.eaei. se|es.a,

a
]a:. c.ea|aact:aaseeaceata|ceeaceaee. Necea|t,eemetnea|t:ata. s
|eyeac eve:y a:t.ea|a: aac iaetaa| | . a,a.st. e ae|cassaea. eae ie:
a.eaeve:ysa|]eetsea|.a,acete:m.aec|aa,aa,eaac|e|ea,.a,tea
77
I ntroduction to the Origin of Geometry
cete:m.aecea|ta:a|eemmaa.ty.s. araet:eseas.||e.nattaeO|]eet.v
.tyeita. st:ataeea|cnot |eeeast.tatecwithout taepure possibility eiaa
.aa.:y.ateaa:e|aa,aa,e.a,eae:a| w.taeatta. sa:eaacesseat.a|
ess.|.|.ty. tae,eemet:. ea|ie:mat.eaea|c:ema.a.aera||eaacse| .
ta:y. 1aea.t ea|c |eabsolutely bound to the psychological lie of a
factual individual, tetaateiaiaetaa|eemmaa.ty..aceecteaa:t.ea|a:
memeateitaat|.ie. itea|c|eeemeae.tae:ema.teme:a| .ae:.ate|
|.,.||e ie:a| | . .tea|c aet|eaat.t. s. waetae:,eemet:y eaa|e
seeaa|eat.saet . taea. taeext:.as.eaacaee.ceata|ess.|. |.tyeia
ia|| . ate tae |ecy eiseeea e:eia s| . .ate a a. ste:.ea| mevemeat.
seeea. sae|ea,e:s. m|ytaeex:ess.ea(Aiisserung) eiaat.w.taeat
.t. ea|calready |eaa e|]eet eaa,ata,a.a.a. ts:.me:c.a|a:.ty.
seeeaconstitutes tae e|]eetaac .s a eeae:ete]a:.c.ea| eeac.t.ea ei
t:ata.1aea:acex.staat..taeattaeaa:eatia|||ae|.ate|aa,aa,e
aactae:e|y. atea. ste:y.aia||a.eaea|ca|.eaatetae.cea|a:.tyei
sease.seaseea|c:ema.aaaem. :.ea|ie:mat.ea.m:.seaecasiaet.a
asyeae|e,.ea|sa|]eet.v.tythe inventor' s head. u.ste:.ea|.aea:aa
t.easetsi:eetaet:aaseeaceata| ..asteacei|.ac.a,. t 1a. s|astaet.ea.
taet:aaseeaceata| . masttaea|e :etaea,at
Deesta.sa|t.mate:ecaet.ea.a.eaeeaseateat:aaseeaceata||aa
,aa,e.:eve|at.ea.zeuasse:| staea,at:Dees ta. s:eta:atetaesea|
. a,sa|]eetasaateeast.tatestae.cea|e|]eet.aactaeaa|se|ateO|
]eet. v.ty. :eeeec te eeat:ac.et a :ev.eas a. |eseay ei|aa,aa,e:
He:|eaareatysea|seia st:.|.a,eeat:ast.ata.s:eseet|eteea
taeOrigin eataeeaeaaacaactaeLogical Investigations eataeetae:
73 According to the same movement, omnitemporality and universal intelligibility (al
though they may be concrete and experienced as such) are only the reduction of
f

tual historical temporality and factual geographical spatial ity. "Supratemporality"

( Uberzeitlichkeit) and "timelessness" (Zeit/osigkeit) are defined i n their transcendence or
their negativity only in relation to worldly and factual temporality. Once the latter is
reduced, they appear as omnitemporality (Allzeitlichkeit). the concrete mode of temporal
ity in general.
The expression "transcendental language" that we use here does not have the sense
o "tanscendental discourse. " This latter notion, invoked earlier, has been utilized by
lOk 10 the sense of discourse adapted to transcendental description. Here we are speak-
1 09 of transcendental language insofar as, on the one hand, the l atter is "constituting"
compared with ideal Objectivity, and, on the other hand, insofar as it i s not confused in
its pure possibility with any de facto empirical language.
Cf. "On the Phenomenology of Language, " in Merleau-Ponty' s Signs. tr. Richard C.
McCleary (Evanston: Northwester University Press, 1 964) , p. 84, or even
"Phenomenology and the Sciences of Man, " tr. John Wild in Merleau-Ponty' s The Pri
macy of Perception, ed. James M. Edie (Evanston: Northwester University Press,
1 964) , pp. 83-84.
78
Jacques Derrid
uacea|tec| ytaeLogical Investigations s

me:e .ate:etc ea| y . a

aatee::eseacst eai:staaseeiceseot.eaataeOrzgln: taea
teaemyeieeast.tatec.cea| e|]eetseema:ec. t | aa,aa,etat.
.tse|ieeast.tatec nat. a:eaet.eaa,a.astasa|,eet..stsyeae|e,.sm.
tae aest.ea .s a|ee a|| te c.ssee.ate tae .cea|

e|]eet i:em a|

sa|
,eet. .ty aaca|| em.:.ea| |aa,aa,e. |ea e

ia

.ea

eeac ea|y eea

iase taet:aasa:eat . aa. eea| . aace|,eet.es.,aie

at.eas?ia

a:e
| e,.e nattae:eta:atetae:. me:c.a|.tyeitaeseasm,sa|,eet.ae
me:e . a eeat:ast .ta ta.s i:st a:eea te |aa,aa,e

taa

ta

. cea| . smeiIdeas I . s. asastaea,at. .tataeaa

:eat

|,.e. sm
e: :ea| . sm eitaeLogical Investigations. 1aeaest.ea .. |yte
a:eataes.zeeeast.tatec|aa,aa,e.a.ea.satuasse|

eeamaeste
ce .a Formal and Transcendental Logic and m tae Orzgl n, m e:ce:.
sa|seaeat| y. te |et tae e:.,.aa| .ty eieeast.tat.e |aa,aa,e eemete
|.,at

i 1econstitute aa.cea|e|]eet.steat.tattaee:maaeatc. e.t.ea ?
aa:e ,aze Ne. |eie:e |e.a, tae eeast.tatec aac eseeecc as.

|
.a:y eiaaaet a.ea :eeeecs tea:c tae t:ta ei sease. | m,a. st.

.
.cea|.ty .s tae m.|.ea .a a.ea tae .cea| e|,eet sett|es as at .
sec.meatece:cees.tecnatae:etaeaetei:. me:c.a|depositing . aet
tae:eee:c.a,eia:.ateta.a,.|attae:ecaet.eaeiacommon e|,eet .
. e .eiaaobject aesee:. ,. aa|eae:.staasc. sessesec1aas|aa
,aa,e :ese:es t:ata. se taat t:at

a ea |e:e,a:cec .a tae a

eaee
ie:ta aeaeaeme:a|. | |am. aat.eaei.t se,ea:a. |at| se setaat.teaa
|ea,taea taat stay. re: tae:e ea|c |e ae t:ata .taet taat e:c
aea:c. a, [thesaurisation] , a.ea . s aet ea

| yaat
.
deposlts aac sees
ae|ceitaet:ata.|ata|setaat.taeatwa..aaproJect eit:ataaacte
.ceaeiaa. aia.tetassea|c|eaa. ma,.aa||e 1aat.say|aa,a

a,e.
taee|emeateitae ea| yt:ac.t.ea.aa.ea,|eyeac. ac..caa|imtace
sease:eteat.eaaacsease:eseet.a,a:eess.||e
ia ta. s :eseet tae:e .s se | .tt|e c.seeat.aa.ty e:eeat:ast |eteea
uasse:| sea:| .estaac|atesttaea,attaateiaca,es.

ateLogicl
Investigations a.eaeea|c|e. ase:.|ec.taeatec.ieat.ea.

ta
.
Orz
gin ' a,eseataeesseat.a|iaaet.eaeiDokumentlerung, eatae spmtual
cororeality" ei|aa,aa,e. aaceataestateeatasta ia|i||.a,eitae
t:ata.ateat.ea 1a.s . s a|| tae me:e se .ie eeas.ce:Formal and
` Thus, for example, Husserl writes: "All theoretical research, though by no meas
solely conducted in acts of verbal expression or complete
,
stateent, none the less termi
nates i n such statement. Only in this form can truth, and 10 particular t
.
he truth of theory,
become an abiding possession of science, a documented, ever available trasure for
knowledge and advancing research. Whatever the connection of thought with speech
may be , whether or not the appearance of our fnal judgements in the form of verbal
79
Introduction to the Origin of Geometr
Transcendental Logic ,a:t.ea|a:| y 1 -5, 1 8-29) aactaeCartesian
Meditations (4, . I I ) . aeat.me .uasse:||e,. as|ya:eet.a,taea,at
i:emaat. tea|c|e se|e|y. . ataeaeteie:|a|es:ess.ea. .a
e:ce:te see.iy taea taat .teea|c aet |eeeme t:ata .taeattaat
"stating" aac"communicating . . . to others, " eia.eaaea| sesese
. ataeInvestigations (LI, i. i at:e ve| II eiCe:maac . 3, 255) .
re:..stae:eee,a.t.ea.a|aa,aa,eeiaatconstitutes a|se| ate.cea|
O|]eet..ty.asia:as. tstates ta.sO|]eet..ty. aet]astaaetae:ayei
aaaeaae.a, e: :eeat.a, taat t:aaseeaceata| .ate:sa|]eet..ty .s tae
eeac.t.eaeiO|]eet..ty:~t|ettem. tae:e||emei,eemet:y s e:.,.a
ats tae :e||em eitae eeast.tat.ea ei. ate:sa|]eet..ty ea a:.ta
taat eitaeaeaemeae|e,.ea|e:.,.aei|aa,aa,e. uasse:| . se:yeea
se.easeita. s natae.||aetattemtta.sc.mea|t:e,:ess.ea. atae
Origin, a|taea,a ae says .t a:.ses ae:e ( 1 6 1 ) . re: tae memeat .t
sameestesae..iaethow, at|eastthat |aa,aa,eaaceease.easaessei
ie||e aamaa.ty a:e . ate::e|atec ess.|. |.t.es aac a|:eacy ,.ea tae
memeattaeess. |.|.tyeise.eaee. sesta|| .saec1aeae:.zeaeiie||e
maas.acsaesestaeae:.zeaeitaee:|c..tstaacseataaca:t.ea|ates
. tsaa.ty a,a. ast[se detache et articule son unite sur] tae aa.ty eitae
e:| c. Oieea:se. tae e:|c aac ie||e maas.ac ae:e ces.,aate tae
a||.ae|as.e .|at. a| a.te|yeea. aa. tyeiess.||eese:.eaeesaacaet
ta. se:|c :.,atae:e . taeseie||emea :.,atae:e.aeseiaetaa| .tyie:
uasse:| .s aee:aayta.a, |at a a:.a||e esam|e. Cease.easaessei
|e. a,.aeemmaa.ty.aeaeaactaesamee:|cesta||.saestaeess.|.|
.tyeiaaa.e:sa||aa,aa,e Haas.ac. s| :steease.easei.tse|t asaa
. mmec.ateaac mec.ate|.a,a.st.eeemmaa.ty ( 1 62) .
iaeeaaeet.ea .ta ta. seaeecteaeteta:ee. me:taate. ats
i w.ta.ataeae:.zeaeita. seease.easaesseiie||emaas.ac. .t. s
mata:e .ae:ma| maas. actaat. s:. .|e,ec

|etaastaeae:.zea
eie. .| . zat.ea aacas tae|. a,a. st.eeemmaa.ty ( 1 62) . 1aetaeme ei
pronouncements has a necessary grounding i n essence, i t is at least plain that judgements
stemming from higher intellectual regions, and in particular from the regions of science,
could barely arise without verbal expression" (LI, I , Introd. to Vol . II of German ed. , 2,
p. 250) .
7! Already in FTL, on the subject of the "idealizing presuppositions of logic" and tying
the problem of constitution with that of expression, Husserl concluded: " The problem of
constitution is again broadened when we recall that verbal expression, which we excluded
from our considerations of logic, i s an essential presupposition for intersubjective think
ing and for an intersubjectivity of the theory accepted as ideally existing; and that accord
i ngly an ideal identifability of the expression, as expression, must likewise raise a prob
lem of constitution" (73, p. 1 88) .
80
Jacques Derrida
aca| t ae:ma|.ty, a.ea tee| a me:e aac me:e :eem .a uasse:| s
aaa|yses, . s ae:et:eatecas amatte:ei eea:se.we.||aetst:essta. s,
ces.te tae se:.eas :e||ems taat .t seems te aave e ?se e: a
t:aaseeaceata|a.|eseay.aeeaamata:.tyaacae:maaty,.ve:.sete
a:.,e:east:aaseeaceata|e.cet.ecete:m.aat.ea:Cea|caca|tae:ma|.ty
eve:|eeeas.ce:ecetae:taaaasaaem.:.ea|aaciaetaa|modifcation
eiaa.ve:sa|t:aaseeaceata|ae:ms.ataee|ass.esease,i:ema.eaeea
t.aaa||ystemtaeseetae:em.:.ea|eases, macaessaacea.|caeec:
nat ae:e tee uasse:| aas eve:ta:ea ta.s e| ass.e aet.ea ei
t:aaseeaceata| , te tae e.at ei ,.v.a, a sease te tae .cea ei
t:aaseeaceata| atae|e,y. 1ae aet.ea ei ,aca|t ae:ma|.ty s,
:.v. |e,e ceaetesae:eatelos' mecc|.a,|eie:eaaac.ataeeidos. 1e
aaveaeeesstetaeeidos eimaa|.acaacei|aa,aa,e, ee:ta.ameaaac
ee:ta.asea|.a,sa|]eets-macmeaaacea.|c:ea-a:eaetgood esam
|es .~aca:st,aecea|t, |eeaasetaeyceaetessess.atae.:ea:.,at
a a:eaac:.,e:eas|ycete:m.aa||eesseaee. nat.ita.s. sse,ceesaca| t
ae:ma|.ty,a.ea|e,.asae:eea.|caeeceacsaacstesaeamacass
sta:ts,aaveaaesseaee:neeaaseae:etaees:ess.eaeiaca| t ae:ma|.ty
.saeta,.veae.cet.ecete:m.aat.ea,|attae.aceseiaa. cea|aeat.v
.tya.ea.son the horizon eiceiaeteae:ma|aca|ts. ia:ee:t.eate
ea:acvaaeemeat. atae s.:.taa|e:|caactaea.aa.ste:y, taeeidos
eeaseste|eaaesseaee. ae:ce:te|eeemeaae:m,aactaeeeaeetei
ae:.zea.s:e,:ess.ve|ysa|st.tatecie:taateist:aeta:eaacesseaee.
2. 1ae ess.|.| .ty eia mec.ate e: .mmec.ate ae:.zea eiaa.ve:sa|
|aa,aa,e:.s|s:aaa.a,.ate esseat.a|c.mea|t.esaac|. m.t s. 1a. sess.
|.|.tya:stsaesestaattaeaaza:ceas:e||emeeaee:a.a,taeess.|.|
.tyeiaa:e,:amma:aac"a priori ae:ms ei|aa,aa,e. s:ese| vec,
aess.|.|.ty uasse:|aeve:eeasecteta|eie: ,:aatec.

i t sae ,
aest, taateve:yta.a, .saama||e.atae|:eacestsease, . . e. ,aa,mst.
80
We propose to come back to this elsewhere. [Cf. Derrida' s Speech and Phenomena:
And Other Essays on Husserl' s Theor of Signs, tf. David B. Allison (Evanston: North-
wester University Press, 1973), pp. 97-99. ]
8I
In "Philosophy and the Crisis of European Humanity" (i C), the
.
phenomenn f
crisis is presented as a "sickness" of European society and culture, a SIckness whIch s
not "natural" and gets no relief from "something like natur dotos" (p. 270). ThiS
"pathology, " moreover, has the profound ethical sense of a fall into "passivity, " of
inability to be rendered "responsible" for sense in an authentic activity or authent1
"reactivation. " Technical activity (that of science als) as such is a passivity in compan
son to sense; it is the agitation of the sick and, already, the tremors of delirium.
82
Cf. LI, J, 4. On Husserl ' s faithfulness to this theme and the philosophical option that
orients i t, cf. in particular S. Bachelard, A Study of Hussert' s Logic [part J, Ch. 1 ] , pp.
8-1 1 .
81
Introductin to the Orgin ofGeometr
ea||yes:ess.||e . eve:yeae eaa ta||a|eataat .s . ta.a tae sa:
:eaac. a, e:|c ei a.s e. v. | . zat. ea as O|] eet. ve| y es. st. a, ( 1 62
, mec.aec} ,. iaetae:e:cs, asaete:e,eaeeasastaeesseat.a|st:aeta:es
eiseve:a|eeast.tatec|aa,aa,ese:ea|ta:esmay|e,t:aas|at.ea.a:.a
e.|e .saaa|ays ess.||etas|. tenormal mea.||a|ays aavea
prioriH3 eease.easaesseitae.:|e|ea,.a,te,etae:teeae aactae same
aamaa.ty, |.v.a,.aeaeaactaesame e:|c. i.a,a. st.e c.ae:eaees-
aacaattaey .m|y-.||aea:tetaemattae|ettemeiaaa:.e:.
ae:.zeae:st:aeta:e.tae|.a,a. st.eeemmaa.ty,. . e. ,tae.mmec.ateee:
taatyei|eta |e.a, sea|.a,sa|]eetsaeeaaaeve:ces.,aate aay
tam,|ataat|e|ea,stetaeae:.zeaeitae.:e:|castae .::ecae.||y
eemmeaae:.zeaeitae.:ese:.eaee.1a. s.m|.estaattaeyeaaa|ays,
. mmea.ate|ye:aet , staacte,etae:|eie:etaesameaata:a|es. steat-
a.ea e eaa a|ays st:. ei tae ea|ta:a| sae:st:aeta:es aac
eate,e:.esieaacec(fundiert) ea.t ,aacaeseaa.tyea|ca|aysia:
a.sataea| t.matea:|.t:at.eaie:eve:ymisunderstanding. Cease.easaess
eieeai:eat.a,taesame ta.a,, aae|]eete:ee.vecas saea, .seea
se.easaesseiaa:eaac:eea|ta:a|we. ue:etae:etaote:eea|ta:e. s
aet:e,:ess.eatea:cea|ta:a|primitiveness |attae:ecaet.eaeiace
te:m.aecea|ta:e, ataee:et.ea|ee:at.ea a.ea . seae eitaea.,aest
ie:mseiea|ta:e.a,eae:a| .1a. sa:e|yaata:a|e|]eet.vees. steat. stae
es.st.a,seas.||ee:|c,a.ea|eeemestaea:st,:eaaceieemmaa.ea
t.ea,taee:maaeateaaaeeie:tae:e.aveat.eaei|aa,aa,e~staemest
aa.ve:sa| ,taemeste|]eet.ve|yesa.|.tece|emeat,.veateas, taeea:ta
.tse|i.saatia:a.saestaea:stmatte:eieve:y seas.||ee|]eet iaseia:
as .t .s taeexemplar e|emeat ,|e.a, me:e aata:a||y e|]eet.ve, me:e
e:maaeat,me:ese|.c,me:e:.,.c,aacseie:ta ,taaaa||etae:elements;
aac.aa|:eace:sease, .teem:. sestaem, , .t.sae:ma|taattaeea:ta
aasia:a. saectae,:eaacie:taea:st.cea| .t.es, taeaie:taea:sta|se
|ate|y aa. ve:sa| aac e|]eet.ve identities, taese ei ea|ea| as aac
,eemet:y.
nat:eea|ta:a||ypure Nature .s a|ays|a:.ec. se, as tae a|t.mate
` But both still have to meet. The question here, then, is only that of a material ,
therefore in a certain sense contingent, a priori (cf. above) .
H4 Jt i s the "as such" of the object' s substantial and objective unity which i s deci sive
here. In paricular i t di stinguishes human intersubjectivity from that which i s created
between animal s, men and animals, children, etc. All those finite communities al so rest
on the feel i ng of a presence to the same world whereby they confront the same things , and so
on, but in a nonobjecti ve, nontheoretical consciousness-which does not posit the object
"as such" in its independence and as the pole of infi nite determination. Those lower commu
nities can also gi ve rise to a specifc phenomenology, and Husserl devoted i mportant
unpublished fragments to them.
82
Jacques Derrida
ess.|.|.iy ie:eemmaa.eai.ea. . i. sa|.ac ei.aaeeess.||e. ai:a. cea| .
Caaeaeisay. iaea.]asiiae ees.ieeiaaiuasse:|sa.c:~:eaei
aeaeemmaa.eai.eaaacm.saace:siaac.a,iaeve:yae:.zeaeiea|ia:e
aac|aa,aa,e:uacea|iec|ym.saace:siaac.a,.sa|aysaiaeiaa|ae:.
zeaaaciaeia.ie.aceseiiae.aia.iee|eeiaseaac.aie||.,eaee.nai
a|iaea,aiae|aiie:. sa|aysaaaeaaeecseiaai|aa,aa,eeaa|e,.a. .s
aeiia.iaceiaeesseai.a|a.eaeeaaaeve::ac.ea||y,e|eyeac:
1ae a|eve seems a|| iae me:e i:ae. esee. a||y s.aee a|se|aie
i:aas|aia|.|.iyea|c |e saseacec sia:i.a, iae memeai iae s.,a.iec
eea|cae|ea,e:|e|ec|ae|. e. iae:c.:eei|ye:.ac.:eei| y.:eiaemece|ei
aa e|]eei.ve aac seas.||e es. sieai. ve:y | .a,a.si.e ceas.ea iaai
ea|ceseaeia. sa|se|aiei:aas|aia|.|.iyea|c:ema.ama:|ec|yiae
em.:.ea| sa|]eei.v.iy eiaa . ac.v.caa| e: see.eiy. re: uasse:| . iae
mece| ei|aa,aa,e.siaee|]eei.ve|aa,aa,e eise.eaee. ~ eei.e |aa
,aa,e. aese s.,a.ieai.easea|caei|eobjects, . ||aeve:aaveaay
i:aaseeaceaia| va| aeie: a. m 1aaiiaei ea|c aave ae eeaseaeaee
within uasse:| .aaiaea,ai. .ia.s iaea,aie:e aei a| seiae iae:ea,a
. avesi.,ai.ea [approfondissement ] eisa|]eei.v.iy. Ne sa|]eei.v. iy .a
,eae:a| . as maea em.:.ea|asi:aaseeaceaia| . aea:ecve:yea:| yie
uasse:| as. aaeeess.||e ie ac.:eei. aa.veea| . aac :.,e:eas |aa,aa,e.
sa|]eei.v.iy.siaacaeaia||y. aeaa||e ~|:eacy.aThe Phenomenology
ofInteral Time-Consciousness, uasse:|:eie::ecieiaea| i.maie.ceai.iy
eiiaeeeasi.iai.verasei. mmaaeaii. meaaca|se|aiesa|]eei.v.iyaac
eeae|acecre:a||ia. s. aamesa:e|ae|.a,( 36, . 100).85 ~ac. aiae
aaa||.saecaaase:.iseiC:eaCea:eieieme:a| .iy.aeeace:s
.i:ee|]eei.veiee:a| .iy.:eieme:a|.iy(Vorzeit) , .saei|eyeaca||
c.seea:se(unsagbar) ie:iae aeaemeae|e,.z.a,,e,HsC1 31 1 5 i i .
i 1. 9). 1ae:eie:e . |aa,aa,e. i:ac.i.ea. aaca. sie:y es.siea|y.a
seia:ase|]eeis|:ea|iaesa:iaee
3 . ~siae.aia.ieae:.zeaeieve:yess.||eese:.eaee. iaee:|c.s
eeaseaeai|y iae aa.ve:se ei O|]eeis a.ea .s | .a,a. si.ea| | y es
:ess.||e.a.is|e.a,aac.is|e.a,saea( 1 62) . 1aas. iaes. ,a.ieai.ea
eiiaee:|casae:.zea. se|ea:| yes| .eaiec. . . e. .asiae. aia.ie|yeea
eemea |aee ie: eve:yia.a, e eaa eaeeaaie: . ai:eai eiaac ie:
"
In the same sense, cf. al l he subtle analyses in the LI devoted to expressions
" lack[ing] an objective sense, " such as personal pronouns which " indicate" mediatel y
bl lt can never gi ve anythi ng to be seen. "The word T has not i tself di rectl y the power to
arouse the specifc I -presentation; thi s becomes fxed i n the actual pi ece of tal k. I t does
not work like the word ' l ion' which can arouse the idea of a l ion i n and by i tself. I n i ts
case, rather, an i ndicati ve function mediates, cryi ng as it were, to the hearer ' Your
vis-a-vis i ntends himself' " (I, 1 , 26, p. 3 1 6) .
83
Introduction to the Origin of Geometr
ea:se| ves . i ai:eaieiaac ie:ea:se|ves.m|.es. iaea.,. veaas aae|
]eei .1aee:|c. iae:eie:e .. sesseai.a||yceie:m.aec|yiaecai.veaac
ae:.zeaic. meas. eaei|e.a,e:ee.vec[l' etre-perqu] .aa,azeaese
e|]eeimasia|ays|ea||eie|eatheorem. Ceemei:.ea|esem|a:.aess
aacea|iec|y:esa|isi:emiaeiaeiiaai. asaaa|si:aeimaie:.a|se.
eaee .ia. sesem|a:.aessi:eaisiaesai.a| .iyei|ec. es,a.ea. sea| y
eae eiiae|ecy s e.cei.eeemeaeais, . . . e . i:eaisaaieeaie:s sease
eaiaeaei.eaeiae:.zeaaace|]eei. Des.iea||iaeaaia,ea.si.emei.is
a.eaaa.maieaeaemeae|e,y. saee s :. v. |e,eiae:e.a .s .a ee:ia.a
:eseeis:ema:|a||e. iiiesi.iesieiaai e|]eei.v.si ieaceaey a.ea
uasse:|s.ma|iaaeeas| yeesessev. ,e:eas| y. aacyeia.ea. sea|ya
period, aa esseai.a| . aac iae:eie:e .::ecae.|| e. mevemeaieiiaea,ai.
1ae :eieaac :ayiam eiia. s ieas.ea |eieea e|]eei.v.sm aac iae
i:aaseeaceaia|mei.i.aieas.ease:ema:|a|| ycese:.|ec.aiaeCrisis, .s
a| se . ma:iec ie aeaemeae|e,y. ia ia.s :eseei. iae :e||em ei
,eemei:y. s:evea|.a,.
Ceemei:y. .aeaeei. .siaese.eaeeeiaai. sa|se|aie|ye|]eei.ve-
. e. . sai.a|.iy-.aiaee|]eeisiaaiiaea:ia.our eemmea|aee. eaa
. aceaa.ie|,iao. saasea:eemmea,:eaac.iaeiae:mea
,
uai.iaa
e|]eei.vese.eaeeeiea:ia| ,ia.a,s.s ess.||e. aae|]eei.vese.eaeeei
iaeta:ia.ise|i.iae,:eaacaacieaacai.eaeiiaesee|]eeis . .sas:ac.
ea| | y .ess.||e as iaai eii:aaseeaceaia| sa|]eei.v.iy. 1ae i:aas
eeaceaia| a:ia . s aei aa e|]eei aac eaa aeve: |eeeme eae ~ac
iaeess.|.|.iyeia,eeei:ysi:.ei|yee|eeaisiae.mess.|.|.iyei
aaieea|c |e ea||eca"geo-logy, " iaee|]eei.vese.eaeeeiiaea:ia
.ise|i 1a.s .s iae sease eiiae i:a,meai a.eareduces, :aiae: iaaa
8
On the theme of "our Earth" as the "l ife-world" "i n the most comprehensive
sense" for a humanity which lives i n community and where one can be "understood" in a
communication whi ch must always say and pass through the thi ngs of our Earth , cf. E,
38, pp. 1 62-67. Thi s section efecti vely i l l uminates, especially by its degree of elabora
tion, the si mi l arly i nspired fragment on the Earth cited below. In thi s section, the uni ty of
the Earth i s grounded in the unity and oneness of temporal ity, the " fundamental form"
(Grundform), the "form of all forms" [ibid. , p. 1 6] .
8
Thi s fragment , whi ch i s entitled "Grundlegende Untersuchungen zum
Phanomenologischen Ursprung der Rauml i chkeit der Natur" [ "Fundamental Investiga
tions on the Phenomenological Origin of the Spatiality of Nature"] , dated May 1 934, was
publi shed i n 1 940 by Marvi n Farber in Philosophical Essays in Memor of Edmund
Husserl [rpt . Greenwood Press, 1 968] , pp. 307-25 . From the perspective of the science of
space, i t sketches a movement analogous to that of the Origin, but di rected toward
ki nematics . In a certain sense , it completes the Origin, although in the Origin Husserl
clearly specifi es that geometry is onl y a title for all mathematics of pure
spatiotemporali ty.
Thi s text, very spontaneous and not greatly worked out i n its wri ti ng, is presented as a
84
Jacques Derri
preface to a "science ofthe origin of spatiality, " of "corporeality, " of "Nature in the
sense of the natural sciences, " and to a "Transcendental Theor of Cognition in the
Natural Sciences" [po 307] . Husserl first wonders about the sense of the world in the
infnite openness of my surrounding world whose frontiers I can always go beyond. Over
against a determined objectivation [representation] of the world, that of the "Negroes"
or ' ' Greeks, " he sets that of the Coperican world. "We Copericans, we men of moder
time, we say: the earth is not ' the whole of Nature, ' it is one of the planets, in the infnite
space of the world. The earth is a spherical body which certainly is not perceptible as a
whol e, by a single person and all at once, but in a primordial [rimordiale] synthesis as
the unity of singular experiences bound to each other. But nonetheless it is a body!
Although for us it may be the experiential ground for all bodies i n the experiential genesis
of our world-objectivation" (p. 308).
H usserl then " reduces" the Coperican thesis by making the certainty of an Earh-as
the origin of every objective kinetic determination-appear as the transcendental presup
position of this thesis. The question is to exhume, to unearth, the Earh, to lay bare the
primordial ground buried under the sedimentary deposits of scientifc culture and
objectivism.
For the Earth cannot become a mobile body: "It is on the Earth, toward the Earh,
starting from it, but still on it that motion ocurs. The Earth itself, in confority to the
original idea of it, does not move, nor is it at rest; it is in relation to the Earh that motion
and rest fi rst have sense. But then the Eath does not 'move' nor is at rest-and it is
entirely the same for the heavenly bodies and for the earth as one of them" (p. 309) .
The Earth is the fnal ground of our co-humanity (Mitmenscheit), for it is "the same
Earth for us, on it, in it, above it, there are the same bodies existing on it-'on it, ' etc. ,
the same corporeal (leiblichen) SUbjects, subjects of bodies (Leibern), who, for all, are
bodies (Korper) in a modified sense. But for us all , the Earth is the grund and not a body
in the full sense" (p. 3 1 5) .
But toward the end of the text, the Earth takes on a more formal sense. No longer is it a
question of thi s Earth here (the primordial here whose factuality would fnally b irreduc
ible), but of a here and a ground in general for the deterination of body-objects in
general. For if I reached another planet by flying, and if, Husserl then said, I could
perceive the earth as a body, I would have "two Earths as ground-bodi es. " "But what
does two Earths signify? Two pieces of a single Earth with one humanity" (pp. 3 1 7-1 8) .
From then on the unity of all humanity determines the unity of the grund as such. This
unity of all humanity is correlative to the unity of the world as the infnite horizon of
experience, and not to the unity of this earth here. The World, which is not the factuality
of this historical world here, as Husserl ofen recalls, is the ground of gounds, the
horizon of horizons, and it is to the World that the transcendental immutability attributed
to the Earth returs, since the Earth then is only its factual index. Likewise
correlatively-humanity would then only be the facto-anthropological index of sub
jectivity and of intersubjectivity in general , starting fom which every primordial here can
appear on the foundation of the Living Present, the rest and absolute maintenance of the
origin in which, by which, and for which all temporality and all motion appea.
Just as here he reduces the Copernican "relativity" of the earth, Husserl elsewhere
reduces Einstein's "relativity": "Where is that huge piece of method subjeted to
critique and clarification-that method that leads from the intuitively given surrunding
world to the idealization of mathematics and to the interpretation of these idealizations as
Objective being? Einstein's revolutionay innovations concer the foulae thrugh
which the idealized and naively Objectified physis is dealt with. But how formulae in
general , how mathematical Objectivation in general, receive sense on the substrtum of
85
Introuctin to the Origin ofGeometry
:eiaies, iae Cee:a.eaa aa.vei- aac saesiaaiiae a:ia .a .is
:eie:.me:c.a|.iy cees aei meve. asi as eae s ea |ecy, asiae
:.me:c.a| here aac zero-point ie: eve:y objective ceie:m.aai.ea ei
saee aac sai.a|mei.ea, . saei.ise|i.amei.ea.a ia.s saee as aa
e|]eei, se-aaa|e,eas|,-iaeta:ia,as:.me:c|a||ec,,asiae,:eaac
|ec, (Bodenkorper) i:em a.ea a|eae a Ceen|eaa ceie:m|aa
i.eaeiiaeea:iaas|ec,e|]eei|eeemesess||| e, | saei|ise|ieae|ec,
amea,eiae:s.aiaemeeaaa.ea|sysiem.r:.me:c.a||y, iaea:iameves
aeme:eiaaaea:|ecymevesaac|eavesiaee:maaeaeeei.ishere,
,:eaacec.aa:eseai.1aea:iaiae:eie:e|aesiae:esieiaaa|se
|aiehere; a:esia.ea.saeiiae:esieiiaee|]eei,:esias meceei
mei.ea, , |aixesisia:i.a,i:ema.eamei.eaaac:esieaaaea:aac
|eiaea,aiassaea,iaexesieiaground aacahorzon .aiae.:eemmea
e:.,.a aac eac. 1ae a:ia . s, . a eaeei, |eia sae:i eiaac |eyeac
eve:y|ecye|]eei-.aa:i.ea|a:iaeCee:a.eaaea:ia-asiae,:eaac,
as iae ae:e ei .is :e|ai.ve aea:.a,. nai iae a:ia eseeecs eve:y
|ecye|]eeias.is.aaa.ieae:.zea, ie:.i.saeve:esaaasiec|yiaee:|
eie|]eei.aeai.eaiaai:eeeecs.ia.a.i. 1aea:ia.sawae|eaese
a:is . . . a:e |ec.es, |ai as a wae|e .i .s aei a |ecy
, C:aac|e,eace , 3 1 3] . 1ae:e. siaeaase.eaeeof saee,.aseia:as
.issia:i.a,e.ai.saeiin saee.
iiiaeess.|.|.iyei|aa,aa,e. sa|:eacygiven ieiae:.ma||y. asi.iai
.a, ,eemeie:, .i samees iaai iae |aiie:aas :ecaeec .a a.mse|iiae
.ceai.iyaaciae.cea|e:maaeaeeeiaa e|]eei .ae:ce:ie|e a||eie
eemmaa.eaie .i neie:eiae same .s:eee,a.zecaaceemmaa.eaiec
amea,seve:a| .ac.v.caa| s, .i.s:eee,a.zecaaceemmaa.eaiec.ia.a
iae. ac.v. caa|eease.easaess aiie:a.e|aaci:aas.ie:yev.ceaee,arie:
aaa. ieaacass.ve:eieai.eavaa.saes, .is seaseeaab :e:ecaeecas
iae same .a iaeaeiei:eee||eei.ea .is seaseaasaei:eia:aec ie
life and the intuitively given surrounding world-of this we lear nothing; and thus
Einstein does not reform the space and time i n wh ich our vi tal life (unser lebendiges
Leben) runs its course" ("Philosophy and the Crisis of European Humanity," in C, p.
295 [modified]) . In the Crisis (34b, pp. 1 25f. ), a similarly oriented analysis also ques
tions the objectivism of Einstein' s relativity.
88
In referring to this fragent, Trm-Dlc-Thao (Phenomenologie, p. 222) speaks of an
"undaunted refutation of the Coperican system. " However, it is a matter of course that
Husserl does not at any moment or on its own proper level contest the particular truth of
the objective Copernican science. He only recalls that Copernican science presupposes a
primordial Earth which this science will never be able to integrte into its objective
system.
l '
v
86
Jacques Derrida
ae| a. a,aess |a ta. scoincidence of identity [recouvrement d' identitf] ,
ideality . s aaaeaaeecas saea aac .a,eae:a| .aaa e,e|e,.ea| sa|]eet
Ceaseaeat| y. aatasesta. s. cea| .tyageometrical .cea|.ty. ||ea|y
.ate:estas|ate:eawe.||:eseetuasse:| se:ce:eicese:.t.eaaac
. ataeeaat.e.||ce| aetaeeeac.|.easie:.cea|.ty. aaa. ate:sa|]ee
t. eeeaa.ty
1aas. |eie:e|e. a,tae .cea| .tyeiaa .ceat.ea|e|]eetie:etae:sa|
]eets. sease. sta. s. cea|.tyie:other eeatseitaesaesa|]eet iaa
ee:ta.aay. tae:eie:e. . ate:sa|]eet. . ty .s i:s| tae aeae. :. ea| :e|a
t.eaei,e|e,e.eiy:eseat:eseatteetae::eseatsassaea .. e .
as etae:s aac as :eseats .as as| :eseats | ate:sa|]eet. .|y .s |ae
:e|at.eaeiaaa|se|atee:.,.ateetae:a|se|atee:. ,. as. a.eaa:ea|ays
y ea. ces.te tae.: :ac.ea| a|te:.ty 1aaass te ta. s e. :ea|at.ea ei
:.e:c.a|a|se|a|es. taesame ta.a,eaa|etaea,atta:ea,aa|se|ate|y
etae:eeatsaacaets wea|ayseee|aestetaeiaa|.astaaeeei
|a. s. tae aa.ae aac esseat.a| ie: ei |ee:a|.zat.ea ny . ts e:y
c.a|eet.ea|aess. taea|se|ate:.e:c.a|.tyeitaei. .a,r:eseate:.ts
tae:ecaet. ea..taeatae,at.ea.eia||a|te:.ty1aei. .a,r:eseateea
st.tates taeetae:asetae:. a.tse|iaactae sae as tae sae . atae
etae:9
0
I These processes are abundantly described in The Phenomenology of Internal Time
Consciousness, Ideas I, and in FTL. The passage from passi ve retention to memory or to
the acti vi ty of recollection, a passage which ' ' produces" ideality and pure Objectivity as
such and makes other absolute origins appear as such, i s always described by Husserl as
an already given essential possibility, as a structural abi l i ty whose source i s not made a
problem. Perhaps thi s source is not questioned by phenomenology because it is confused
wi th the possibility of phenomenology i tself. I n i ts "factual ity, " thi s passage i s also that
of the lower forms of Nature and conscious life. I t can also be the thematic site of what
today is cal led an "overcomi ng. " Here phenomenology would be "overcome" or com
pleted i n an interpretative philosophy. Thus Tran-Duc-Thiw, after a remarkable interpre
tation of phenomenology, exposes the " Dialectic of Real Movement, " starting from the
concepts of retention and reproduction and from difculties attached to them in
phenomenology, which alone. however, can give them a rigorous sense.
`The possibility of constituting, withi n the unique and irreduci bl e form of the Li ving
Present (unchangeable in itself and always other i n its ' ' content") , another now and on its
basi s another here, another absolute origin of my absol utel y absolute origin, this possibil
ity i s el sewhere presented by Husserl as the root of i ntersubjecti vi ty. I n the Cartesian
Meditations, this di alectic of temporalization is i nvoked as an analogous example of the
dialectic of i ntersubjecti vity. In order to illuminate the extraordinary constitution of
"another monad + in mi ne , " Husserl al ludes to temporalization, i n what he cal l s an
"i nstructi ve comparison" C52, p. 1 1 5) .
But i n some unpubli shed material , he seems to go much further: "Urhyl e, " i . e . ,
temporal hyl e, i s defned there as the " core of the other than the Ego' s own" (Ichfremde
Kern) . Cf. Group C 6 ( August 1 930) , p. 6. On the sense of this notion of "alien to my
87
Introduction to the Origin of Geometry
VII
A cee.s. este:ea. aste|etaseany. tse|itaeseas.a,sa|]eet. .a
tae st:.etseaseeitae te:. . s. aeaa||e eia|se|ate|y,:eaac.a,|ae
.cea| O|]eet. .ty ei sease O:a| eeaa.eat.ea , . e . :eseat . .
ec.ate.aacsya.a:ea.eeeaa.eat.eaaea,tae:ete,eeete:s. s
aet same.eatt e,. e .cea|e|]eet.. t. estae.: eeat.aa. a,t e|e aac
"persisting factual existence, " taaasstea.eataeye:ca:eeeaca:
.a,e:.ecs.aa.eatae. aeate:aaca.sie||esa:eae|ea,e:aasete
saea aa eseaaa,ee:eea. e:e aa.e:sa||y. ae|ea,e:a|.e 1e |e
a|se|ate|y .cea|. tae e|]eet ast st.|| |e i:eec eiever t.e .ta aa
aetaa||y :eseat sa|]eet. .ty .a ,eae:a| 1ae:eie:e. .t ast e:ca:e
eea aea ae eae aas aetaa|. zec .| .a e.ceaee ( 1 64 ec.iec}
seeea[langage oral] aasi:eectaee|]eeteiindividual sa|]eet. .ty|at
|eaes.t|eaacte. ts|e,.aa.a,aactetae syaea:eayeiaaeseaaa,e
.ta.ataeinstitutive communit.
1aeess.|. |. tyei writing .||assa:etaea|se|atet:ac. t. eaa| .zat. eaei
taee|]ee| . .tsa|se|ate.cea|O|]eet. .ty~. e .taea:.tyei. ts:e|at.ea
teaaa.e:sa|t:aaseeaceata|sa|]eet. .tyw:.t.a,.||ceta. s|yeaa
e.at. a,seasei:e.tsactually present e.ceaeeie:a:ea|sa|]eetaac
i:e. ts:eseate.:ea|at.ea.ta.aacete:. aeceeaa. ty 1aece
e.s. eiaaet. eaei:.tteaes:ess. ea.eies:ess.eaa.eaceeaeats..s
taat.taseseeaa.eat.eaess.||e. taeat. ec.ate e:ec.ate
acc:ess. .t . s. se te seas. eeaa. eat.ea |eeee .:taa| ( 1 64
ec. iec}
1aatvirtuality, me:eee:. .s aa a|.,aeas a|ae. .t s. a|taaeeas|y
asesass. .ty.ie:,etia|aess .aaca| |taeaeaeeaaeicrisis ess.||e
ra:i:eaa.a,teia||a,a.a.atea:ea|reale] a.ste:y.at:atataate
aae ,a.aec i:e ta. s a.ste:y-se:.ta:a| sat.etee:a|.ty ,aese
e..,. aa|.tye .||seea aeectecete:.ae-saaet.easaacee|etes
tae es.steaeeeia:et:aaseeaceata|a. ste:.e. ty w.taeat tae a|t.ate
e|]eet. ieat.ea taat:.t.a,e:.ts . a|||aa,aa,e ea|c asyet:ea.a
Ego, " "the intrinsically frst other, " or of " the frst ' non-Ego' " i n t he constitution of the
alter ego, see notably CM, 4S-49, pp. 1 05-0S.
Preobjecti ve and preexact temporali ty, which had to become the principal theme of the
transcendental aesthetics projected by Husserl (cf. notably FL, Concl usion, pp. 291 -92:
and CM, 6 1 q p. 1 46), i s then the root of transcendental intersubjecti vity. Al l the egos,
beyond al l possible diferences, can be encountered, recognized, and understood also in
the identity of the concrete and universal form of the Li vi ng Present. I n E, " tie as the
form of sensibility" i s described as the "ground" of the "necessary connection . . .
between the intentional objects of al l perceptions and positional presentifcations of an
Ego and a community of Egos" (3S, p. 1 62 [modifed)) .
88
Jacques Derrida
eai.veeiiaeceiaeieaacaeiaa|. aieai.eaa|.iyeiasea|.a,sa|]eeie:
eemmaa.iy eisea|.a,sa|]eei s. ny a|se|aie|yv.:iaa|.z.a,c.a|e,ae,
:.i.a,e:eaiesa|. aceiaaieaemeasi:aaseeaceaia|ie|ci:ema.ea
eve:y:eseaisa|]eeieaa|ea|seai
i aeeaaeei.ea.iaiae,eae:a|s.,a.ieai.eaeiiaeepoche, eaauy
e|.ie .ave|es iae ess.|.| .iyeia sa|]eei|essi:aaseeaceaia|ie|c,
eae. aa.eaiaeeeac.i.easeisa|]eei.v.iyea|caea:aacae:e
iae sa|]eei ea|c |e eeasi.iaiec sia:i.a, i:em iae i:aaseeaceaia|
ie|c w:.i.a,, as iae |aee eia|se|aie|y e:maaeai .cea| e|]ee
i. v.i.esaaciae:eie:eeia|se|aieO|]eei.v. iy,ee:ia.a|yeeasi.iaiessaea
ai:aaseeaceaia|ie| c. ~ac| .|e.se, ie|e sa:e, i:aaseeaceaia|sa|
]eei. v.iyeaa|eia||yaaaeaaeecaacaea:eaiae|as. seiia.sie|ce:
. is ess.|. |.iy. 1aas a sa|]eei|essi:aaseeaceaia| ie|c .s eae ei iae
eeac.i.eas eii:aaseeaceaia|sa|]eei.v.iy
naia|| ia. seaa |e sa.c ea|yea iae |as.seiaa .aieai.eaa|aaa|ys. s
a.ea :eia.as i:em :. i.a, aeia.a, |ai :.i.a, s a:e :e|ai.ea ie a
eease.easaessa.ea,:eaacs.i as saea, aacaei. isiaeiaa|.iya.ea,
|euie. ise|i,.sieia||y.iaeais.,a.ieai.ea[insignifante] . re:ia.s a|
seaeeeisa|]eei. v.iyi:em iae i:aaseeaceaia| ie| c, aaa|seaeeaese
ess.|.|.iy i:ees a|se|aieO|]eei.v.iy, eaa |eea|yaiaeiaa| a|seaee,
evea.i.i:emevecie:a||i.meiaeieia|.iyeiaeiaa|sa|]eeis. 1aee:.,.
aa|.iyeiiaeie|cei:.i.a, . s. isa|. | .iyiec. sease .ia,due to its
sense, eve.y :eseai :eac. a, .a ,eae:a| . nai .iiae iesi cees aei aa
aeaaee.is eaa:eceeaceaeeeaa:. ie:e::eace:.a,eae:a|,. e ,
.i.i.s aeiaaaaiec|yav. :iaa|. aieai.eaa|.iy, ,aac.iiae:e.saea:e|y
]a:.c.ea|ess. |.|.iyei.i|e.a,. aie| |.,.||eie:ai:aaseeaceaia|sa|]e

i
.a,eae:a| ,iaeaiae:e.saeme:e.aiaevaea.iyei.issea|iaaaaeaaei.e
|.ie:a|aesse:iaeseas.||eeae.iyeiaceiaaeices.,aai.ea,aces.,aai.ea
ce:.vecei.isi:aaseeaceaia|iaaei. ea.1aes.|eaeeei:ea.sie:.ea:eaaa
aac|a:.ece.v. |.zai.eas, iaeeaiem|meaiei|esi. aieai.easaac,aa:cec
see:eis, aac iae . | |e,.|.|.iy ei iae |a.ca:y .ase:.i.ea c.se|ese iae
i:aaseeaeeaia|seaseeiceaiaasaaiaa.iesiaeseia.a,sieiaea|se
|aie :.v.|e,e ei . aieai.eaa|.iy . a iae ve:y . asiaaee ei .is esseai.a|
]a:.c.ea|ia.|a:e [en ce qui l' unit a l' absolu du droit intentionnel dans
l ' instance meme de son echecl .
waeaeeas.ce:.a,iaece]a:ea:.iyei.aieai.eaa|aa. mai.ea, uas-
se:|a|ayssaysiaaitae| .a,a.si.ee:,:aa.e|ecy. saresa,a:ee:
|ecy e/,.e:as. :.iaa|ee:e:ea|.iy(geitige Leiblichkeit) (FTL, 2, .
21 ) . r:em iaea ea, :. i.a, . s ae |ea,e: ea|y iae e:|c|y aac
` We refer here to a comment by Jean Hyppolite during the discussion which followed
the lecture of Fr. Van Breda on "La Reduction phenomimologique, " in H usserl, Cahiers
de Royaumont, p. 323.
89
Introductin to the Origin of Geometry
maemeieeaa.ea|a.cieai:aiaaeseea|e. a,seaseea|cc.sease
.iaa||:.i.a,cea 1aeess.|.| .iye:aeeess.iyei|e.a,.aea:aaiec
. aa,:aa.es.,a.sae| ea,e:s.m|yesi:.as.eaaciaeiaa|.aeema:.sea
.ia.cea|O|]eei.v.iy. .i.siaesine qua non eeac.i.eaeiO|]eei.v.iy s
.aie:aa|eem|ei.ea ~s|ea,as .cea|O|]eei.v.iy. saei ,e: :aiae:,can
aei |eea,:avec.aiae e:|c-as |ea, as . cea|O|]eei.v.iy.s aei .aa
es.i.eaie|ea:iyieaa.aea:aai.ea,a.ea, .aiaea:.iyei. issease .
.s me:e iaaaasysiemeis.,aa|s[signalisation] e:aaeaie:,a:meai,-
iaea .cea| O|]eei.v.iy . s aei ia||y eeasi.iaiec 1ae:eie:e, iae aei ei
:.i. a, .s iae a.,aesi ess.|.| .iy eia| | "constitution, " a iaei a,a.asi
a.ea iae i:aaseeaceaia| ceia ei .cea| O|] eei.v.iy s a. sie:.e.iy .s
measa:ec.
waai r. a| :.ies a|eai seeea .a a. s esee| |eai i:aase:.i eiiae
Origin . sa fortiori i:aeie: :.i. a,. i a seas.||e em|ec.meai eeea:s
iae |eea|. zai.eaaaciae ieme:a|.zai.ea (Temporalisation) eiaai. s.
|y.is|e.a,sease, aa|eeaiecaacaaieme:a| , D. er:a,e, 2 1 0) .
saeaaie:ma|ai.ea:ema:|a||y saa:easiae:e|| emaacaa|eas
iaeeea|.a:v.:iaeei|aa,aa,e .iie|ea:|yi:aas|aiesuasse:|sesaei.a,
eae:iieeaieaiae. cea| .iyeiiaemai.eseaseaaceie:cs[mots] .aiae. :
:e|ai.eas.iaiae| .a,a.si.eeveai naiceesaeiia. s ie:ma|ai.eae:
This sensible embodiment has the peculiar qualities [l'errngete] of both sense' s
inhabitation of the word [mot] and the here and now use of the word' s ideality. In the first
case, embodiment is at its l i mit the inscription of an absolutely "free" and objective
ideality (that of geometrical truth, for example) within the ' 'bound" ideality of the word,
or i n general of a more free ideality within a less free ideality. In the second case,
embodiment is that of a necessarily bound ideality, that of the word' s identity within
language, in a real-sensible event. But this last embodiment is still done through another
step of mediate ideality whi(h Husserl does not directly describe, but which we think can
be located on the basi s of strictly Husserlian concepts. It is a question of ideal forms or
vague morphological types (a notion that we will have ocasion to specify farther on) ,
which are proper to the corporeality of graphic and vocal signs. The forms of graphic and
vocal signs must have a certain identity which is imposed and recognized each time in the
empirical fact of language. Without this always intended and approximate ideal identity
(that of letters and phonemes, for example), no sensible language would be possible or
intelligible as language, nor could it intend higher idealities. Naturally, this morphological
ideality is still more "bound" than the word' s ideality. The precise place of the properly
termed realizing [realisante] embodiment is ultimately therefore the union of the sensible
form with sensible material, a union traversed by the linguistic intention which always
intends, explicitly or not, the highest ideality. Linguistic incaration and the constitution
of written or scriptural space suppose, then, a closer and closer "interconnection" of ideality
and reality through a series of less and less ideal mediations and in the synthetic unity of an
intention. Thi s intentional synthesis is an unceasing movement of going and returing that
works to bind the ideality of sense and to free the reality of the sign. Each of the two opera
tions is always haunted by the sense of the other: each operation is already announced in the
other or still retained i n it . Language frees the ideality of sense, then, in the very work of its
"binding" ("interconnecting" [enchainement] ).
90
Jacques Derrida
.t| .a,a.st.eem|ec.meatte|eaace:steecasta|.a,|aeeeats.cetae
|e.a,sease ei .cea| e|]eet.v.ty: ~s eeea::.a, e: aaeseetec|y
aaea.a, .aacc.t.eatetae|e. a,sease:Deesaetta.sie:a|at.ea
,.ve tae . m:ess.eataat.cea| e|]eet. v. ty . sia||yeeast.tatec as saea
before aacindependently of .tsem|ec.eat.e::atae:.|eie:eaac.ace
eaceat|yei.tsability to be embodied?
natuasse:|.as. ststaatt:ata.saetia||ye|]eet. ve .. e ..cea| ..ate||.
,.||eie:eve:yeaeaac.aceia.te|ye:ca:a||e. as|ea,as.teaaaet|e
sa.cand :.ttea s.aee ta. s e:ca:a|.|.ty . st:ata s ve:y sease. tae
eeac.t.easie:.tssa:v. va|a:e. ae|acec. ataeseei. ts|.ie uacea|tec|y.
t:ataaeve:|eestae.cea|O|]eet.v.tye:.ceat.tyeiaayei.tsa:t.ea
|a:ceiaete| .a,a.st.e.aea:aat.eas .aaceea:ect ea|||.a,a. st.eiaeta
a|.ty.t:ema.asi:ee. natta.si:eecem.sea|yess. ||e:ee.se|yi:e
taemoment t:atacan .a,eae:a||esa.ce::.ttea.. e. .on condition taat
ta.scan |eceae.ra:aces.ea||y.taeess.|. | .tyei|e.a,:.tteafossibi
lite graphique] e:m.ts tae a| t.matei:ee.a,ei.cea| .ty. 1ae:eie:e . e
eea|ca|||at:eve:setaete:mseir.a| s ie:a|a taeability eiseasete
|e| .a,a.st.ea||ye|ec.ec.s tae ea|y eaas|ya.easease|eeees
aeasat. eteme:a|
neeaase.cea|O|]eet.v.tyeaaesseat.a||y.aie:e:saaetae|ecyei
seeeaaac:.t.a,.aacs. aee.tceeacseaaa:e|.a,a. st.e. ateat.ea.
.t .s :ac.ea||y .aceeaceateiseas.||e sat.etee:a|. ty. 1a. s eaas
taatasee.iesat.eteme:a|.ty. s:ese:. |ecie:eeaa.eat.ea. aac
tae:eie:e ie: a:e t:ac.t.ea aaca. ste:y. a sat.eteme:a|.ty taat es
eaestaea|te:aat.veeitaeseas.||eaactae.ate||.,.||e.e:taeem.:.ea|
aactaeete.:.ea| .Ceaseaeat| y. t:ata.sae|ea,e:simply es.|ec.a
tae:.e:c.a|eveatei. ts|aa,aa,e.itsa.ste:.ea|aa|.tataataeat.eates
ta.s eveat .]astas tae :eteceeameatauthenticates aetae: . t. stae
cees.ta:yeiaa.ateat.ea.aetae:.t:eie:s.taeatia|s.ieat.eateaa
e:.,. aa|aac:. e:c.a|aet iaetae:e:cs. aetae:tae|. a,a. st. eeveat
:eie:steaaauthentic aet,.ataeuasse:|.aaseaseeitaee:c .|eeaase
.testa|| . saesat:atava| ae. . smace:eseas.||eie:. t. aaceaaaea|
tetae aa.ve:sa| .tyei.ts test.eay
uasse:|taas.ac.eatestaec.:eet.eaie:aaeaeeae|e,yeitae:.t
tea ta.a,. see.iea||y. cese:.|.a,tae |ee| .a .ts aa.ty asaeaa.aei
s.,a. r eat.eas 1a.saa.tyeaa|ee:ee:| ess. cea|aacaeeessa:y.aac
tae:eie:e aa. ve:sa| . aeee:c.a,te tae|ee| s seaseeeateat
,

,
~acaet
!J:l l n the Origin, Husserl di stinguishes between literature i n the broad sense, the realm
of all written di scourse, and literature as l iterary art. The literary work i s often chosen by
Husserl as the cl ue for analyzing the ideality of cultural objecti vi ties. The ideal identity of
the work wi l l never be mistaken for i ts sensible embodi ments. It does not derive i ts i ndi
vi dual identity from the latter. The origin of identity , moreover, i s the criterion which
91
Introductin to the Origin of Geometry
ea|yeaataat.cea|aa.ty|ee:ee:|ess|eaacteiaetaa| .ty.|ata|se
aeee:c.a,teaame:easaac eem|ete|ye:.,.aa|ie:msaacmeca|.t.es
He:eeve:.tae:e|at.eaeitae ese|a:s t etae.:a:eaetya|aa. ty. s
aacea|tec|yaa.aeamea,tae:e:ecaet.easeietae:ea|ta:a|ie:a
t.eas. esee.a||y taese ei tae aea|.te:a:y a:ts r.aa||y. tae |ee| s
:ee:ve| aeaacca:at.eaa:eae.tae:a:e|yseas.||eaeaemeaa.ae:
a:e|y.ate||.,.||eaeaeaa 1ae.:see.ieeaa:aete:sees. ::ecae.||e
1a.s |e.a, eitae |ee|. ta.s .astaaee eiprinted taea,at aese
| aa,aa,e.saetaata:a| . Casteanaeae|a:cea||sa"bibliomenon.
permits us to di stinguish between the real and the ideal . Husserl writes in E (65, pp.
265-66) : "We call real i n a specifc sense all that which, i n real thi ngs i n the broader
sense. is, according to its sense, essentially individualized by its spatiotemporal position;
but we call irreal ever determination which, indeed, is founded with regard to
spatiotemporal appearance in a specifcally real thing but which can appear in dif erent
realities as identical-not merely as simil ar" ( Husserl ' s emphasis) .
Thus the relation between the ideal and the real in all cultural objectivities (and frst in
all the arts) can be expl icated. That is relati vel y easy for the literary work. Thus,
"Goethe' s Faust i s found i n any number of real books (' book' denotes here what i s
produced by men and intended to be read: it i s already a determination which i s itself not
purely material. but a determination of signifcance !) , which are termed exemplars of
Faust. This mental sense which determines the work of art. the mental structure as such,
i s certainly ' embodied' i n the real world. but i t i s not i ndi vidual ized by thi s embodiment.
Or agai n: the same geometrical proposition can be uttered as often as desi red: every real
utterance has . . . identically the same sense" (ibid. , p. 26) .
But how can we determine the ideality of a work whose proto individualization is tied to
the work' s single spatiotemporal embodiment? How can we make i ts i deality appear by
varying factual exemplars. si nce the latter can only imi tate a factuality and not express or
" indicate" an i deal sense? I s i t, i n short. the same for the ideality of the pl astic arts. of
architecture? Or of music. whose case i s even more ambiguous? Although repetition may
be of a di ferent nature here. which in each case requires an appropriate and prdent
anal ysi s. i t i s no less possible in principle and thus makes an incontestable ideality
appear: "To be sure, an ideal object like Raphael ' s Madonna can in fact have only one
mundane state (Weltlichkeit) and i n fact i s not repeatable in an adequate identity (of the com
plete ideal content). But in principle this ideal is indeed repeatabl e, as is Goethe's Faust"
(ibid. ) .
From the frst perception, then, of a work of plastic art as such (whose i deal value i s
primordially and intri nsically rooted i n an event), there i s a sort of i mmediate reduction of
factuality which permi ts, next, the neutralization of the necessary imperfection of re
production. Here is not the place to prolong these analyses of aesthetic perception and
ideality. Husserl i s content to si tuate their domain and to defne prel i mi nary, i ndispens
able distinctions . He proposes some analogous di stinctions in the cultural sphere of pol i
tics and stri ves to bring to light both the ideality of the constitution of the state (of the
national wil l . for exampl e) and the originality of its "boundness" to the factual ity of a
territory, a nation, etc . , wi thi n which this constitution can be i ndefnitely repeated as i ts
ideal validity (ibid. , pp. 266-67) .
9 L' Activite rationaliste de l a physique contemporaine (Pari s: Presses U ni versi tai res
de France, 1 95 1 ) , pp. 6-7.
92
Jacques Derrid
iataeOrigin, uasse:|.||am.aatesme:ec.:eet|ytaatm. |. eaei:.

t.a,
aesec.uea|ts.,a.ieat.eaaac. me:taaeeaeaaca|:eacy:eee,mzec
. ataeLogical Investigations . 1aec.mea|tyei. tsces:.t.ea.scaete
taeiaettaat:.t.a,ceiaes aac eem|etes tae am|.,a.tyeia|||aa
,aa,e. ~s tae:eeesseitaatesseat.a|aaceeast.ta.veea

ae.ty

ie:
em|ec.meat. |aa,aa,e.sa|se ae:eeve:ya|se|ate|y. cea|e|,eet,. . e. .
ae:et:ata,. s iaetaa||yaaceeat.a,eat|yem|ec.ec.Ceave:se| y.t:ata
aas.tse:.,.a.aaa:eaacs.m|e:.,atteseeeaaac:.t.a,

.?ateaee
eeast.tatec .teeac.t.eases:ess.ea. . a. ts ta:a. asaaem.:. ea|iaet .
1:ata ceecseatae a:e ess.|. | . ty eisea|.a,aac :.t.r,.

|at. s
.aceeaceateiaat. s se|eae::.ttea. .aseia:

astaey a:e m tae

e:|c ii. tae:eie:e. t:atasaae:s.a aac ta:ea,a .ts| aa,aa,e i:em a
ee:ta.aeaaa,ea||eaess. .tsceaia||.|||e|essaia||tea:c|aa,aa,e
taaaace,:acat.ea.ta.a| aa,aa,e.

r:emtaeaea..aeaeet .as.s:ese:.|ecie:. t. sease.s,atae:ecmtea

s.,a. aac tae s.,a|eeemestaee:|c|yaacesesec:es.ceaee

eia
aataea,att:ata.weaave:ev.eas|yseeataatt:ataeae:ca:e. ta.s
ay.taeat|e. a,taea,at.aaete:.aiaetaactaat. saat:c.ea||;
emaae.atest:atai:em a||em.:.ea|sa|]eet. v. ty. a||iaetaa|| .e.

c
tae ae|e :ea| e:|c. ~t tae samet.me. maa s eemmaaa||em, . s
|. uecteaae|eve| , i -1, ..teaaaea:..aeaeet . asat:aaseeaceta|
eemmaa.ty.1aeaataeat.eaetei:. t.a,. sat:aaseeaceata|:ecaet.e
e:ie:mec|yaactea:ctaewe. nats.aee. .ae:ce:teeseaee:|

ci
aess seasemust i:stbe able te|esetcea. ataee:|caac|ecees.tec
.asas.||e sat.eteme:a|. ty. .tmastat.ts?:.ateat

.eaa|. cea|. ty.

. . e . . .ts t:ata sease. .a caa,e:. 1aas a ess.|.| .ty. a.ea evea ae:e
Cf. LI, I, Prol. , 6, p. 60: "Science exists objectively only in its literature, n, in
written work has it a rich relational being limited to men and their intellectual atlvltIes:
in this form it is propagated down the millennia, and survives individual s, generatIons and
nations. It therefore represents a set of external arrangements, which , ju
.
st as they arose
out of the knowledge-acts of many individuals, can again pass over into Just such a
.
ct of
countless individual s, in a readily understandable manner, whose exact de
.
scnpton
would require much circumlocution" (our emphasis) . On this level of ana!ysl
.
s, which
above all should disengage the objective autonomy of signifcat
.
ion, th questIo I S cearly
that of "external arrangements": sensible exemplars on which neither the Ideahty of
sense nor the clear intention of cognition depends. But this fact neither prohibits nor contra
dicts at all the subsequent theme of writing as the intrinsic possibilit and intr!nsic c

ndition
of acts of objective cognition. The Origin maintains these two themes. That IS the difculty
we are striving to il l uminate here.
We take this word in the broad sense of sign-signifer or "sign-expression" (graphic
or vocal), the meaning that Husserl gives this term by opposing it to the " indcative" sig
(LI, I , 1 , 1 -5, pp. 269-75) . On the basis of this distincion, we ould Interpret the
phenomenon of crisis (which, for Husserl , alwas rfer
.
s to
.
a dl sord or I11?
,
ess of lnguae)
as a degradation of the sign-expression into a Sign-indIcatIOn, of a clear (klar) intentIon
into an empty symbol .
93
Introductin to the Origin of Geometry
aeee:asea|y.taem.:.e.smaacaeaa. | eseay.aea:s. aaa.|ese
aya.ea. s,at|east|eeaaseeiee:ta.amet.n,taeeeat:a:yeiem.:.
e.sm tae ess.|.|.ty eit:ata s diappearance. wea:ese| yase tae
am|.,aeas e:c c. saea:aaee waatc. saea:s .s aat .s aaa. a.
| atec.|ata|seaateeases..ate:m.tteat|ye:ceia.te| y. teaea:inJact
yet.taeataaeet.a,.ts|e.a,e:|e.a, sease.1ecete:m. aetaeseaseei
ta.s c. saea:aaeeeit:ata. staemestc.mea|t:e||emesec|ytae
Origin aaca||eiuasse:| sa.|eseayeia. ste:y.ra:tae:me:e.ee:e
aaa||eteiac.auasse:|aaaaea.veea|:eseaseteaaest.eaa.ea
ea|yma|estaateiaeaemeae|e,y. tse|i:eta:a.aat. staeseaseei.ts
aea:.a,:1aatea. veeat.ea.| |:eseat|y:evea||etaaemaeatae
aatae:eitae Crisis as a st:aa,e: te a. ste:y e: ae iaacameata|| y
. aeaa||eaeaseita|.a,. t se:.eas| y. aacataate.at, . ataesame
memeat, ae st:. veste :eseeta.ste:.e.ty s ea eea| .a: s.,a. | eat.ea
aacess.|.i .tyaact:a| yteeaet:atetaem.
waat taea .sta.sess. |. |.tyeic.saea:aaee:
i . iataei:st|aee.|etas:a|eeattaeayetaes. seiadeath oj sense
.a,eae:a|.ta.atae. ac. v. caa|eease.easaess uasse:|e|ea:|ysee.| es
.ataeOrigin aace|seae:e taat. eaee sease aea:ec .ae,e |e,.ea|
eease.easaess. .tsteta|aaa.a.|at.ea|eeemes. mess.|| e. ~seasetaat
.seease:vecasasec.meata:yaa|.taa|.tyaacaesece:maateteat.a|
.ty eaa ce]a:e |e :eaa.matec . saet :etaoec te aeta. a,aess|ytae
vaa.sa.a,ei:eteat.easei:eteat.eas ra:i:em|e.a,aaeaemeae|e,
.ea|aeta. a,. taeseea||ec' unconscious' " e: ' universal substratum"
ae:e sease.scees.tec.s a | .m.tmeceeieease.easaess(FTL, .
i , C|ea:|y.ata.styeeiaaa| ys. s. aeaa.eaie:m.ca||ec.mea|
t.esa|:eacye. ,a .uasse:|. sea|ye::.eca|eattaee:maaeaeeaac
v. :taa|:eseaeeeisease.ta. ataemeaac.esa|]eet.aacaeta|eattae
a|se|ate|y.cea|O|]eet.v.tyeisease,a.aecta:ea,aseeeaaac:.t.a,
i:emtaatsa|]eet. v.ty.Neta.sO|]eet. v.ty.sieaacta:eateaecast:ata
. ataee:| c. ProfoundJorgetJulness tae:eie:eesteacs.atetaesaeesei
.ate:sa|]eet.v.tyaactaec.staaee|eteeaeemmaa.t.es Forgetfulness
.s aa.ste:.ea|eate,e:y.
` I n Ideas I; in E; but above all in FTL ( i n terms which are literally taken up again in
the Origin) , cf. in particular Appendix I I , 2c, pp. 3 1 8-1 9.
08
On the naivete of the classic problems of the Unconscious and on the question of
knowing whether an intentional analysis can open a methodical access to the Uncon
scious, see " Fink' s Appendix on the Problem of the ' Unbewussten,' " i n C, pp. 385-87 .
Forgetfulness is a word that Husserl rarely employs in the Crisis; he never uses it i n
the first text of the Origin, perhaps because habit relates it very easil y t o i ndividual
consciousness or to its psychological sense: perhaps also because it can suggest an
annihilation of sense.
94
Jacques Derri
2. 1ae,:aa.es.,a,tae,aa:aateeeiO|]eet.v.ty,eaaa|sein fact |e
cest:eyec. 1a.scaa,e:. s.aae:eat.ataeiaetaa|e:|c|.aessei. ase:.
t.ea.tse|i,aacaeta.a,eaaceia.t.ve|y:eteet. ase:.t.eai:emta. s. i a
saeaacase, |eeaaseuasse:|eeas.ce:sseaseae.tae:aa.a.tse|iae:a
a:e s.:.taa| .ate:.e:.ty |at aa e|]eet ta:ea,a aac ta:ea,a, e
m.,ati:stta.a|taattaeie:,etia|aessa.eaie| |esaeataecest:ae
t. eaeiO|]eet.v.ty s eastec.a|s. ,a[signe gardien] ea| caetaaeet,as
. aa r| atea. sm e: ne:,sea. sm, tae sa:iaee eia sease .taeat
aace:m.a.a,tae sease.tse|i. saeaaie:,etia|aessea|caetea|ysa
:essta. ssease|atea|caaa. a. |ate.t.ataesee.ie|e.a,. ataee:|c
te a.ea .ts O|]eet.v.ty .s eat:astec. re: uasse:| e|ea:|y sa.c ta. s.
.aseia: as s.,aseaa|e. mmec. ate|ye:eet.||e |yeve:yeae. atae. :
corporeality; .aseia: as tae.:|ec.es aac ee:e:ea| ie:ms a:e a|ays
a|:eacy.aaa.ate:sa|]eet.veae:. zea.taeaseaseeaa|ecees.tectae:e
aaceemmaaa|.zec[mettre en communaUf] . Ce:e:ea|este:.e:.tyaa
cea|tec|yceesaetconstitute taes. ,aassaea|at,.aaseasetaate
mas|ma|ee|ea:.. sindispensable te.| .
Yet tae ayetaes. s ei saea aiaetaa| cest:aet.eacees aet . ate:est
uasse:| a| a| | . wa.|e eem|ete|y :eee,a. z. a, tae te::.iy. a,reality ei
taeea::ea|:. s|. aeea|cceay.taayta.a|a|| e. . . e. .aaya. |esea. ea|
s.,a.| eaaee. Necea|taeea|cacm.ttaataaa. ve:sa|eeara,.at. ea.
a e:|c.ce|a:a.a,ei|.|:a:. es. e:aeatast:eaeeimeaameatse:
ceeameats .a ,eae:a| ea|c. at:. as.ea| | y:ava,e |eaac ea|ta:a|
. cea|.t. es. aeseaet.eaeeve|eca|eve. nytae.:acae:eaeeteseme
iaetaa|.t,,taese. cea| .t.es, in their ver sense, ea|c|eva|ae:a||ete
taat e:|c|, aee. ceat Deata .s ess.||eie:taem a|eae aac aas tae
t:aaseeaceata|s.,a. aeat.eae]astae,:aatec.t, |atea|,.aseia:as
tae |eaac . cea| . t, .s aa. matec e: t:ave:sec |, a t:aaseeaceata|
.ateat.ea,ea|,. aseia:as.t.s,a. cec|,tae1e| eseiaaa|se|atei:ee.a,
a.eaaasaet|eeaia| |,atta. aecuat| .|etaata.eae:.eatsuasse:| s
:eueet.ea, see.aea||,,taeia||,i:eec.cea|.t,aaca|se|ateO|]eet.v.t,
eisease,ie:a.eamataemat.es. s taemece| ), taeta:eateiaa.at:. as. e
cest:aet.ea|ytae|ecyeitaes.,aeaa|e:a|eceat ~| |iaeaa|:.t.a,s.
.aa.ea|:ataeea|c|esec. meatec. . | | aeve:|eaayta.a,. ataem
se| ves|atseas.||eesem| a:s. . ac.v.caa|eveats. asaeeaac|.me
,a.ea. sea|yt:aete+ ee:ta.ace,:eeie:|eaac. cea|. |. es,. s. aee
t:ata ceesnot esseat.a| |y ceeac eaany of them, taey eea|call |e
cest:eyec .taeateve:ta|.a,the ver sense of a|se|ate. cea|.ty. ua
cea|tec|y. a|se|ate. cea|.ty ea|c|e eaaa,ec. ma|.|atec. +ac eve:
ta:eain fact; e:aas.tea|cc. s+ea:.aiaeti:emtae sa:i+eeei
taee:|c. |a| .ts seaseei|e.a,ast:ata. a.ea.s aet.ataee:|c-
ae.|ae:.aea:e:|cae:e.aeaayetae:-ea|c:ea. a.ataet.a.tse|i
95
Introductin to the Origin of Geometry
its |e. a,sease ea|c :ese:ve .ts eaintrinsic a. ste:. e.ty. . |s ea
.ate:eeaaeet. eas, aactaeeatast:eaeeie:|c|ya. ste:yea|c:ema.a
exterior te.t .
1aat .s aat uasse:| meaas aea ae eesesinternal e: .at:.as.e
(innere) a.ste:.e.tyteexternal (aussere) a.ste:y.1a. sc. st.aet.ea, a.ea
aasea|yaaeaemeae|e,.ea|sease,. scee.s.ve. itea|c|ei:a. t|ess
ie: a. mte e|]eettaat a.ste:.e.ty e:|e.a,.aa. ste:y .s :ee.se| y tae
ess.|.|.ty ei|e.a,intrinsically esesec te taeextrinsic, ie:taeatae
a. ste:.e.tya|se|ate|y:ee:teaayt:ata seaseea|c|em. ss.a,,aac
uasse:| s c. seea:seea|c|e|aa,ec. ateaeeaias.eaeis.,a.ieat.eas
aac :e,.eas . we ea|c taea |e eeaeec.a,taat aa:e.cea|.tyeaa |e
eaaa,ec|ya:ea|eaase ,a.ea.ste|esesease. ii,eemet:y.st:ae, .ts
.ate:aa|a.ste:ymast|e savec.ate,:a||yi:ema| |seas. ||ea,,:ess.ea.
s. aee,eemet:y.st.ecae.tae:teta. smemeatae:e,ae:teta.ste::.te:y
ae:e,ae:teta.se:|cae:e,|attea||taee:|c( Weltall) , aeta. a,.| |
eve:staac|eteeataee:|c|yese:.eaeesa.ea.aea:aatec,eemet:y
aacaattaeyaave|e,aaa,a. a. c.seeve:.a,ai:esa,.taeataayt:aees
aacaue:tae sa:eac.a,eita. se:|cae:e,tae atas eiaaacveata:e
|a:.ec . a aaetae: :ea| a.ste:y. i aeema:.sea . ta veritas aeterna,
aese :ee:a. ste:.e.tyuasse:|.saeste,:as aac a|ea|a.eaae
sea|sme:eaacme:eeueaasa. staea,at|eeemesa|| a:ec|ya. ste:y.
ae :ea| ceve|emeatetae: taaa taat eitae va:.a||eesam|e.ate:ests
a.m. ~eee:c.a,|y,taeayetaes.seitaee:|c.ceeatast:eaeeea|c
evease:veasa:eve|ate:y| et.ea.
1aas, esaea|c|ea||ete:eeatanalogously taeiameasaaa|ys.sei
seet.ea 49 eiIdeas i ' 1ae aaa|ys.s eeae| acectaat. ai:e: a ee:ta.a
e.cet.et:aaseeaceata| :ecaet.ea, a:e eease.easaess .s . ataa,. ||e,
evea aea tae es. st.a, e:|c .s aaa. a. | atece:iaetaa|ese:.eaeec.s
se|vec ta:ea,a.ate:aa|eear.et. . . . ate.||as.ea(Ideas I, 49, . 1 37
,mec.iec}, . uasse:|c. caetc. satetaataace:taesee.:eamstaaeesa||
eease.easaessea|cin fact |ecest:eyecaactaat.tse:|c|yes. steaee
ea|c|eea,a|iec.tataee:|c.iaacc.t.ea,taee|ea:est.ateat.eaei
The opposition between intrinsic penetration and extrinsic circumspection is al
ready announced in Ideas I, preci sel y concering the hi story of geometry. There Husserl
shows how psychologistic or hi storicist empiricism remains "outside" [ Derrida' s empha
sis] "geometrical thought and intuition, " whereas "we should enter vital ly into these
acti vi ti es and . . . determine their immanent sense " (25, p. 85 [modifi ed]). Once exter
nal hi story i s "reduced, " nothing i s opposed to the fact that thi s immanent sense may
have its own parti cular hi stori ci ty. The opposition between the two hi stories i s an expl i ci t
theme i n the Crisis ( see, for exampl e, 7, pp. 1 7-1 8, and 1 5, p. 7 1 ) , i n "Philosophy as
Mankind' s Self-Refection" (c, pp. 338-39), and above al l in the Origin.
l 0 l
P. 1 36. The movement i s taken up again i n CM, 7, pp. 1 7-1 8.
96
Jacques Derrd
ta. saaa|ys.saaciet.ea. stees|.eatea:ecaet.eaa.eamast:evea|te
tae|rkegion-t:aaseeaceata| eease.easaess-taeesseat.a|:e|at. v.ty
eitae e:|c s sease ,tae e:|c |e.a, tae teta|.tyei:e,.eas, s.aee
t:aaseeaceata|eease.easaesseaaa|aysaac.taeem|etei:eecem
mec.iye:saseactaetaes. seieach ,tae:eie:eeiall) eeat.a,eates.s
teaee aac eieach ,tae:eie:e eiall) t:aaseeaceaee. .ts ve:y sease . s
ce]a:eaaca|se|ate|y. aceeaceateitaeae|ee:|c.1aes.taat.eaei
t:ata. a:t.ea|a:|y ei ,eemet:.ea| t:ata. . s aaa|e,eas. it tae:eie:e
:eve|estaesameaest.eas .
i aiaet. ta. se.cet.e. aceeaceaee. |:ea,atte| .,at. aametaece|e,.
ea|.cea|.sm|yaiet.ea.eaa|eaest.eaecaste. tsva|ae|eyeactae
memeateiIdeas I; . e . |eyeactaememeattaee. cet.et:aaseeaceata|
:ecaet.ea aas aet yet atta.aec .ts iaa| :ac.ea|.ty aac. s :ev.s.eaa||y
. mme|.|.zec. aeae:e,.ea.i aeaeet. tae:e,.eaeia:eeease.easaess.s
tae:es. caeeia saseas.ea taatst.|| :ema.asme:ee.cet.e taaa
t:aaseeaceata|aac.sea|ytaemest:eieaaceitaee.cet.e:ecaet.eas
Yetta. ssaseas.ea.a.eateacstec|seeve:tae:ete:e,.easesseat.a|
st:aeta:es aac .s ee:ta.a|yeeast.tat.veeitaee:|c. .s eeast.tatec.t
se|i.~ac. asuasse:|.||say. . t. saettaea|t.mate t:aaseeaceata|
:e,:ess.ea(ibid. , 8 1 , .2 1 6) . 1 02 wea|cuasse:|aave]ac,ecta. siet.ea
va|.ctaememeataestac.ec,ie:esam|e..ataeCartesian Meditations)
tae,eaet.eeeast.tat.eaeitaeego . ataeaa. tyei. ts a. ste:y:
i a
aee:ta.aseaseeeaa sayyes 1a:ea,atae se| .s.st.eayetaes. s. a
a.eataeCartesian Meditations a:ei:steeaeaec. a:eeease.easaess
. sst.||eeas.ce:ecastaata.eaaee:|c|yiaetaa|.tyeaaeaet:ateas
saea. as "a selfcontained nexus of being" (Ideas I, 49, 1 39
,mec.iec} ,. uacea|tec|y. tae .at:ae,e|e,.ea|sec.meatat.ea. tae e
teat.a|ev. ceaee.tae :es. caes. aactae:eie:eaees

taatta. s a.s
te:y ma|es aeeessa:y a:eea|yaaete:|eisease . nat|ytae.::e
|aeea|. |.ty. .::eve:s.|.| .ty. aac.ava:. a|.| .tyeitae.:.ate:eeaaeet.eas.
a:etaeyaeta| se iaets e:iaetaa| st:aeta:es.ta:eseettea.ea
a:eeease.easaessea|cae|ea,e:|ei:ee:Cea|ctaesesec.meata:y
st:aeta:es ce]a:e sa:v.vetaeaaa.a. |at.ea. taeeve:ta:e. .aae:c.
tae eem|ete va:.at.ea eiiaetaa|.ty: ~s sease. ea|c taey aet|e
ma:|ec|yaee:ta.ae:ce:eitaeiaetaa|e:|ctea.eapast eease. eas
aess. st.ec-aeease.easaesst. ectae:e|y. tsea.ate:eeaaeet.easaac
st:aeta:a||y. m| .eatec.aeve:y:eseateease.easaess:
I 02
These fi rst reductions lead us to "the very threshold of phenomenology" (Ieas I,
88, p. 237) .
' `` Already cited [see note 7 above] . Al so cf. on thi s FTL. Appendi x I I , 2h .
pp. 3 1 6-1 7 .
` `` Already cited [ see note 7 above] .
97
Introductin to the Origin of Geometry
uasse:|ea|c:e|a||y:e|ytaat..asaeaaease.ea:eeeas. ce:.a,
iaetaa| st:aeta:es . atae |.ie eitaeego-i . e. , st:aeta:es |eaac te
seme :ecae.||e eeat.a,eaey-aac aetesseat.a| eaes :ecaeecte tae.:
a:e .cea|.ty. 1ae aa.ty eitaeego' s "histor" .staat eitaeeidos
"ego. " uasse:| s cese:. t.ea meaas taat tae esseat.a| ie:m eieve:y
.ate:eeaaeet.ea. eve:ysec.meatat.ea. aactae:eie:eeve:ya.ste:y ie:
eve:yego .sse|isaue.eat. w.ta.ata.s)oeia. ste:.e.tytaate.sa
teatta.aasaa.ava:.aat .a||iaetea.ste:.ea|.ate:eeaaeet.easa:eva:.
a||e at. ||
s. m.|a:|y.s. aeetae.ate:eeaaeet.easaacsec.meatat.easei,eemet
:.ea|t:ataa:ei:eeeia||iaetaa| .ty.aee:|c|yeatast:eaeeaaattruth
.tse|i.acaa,e:.~||iaetaa|e:.| .tae:eie:e.stesattaeta:esae|cei.ts
.ate:aa|a.ste:.e.ty vea. ia||,eemet:.ea|ceeameats -aacase|| .
a||aetaa|,eemete:s-aacteeemete:a.aeaecay.tesea|eita.sas
aaeveatei,eemet:yea|c|eteeemm.tave:y se:. easeeaias.ea
eiseaseaactea|c.eate:eseas.|.| .tyie:a||:.,e:easc.seea:se Oae
eaaaeteeme|ae|tea| |ta.sev.ceaee.taeatma|.a,taeseas.||etae
,:eaacei,eemet:.ea|t:ata aac. tae:eie:e. .taeataest.ea. a, eaee
me:etaeseaseei,eemet:yeeast.tatecasaae.cet.ese.eaee Neta.s
seaseasseea:e|ycee.cec.ta.ataestat.eaaa| ysestaat.asesa
a|eve. e:e tae .ac.seasa||e,aa:c :a.| s ie:a|| ,eaet.e e:a. ste:.ea|
aeaemeae|e,y
3 . weea|c|eia||yeeav.aeec..iae:e-as.a a.s stat.eaaa| yses-
uasse:|aaceeas.ce:ec:.t.a,te|ea seas.||eaeaemeaea natc.c
eaet]ast iac eat taat :.t.a,. .aasmaea as .tas ,:eaac.a, ,e:
eeat:.|at.a,tetae,:eaac.a,eit:ata s a|se|ateO|]eet.v.ty.asaet
merely aeeast.tatec seas.||e |ecy(Korper), |at as a|se a :ee:|y
eeast.tat.a,|ecye/)-tae.ateat.eaa|:.me:c.a|.tyeiaue:eaac
Neeit:ata: ii:.t.a, .sboth aiaetaa| eveataactaeasa:,.a,ei
sease. .i.t .s |etaKorper aaa Leib, ae ea|c :. t.a, :ese:ve . ts
Leiblichkeit i:emee:e:ea|c.saste::uasse:|. saet,e. a,te. mme|. |. ze
a. saaa|ys.s.ta.ata.sambiguity, a.eaie: a.m .s ea|ya:ev.s.eaa|
aaciaetaa| eeaias.eaei:e,.eas 1aeaeaemeae|e,.stmastc.sse|ve
taeam|.,a.ty. . iaeceesaetaatte|e:ecaeecte ea. veeat.ea. te
eaeese s. |eaee. e:te:ee..tateaeaemeae|e,y.atephilosophy. uas
se:| .tae:eie:e .ma.ata.asa. sc. ssee. at.veaaa| ys.saacc.sa:t.ea|atestae
am|.,a.ty iae:ce:te,:astaeaata:eeitaecaa,e:ta:eatea.a,t:ata
itsel .a.tseeast.tat.veseeeae::.t.a,. .ae:ce:aette|eave. ate:
aa| a.ste:.e. ty.ae. s,e.a,tet:ae|ceatae.ateat.eaei:.t.a,,e:ei
:eac.a,, .a.tse|iaac .a .ts a:.ty. .a a ae :ecaet.ea ae . s,e.a, te
.se|atetae.ateat.eaa|aeta.eaeeast.tatesKorper as Leib aacma.ata.a
ta.saet.a.tsLeiblichkeit, . a.ts|.v.a,t:ata sease saeaaaaaa| ys.sae
| ea,e:aasaayaeeceiKorper assaea Oa|y.atae.ateat.eaa|c. mea
98
Jacques Derrid
s.eaeia:ee:| yaa. mate|ecy, eitaegeistige Leiblichkit, me:e:e
e. se| y, .a tae Geistigkeit eitaeLeib ,te taeese|as.ea eia| | iaetaa|
ee:e:ea| .ty, , . s sease .at:.as.ea||y ta:eateaec ~|taea,a .a a word
[mot], Korper aacLeib, |ecyaacresa ,a:einfact aame:.ea| | yeaeaac
taesamees.steat ,tae.:seasesa:eceia.t.ve|yaete:e,eaeeas, aacae
ta. a,eaaeemetetae|atte:ta:ea,ataeie:me:Forgetulness eit:ata
.tse|i.||taas|eaeta.a,|attaeia.|a:eeiaaaetaactaea|c.eat.eaeia
:eseas.|. | .ty,a|aseme:etaaaaceieat-aacta.sie:,etia|aesseaa|e
maceteaea:.ae:seaea|y eatae|as. s eiaa.ateat.eaa|a. ste:y
r:emtaea ea,aetae:.t:ema.asastae c.saea:aaeeei.ate:sa|
]eet.vet:atae:,asesa.ca|eve, aa.ste:.ea|eate,e:y,forgetfulness
eaaaeve:tae|ess|ecese:.|ecasaaeaemeaeaeitaeego, aseaeei.ts
.ateat.eaa| ec.ieat.eas ~s. ateat.eaa|sease, eve:yta.a,eaaaac
saea|c|ecese:.|ecea| yasamec.ieat.eaeitaea:eego, :ev.cectae
seaseeieaeaec.| eat.ea.s :aceat| y:eseetec, asuasse:|t:.este
ce,ie:esam|e, eeaee:a.a,taec.uea|teeast.tat.eaeitaealter ego.
wea|seseetaat ,ie:taesame:easea,ie:,etia|aess. ||aeve:|e:ac.
ea| ,aeeve::eieaac.tmay|e,aacseaseeaaa|ays, .a:.ae.|eaac
ce]a:e ,|e:eaet.vatec
iaFormal and Transcendental Logic aactaea .ataeCrisis, | .a,a. st.e
e|]eet.ieat.eaaacmataemat.ea|sym|e| .zat.eae:e :eseatecastae
eeeas.ea ei tae teeaa.e. st s aac e|]eet. v. st s a|.eaat. ea, a.ea ce
,:acecse.eaee. ateas|.||e:,ame'1a.saeeasat.ea,ta|eaaa,a.a.a
taeOrigin, . sme:ea:t.ea|a:|yc. :eeteca,a. asttaemetaece|e,.ea|aac
ee:at.ve teaea. a, ei mataemat.es Oae |ea:as te ase s.,as aese
:.me:c.a| sease ,a.ea . s aet a|ays |ae |e,.ea| sease taat .s
sec. meatec aac aeeess.||e te aa explication) . s eeaeea|ec e: etea
t.a| .zecaace:sec.eatat.eas 1ae| atte:, a.eaa:eea| y.ateat. ease:
.ateat.eaa| seases mace ce:maat, a:e aet ea|ysuperimposed .a tae
.ate:aa||eeem.a,eisease,|ata:eme:ee:| essv. :taa| | yimplicated .a
tae.:teta| .ty.aeaeasta,ee:ste,iataeOrigin, taeaet.eaeiStufe aas
|etaast:aeta:a|aac,eaet.eseaseaaceaa|et:aas|atec|y ste e:
|y sta,e 1ae ,ee|e,.ea|. ma,e ei sec. meatat.ea t:aas|ates :e
a:|a||ye||taesty|e eitaat. m| .eat.ea it|:.a,ste,etae:,ie: a||
.ateats aac a:eses, tae ie| |e. a, . a,es. 1ae .ma,e eilevel e:
stratum-what .s cees.tec |y aa .a:eac e: a :e,:ess.ea aite: tae
:ac.ea|aeve|ty eiaa .::at.eae:upsurge: eve:yacvaaee, eve:y :e
es.t.ea(Satz) eiaae sease .sat the same time aleap (Satz) aac a
` `` Cf. in particular C, 9f On "meaningless signs" [signes depourvus de signifcation]
and "games-meani ng" [signifcation de jeu] , cf. LI. I , 1 , *20. pp. 304-06. On vocables
and real signs as "bearers" of signifed idealities, cf. E, 65, p. 268.
99
Introductin to the Origin of Geometr
sedimentar (satzartig) ia|||ae|eisease ~|se , tae .ma,eeitae sa|
staat.a|e:maaeaeeeiaat. staea'upposed e:situated under taesa:
iaee eiaetaa|| y:eseatev. ceaee ~ac iaa||y, tae . ma,eeitae eea
eea|ec:eseaeetaataa aet.v.tyeieseavat.eaeaaa|ays:e:ecaee
a|eve ,:eaac as tae ieaacat.ea, taat . s .tse|i,:eaacec, ei a. ,ae:
st:at.ieat.eas it|:.a,sa|| ta.s te,etae:. atae st:aeta:a|aacinternal
aa. tyeiasystem,eia:e,. ea. aa.eaa||cees.ts,.ate::e|atec|at
c.st.aet,a:ee:.,.aa||y:ese:.|ec|yaaarchi-tectonics.
Ceai:eat.a, sec.meatec sease, ea: i:st caa,e: . spassivity. ia tae
Origin, uasse:|ce|| sme:eeatae:eeet.veaeeetaaeeeis.,as-i:st
.a:eac.a,-taaaeataeseeeaca:yteeaa.ea|e:|e,.ea|aet.v.tytaat. s
aetea|yaeteeat:ac.ete:y tetaei:stass.v. ty |at, eataeeeat:a:y,
saeses. t 1ae syataes.sa.eaaa|eas tae s.,a te s.,a.ieat.ea. s
i:st, .aiaet, aeeessa:.|yass. veaacassee. at.ve 1aeess.|. | .tyei
,.v.a,ayteta.si:stexpectation eisease.sa| ast.a,caa,e: natea|y
freedom eaa|et.tse|i|eta:eateaec. ata.say.ea:ea|aysi:eete
:eaa|eaaayass. ve| y:eee.vecsease,te:eaa.matea||. tsv.:taa|.t.es,
aacte t:aasie:mtaem|ae| . atetaeee::eseac.a,aet.v.ty
1a.si:eecem. stae eaae.tyie::eaet.vat.eataat|e|ea,se:.,.aa||yte
eve:y aamaa|e.a, as a sea|.a,|e.a, ( 1 6) . nyta. s :eaet.vat.ea,
a.ea, uasse:|states , .saet.aiaet taeae:maac.taeata.eaa
ee:ta.a eem:eaeas.ea .s a|ays ess.|| e, i aet.ve| y :e:ecaee tae
:.me:c.a|ev.ceaee .ima|emyse|iia||y:eseas.|| eie:aaceease. eas
eitaesease taati ta|e a Reaktivierung . s, .a taecema.a ei.cea|
e|]eet.v.t.es , tae ve:y aeteia||Verntwortung aaceia| |Besinnung, . a
taeseasesceiaecea:|.e:Reaktivierung e:m.ts|:.a,.a,te|.ie,aace:
tae sec.meata:y sa:iaees ei | .a,a.st.e aac ea|ta:a| aea. s.t.eas, tae
seasea:.s.a,i:em. ast.tat.a,ev.ceaee1a.ssease.s:eaa. matec|ytae
iaettaat i :este:e.tte.ts ceeaceaeeeamyae|aac :e:ecaee.t .a
myse|isaea as.taac|eea:ecaeecie:taei:stt. me|yaaetae: Oi
eea:se,taeaet. v.tyei:eaet.vat.ea.sseeeacwaat.t,.ves|ae|teme
l 0
This theme of passi ve synthesis is copiousl y explicated i n EJ and eM, but once
again it is in FTL that it i s particularly focused (as in the Origin) by the problem of the
sign and of the sedi mentation of ideal objecti vities. Cf. i n parti cular Appendix I I , pp.
3 1 3-29. On the sense of acti vities and passi vities in a phenomenology of reading as
outlined in the Origin, also see FTL, 1 6, pp. 56-60.
Of course, the themes of passivity and sedimentation, i . e . , of the potentiality of sense ,
deri ve all thei r seriousness from the fact that they are imposed on a philosophy of actually
present evidence whose "pri nciple of all principles" is the immediate and actual [en acte]
presence of sense itself. If reactivation is valuable and urgent, that is because it can bring
back to present and acti ve evi dence a sense which is thus retrieved out of historical
vi rtual i ty. If, on the surface, phenomenology allows itself to be summoned outside of
itself by hi story, i t thus has found i n reactivation the medi um of its fdel i ty.
100
Jacques De"id
|staee:|,.aa||y:eseat|ve|ata| t|ea,taateitae,eemet:|ea|ie:mat|ea,
ie:esam|e,a|ea| s|etaaaaet|v|tyaacaass|v|ty.i ita| saet|v|ty|s
esee|a||y|||am|aatecae:e,|t|saecea|t|eeaasetaeev|ceaeeeeas|c
e:ec |s taateie:eatecaacesta|||saec|cea|ie:mat|eas .
xeseas||| ||t,ie::eaet|vat|ea| saee:eseas|||||t,. ttea,a,estae
eaeae:eee|ves ,|ata|seaaca:steia||taeeaeaee:eatesaactaea
es:essestaeseaseie:sec| meatat|ease|||te:ateseaseea|,|aseia:as
tae:ea:esa:iaeesava||a||eie:ta| s. 1aeequivocit eies:ess|ea|stae
eaeseaae|ceisec|meata:ycees|ts .1aat.saytae:|ma||y| ast|tat
|a,,eemete:aactaeseaeie| |eaite:a|mmast|eeeaee:aeca|eat
taeaa|vee|tyei| |a,a|st|ees:ess|eaaaca|eatseea:|a,, |yave:y
ea:eia|ee|a|a,eie:cs, :ees|t|eas,aaceem|esesei:ees|t|eas,
t ae:esa|tsa|eaa:ete|eaa. veea||yes:essec( 1 65 ,mec|aec}, .
uasse:| aeve: eeasec te aea| te tae |me:at|ve ei aa|vee|ty
a|vee|ty|staeataeia| | a||esea|ea|a|e::at|ea. i t |sa| | taeme:e
c|uea|taette|eaasty ae:e , astae sease eiea|vee|ty |a,eae:a| |s
|tse|iea|veea| . 1ae:e |sacontingent |a:|vee|ty e:ma|t|s|,a|aeaaee
aacaaessential eae. 1aese a:ea|:eacyc|st|a,a|saec|ataeInvestiga
tions (LI, i , 1 , 26, 3 1 4) . 1aea:stceeacseaaae|]eet|veeeavea
t|ea, taas taee:c ce, s|,a|aes |eta atyeeiaa|ma| aac,|a
Ce:maa,atyeeia,ea, asec| am|aes, . 1a|s|a:|vee|tyceesaet
m|s|eacaayeaeaacea:ea|aysi:eete:ecaee|t. 1aeseeeac|sei
01
To try to illuminate this point, we first would have to approach directly and fo itself
the difcult and decisive problem in phenomenology of activity and passivity in generl
on the basis of texts directly devoted to thi s (EJ, FTL, eM) . Such a study would perhaps
have to conclude that phenomenology has only argued with the arbitrary sense
[exigence du sens] of this couple of concepts, or indefnitely struggled with them, nael y,
wi th the most "irreducible" heritage (and indeed thereby perhaps the most obscuring
heritage) of Wester philosophy. In one of the fnest analyses where he works with the
concepts of passivity, activity, and passivity in activity, Husserl notes that the distinction
between these two notions cannot be "infexible, " and that in each case their sense must
be "recreated" according to "the concrete situation of the analysis, " as "for every
description of intentional phenomena" (E, 23 , p. 1 08) .
I 08
LI, I , 1 , 26, p. 3 1 4: "The class of ambiguous expressions illustrated by this last
example are what one usually has in mind when one speaks of 'equivoation' . Ambiguity
i n such cases does not tend to shake our faith in the ideality and objectivity of
signifi cations. We are free, in fact, to limit our expression to a single signification. The
ideal unity of each of the difering signifcations will not be afected by their attachment to
a common designation" [modifed] .
The purpose of univocity supposes, then, a decisive rupture with spontaneous lan
guage, with the "civil language " of which Leibniz used to speak; after that, "philo
sophical" or "scholarly [savant]" language can freely be given its own particular con
ventions. Does not the sentence just cited sound like the faithful echo of another sentence
of the Nouveaux Essais sur l' Entendement Humain, well known to Husserl and where
101
Introductin to the Origin of Geometr
sa|]eet.vee:|,.a, aac.tceeacseae:|,.aa||ateat.eas. eaa|aysae
ese:|eaeesa|eaaa.matetae.ceat.tyeie|]eet.veseaseaacmase.t
eate: .ate aaie:eseea||e eeaa,a:at.eas . 1a. s |a:. vee. ty . s aa aa
ave|ca||e:atae:taaaeaaaeeam|.,a.tyflurivocite], eaetaateaaaet|e
:emevec i:em ea: |aa,aa,e |y aa a:t|ae. a| cev.ee e: eeaveat.ea
(LI, 3 1 4) .
ueeve:.ta|s|astea.vee.ty. saatse|eaeeaaca. |eseay mast
eve:eeme. i t . s aaave.ca||e ea|y.a aata:a| |aa,aa,e. | e , |atae
iaeteea|ta:a|aeaemeaea:eeec|a,tae:ecaet.ea 1aatuasse:|. sse
aas.eas te :ecaee tae ea|veea| sease eiea|ta:a| aa.vet- :evea| s a
eeaee:ataateaeeme:eeea|c|e.ate::etec|etaasa:eiasa|eia.ste:y
aacasaceeice|.tytetaea:eseaseeia|ste:|e.tyOn the one hand, .a
eaeet . aa|vee.ty :emevest:ata eateia. ste:y s :eaea ua. veea|ex
:ess|ea eem|ete| y |:ea|s tae sa:iaee aac eae:s ae ta:a.a, |ae|
[rep/i] tetaeme:ee:| essv.:taa|s|,a|ieat|eastaattae.ateat.easeea|c
cees.ta||a|ea,taeacvaaeeseia|aa,aa,ee:ea|ta:e. 1aasuasse:| s
eeastaatassee|at|eaeiea. veea|:eeeec.a,s. ta ae:.t|e.smei pro-
fundity |saace:staaca||e neeaase.t|:|a,seve:yta|a,tev.e|ta.a
a:eseataeteiev. ceaee, |eeaase aeta|a,. sa|cceae:aaaeaaeec|a
taeeaam|:aeieteat.a||ateat|eas, |eeaase . taas maste:eca| |tae
cyaam|eseisease.aa. veea||aa,aa,e:ema|asthe same. ittaas|ees
|ts. cea| . ceat|tyta:ea,aeata| | ea|ta:a| ceve|emeat. it.staeeeac.
t.eataata| |eseemmaa|eat|eaamea,,eae:at|easei|avest.,ate:sae
matte:ae c|staat aac assa:estae esaet|tace eit:aas|at.ea aactae
Theophilus says: "i t depends upon us to fix their meanings [signifcations] , at least in any
scholarly language, and to agree to destroy this tower of Babel" (Book I I , Ch . i x, 9 [ET:
New Essays Concerning Human Understanding, tr. Alfred Gideon Langley (Chicago:
Open Court, 1 91 6), p. 373]) 7 This optimism i s only one of the afnities between Leibniz' s
and Husserl's philosophies of language: More broadly speaking, Husserl also very early
felt himself the heir to the Leibnizian conception of logic in general. Cf. notably LI, I ,
Prol . , 60, pp. 21 8f.
I09
On this, cf. above all "PRS, " p. 1 44: "Profundity [Tiefsinn] i s a mark of the chaos
that genuine science wants to transform into a cosmos, into a simple, completely clear,
lucid order. Genuine science, so far as its real doctrine extends, knows no profundity. "
Husserl then proposes t o re-strike (umprigen), as i n the case of a currency rvaluation,
"the conjectures of profundity into unequivocal [German: eindeutige; French: uni
voques] rational forms" and thus to "constitut[e] anew the rigorous sciences. " Likewise,
Husserl ' s criticisms written in the margins of [Heidegger's] Sein und Zeit attribute to a
Tiefsinnigkeit the responsibility for the Heideggerian "displacement" toward what Hus
serl defnes as a facto-anthropological plane. Husserl prefers the value of interiority to
that of profundity or depth, interiority being related to the penetration of interal, intrinsic
(inner), i . e. , essential (wesentlich), sense.
102
Jacques Derrida
a :.|y ei |:a!. |.ea | a et|e: e:!s the other hlndt| e e:y
eeataa. ee.|y:eeessease-eyeactae:eaeaeia. ste:.ea|ec.i
eat.ea..ta|eaeasesa:ea. s|e:yess. -| e.. e .astaet:aas. ss. eaaac
:eee||ee|.ea[recueillement] eisease ua. ee.tyea|y. ac. eatestae|. m
. c. |yei||e |. ste:.ea|etae: Oaeea,a. a. uasse:| s !eaa!ie: aa.
ee.ty ,|.e| |e ie:a|atec -eie:e tae:aet.ee ei|ae:ecaet. ea . s
|ae:eie:eea|ytae:ecae|. eaeie.:.ea||. ste:ytea:caa:ea. ste:y
ae| a :e!aet.ea as| -e :eeeeaee! .aceia.te| y. ie: |aa,aa,e
ae.t|e:eaaae:saea| !-ea. ata.aecaace:tae:eteet. eaeiaa. ee.ty
iia:ac.ea|ea. ee.t,:ee|aces|.ste:y..aeaeet . -y|aa,.a,.t. ate
t|eaeeta:aa|aac . | |t:aas.ss.-|e:.eaesei -eaac .cea| . t. es. a-se
| ateaa.ee.tyea|c.tse|iaaeaeetae:eeaseaeaeetaaateste:.| .ze
e: a:a|yze |.ste:y . at|e .ac.,eaee eiaa .aceia.te .te:at.ea s.aee
ea. ee.|ya|ayse.ceaeesaee:ta.acetaeicee| eeataaceeaeea|
eateiaast. aac|eaeae. saest eassaeaacinteriorize t|eee:y
eiaea|ta:e. aas. aceirecollection (Erinnerung) .at|eue,e| . aasease.
eaeaas. iae. a,t|. sea.ee.ty.|aeeae.eeeiteeaceae:s Oaeea|c
:esem-|etaateiameseyee.te:eeataactase:eseas. -.| .tyie:a| |
ea.eeat.ea.tse|i.at. | .z.a,a|aa,aa,etaateea|ceaa| .zetae,:eatest
ess.-|esyaea:eay.t|| ae,:eatesteteat.a|ie:-a:. ec. aeeaa|atec.
aac .ate:eea .ateat.eas.ta.a eaea | .a,a.st.e atem. eaeaeea-|e.
eaea e:c. eaea s.|e:ees.t.ea. .a a|| e:c| yea|ta:es aac tae. :
est .a,ea.easie:s ,ytae|e,y. :e|.,.ea. se.eaees. a:ts. | . te:ata:e.
e|.t.es. a. | eseay. aac se ie:ta ~ac. | .se eyee. ta. s eaceae:
ea|ct:ytemasetaest:aeta:a|aa.tyeia||e.:.ea|ea| ta:eaea:.a
tae,eae:a|.zecea. eeat.eaeia:. t.a,taat.ae|ea,e:t:aas|at.a,eae
| aa,aa,e . ate aaetae: ea tae -as. s eitae.: eemmea ee:eseisease.
e.:ea| atesta:ea,aeata| ||aa,aa,esateaee.aeeama|atestae. :eae:,. es.
aetaa|.zes tae.: mestsee:et eeaseaaaees. c.se|esestae.:a:tae:mest
eeea ae:.zeas , ea|t. ates tae.: assee.at.e syataeses . asteac ei
ae. c. a,taem. aac:ec.seee:staeeet.ea|aeeiass..ty i asae:t.
:atae:taaaat.teatei| ay .taaetat.eaa:ss. :atae:taaa :e
caee. t. ta. s:.t.a,:ese| ate|ysett|es. tse|iwithin taelabyrinthian ie|c
eiea| ta:e-eaac-y.tseaea.eeat.eas.. ae:ce:tet:ae| ta:ea,a
aac es| e:e tae astest ess.-|e a.ste:.ea| c.staaee taat .s ae at a||
ess.-|e
'
I
Exactitude and univocity are overlapping notions for Husserl . Moreover, the exac
titude of expression will have as its condition the exactitude of sense. Geometry, the
model of the sciences whose objects are exact, will therefore more easily attain univocity
than will the other sciences, phenomenology i n particular. We will retur to this l ater.
About the relations between exactitude and univocity in geometry, also cf. Ideas I, 73,
pp. 1 89-90.
103
Introduction to the Origin of Geometry
1aee|ae:eaceae:. suasse:| s. |e:ecaeee:. ee:.s|e.:.ea|
|aa,aa,emet|ec.ea||ytetaee.at|e:e.|saa. eea|aact:aas|ata-|e
e|eeats a:e aetaa| |y t:aasa:eat. .a e:ce: te :eae| -aesaac ,:as
a,a.aat .|s a:esea:ee aa.ste:.e.tye:t:ac.t.eaa|.tytaatae ceiaete
a.ste:.ea|teta|.ty. | | y.e|cei.tse|i1|. sa.ste:.e.tye:t:ac.t.eaa| .ty.s
a|aysa|:eacy:esaesec-yee:yOcysseaa:eet.t.eaeieyee s
tye .as -ya||philosophy ofhistor ,.ataeea::eatseaseaac-yee:y
phenomenology ofspirit. 1aeesseaeeseiaa.teteta|.t.esaactaet,e|
e,,eia,a:eseitaes. :.t. | | a|a,s-e. cea| .t.estaata:e -eaacte
e.:.ea|a. ste:,Oa| ,-,meaaseia. ste:.e. sm. s .tess. -| ete:ema.a
tae:eaaceeaiasetae. tataemevemeateit:ata
l l l
natuasse:| s :e]eet . ast|e t:aaseeaceata| a:a| |e| te eyee s.
saestaesae:e| at..tyeyee s:e]eet. a.eaa|se:eeeececi:e
aee:ta.aaat. a.ste:.e.smaaca. | |teaasei:emtaea.,|tma:e
ei |.ste:y.
* ! ! 2
a. | |teaste: taata.,atma:e.a ateta|aac:eseat
:esamt.ea. eea|c ea|y saeeeec -y a| |ett.a, .ts saa:e te aa.ee.ty.
aetae:.t.,atc:ai:ea,.eaaa. ee.tye:t:yte:ecaeeaaetae:
Otae:.se. taee:ytestei. ts:eet.t.eaea|caae-eeaaa.ate|| .,.
-| e . at |east .t ea|c |ae :ea.aec se ie:ee: aac ie:ee:yeae
i.se.se. uasse:| aac teac.taa .::ecae.-|e. ea:.ea.a,.aaca|ays
:eaaseeatea. ee.ty. atea:e|. ste:.e.tyiaeaeet .a-se|ateaa. ee. :y
.s. a,.aa-|eea|y. ate| . m.t.a,eases First: saesetaeces.,aatec
ta.a,.saetea| yaaa-se|ate|ys.a,a|a:. .mmata-|e.aacaata:a|e-]eet.
-at a| se aa es.steat aese aa.ty . . ceat.ty. aac O-]eet..ty ea|c .a
taese| es-e:.e:tea| |ea|ta:eNe.iesaeset|a|saeaat|. a,
e:e:eet.ea es. sts. |.a,a.st.e.cea|.tyaac .ts :e]eet eiaa.ee.ty-
. e . tae aet ei |aa,aa,e .|se|i. ate:eae aac i:e t|e eatset | aee
taat saes. t. ea .aaea| ta:e. .aa aete:sei| .a,a.st.e :e| at.eas aac
ees|t. eas. a.ea ea|c |eac ae:c .ta .ateat.ease:. ta |ate:a|
aac. :taa|:e. aseeaees a.ee.ty. stae eea,eat.a| a:seiee:y
ea|ta:e 1a.s i:st ayetaes.s eia aa. eea| aac aata:a| | aa,aa,e .s.
tae:eie:e. a-sa:caaceeat:ac.ete:y
Second: .saettae:esa| ttaesame.i.attaeet|e:e|eei| aa,aa,e.aa
a-se| ate| y.cea| e-]eetmast-eces.,aatec:1a.st.me. tae eaaaeeie:
'
I I
Husserl has always associated "Hegelianism" with "romantici sm" and wi th "hi s
tori ci sm, " to which romanticism is led when "belief" in its "metaphysics of history" has
been lost. (Cf. especially " PRS, " pp. 76-77. ) Was not the e xpression Weltanschauung
frst Hegelian? (Cf. on this J. Hyppol ite, Genesis and Structure ofHegel' s "Phenomenology
of Spirit, " tr. Samuel Cheriak and John Heckman [Evanston: Northwester Uni versity
Press, 1 974] , pp. 469-70. )
I I ?
James Joyce, Ulysses (New York: Random, 1 961 ) , p. 3 4 [ "Hi story, Stephen sai d, i s
a nightmare from which I am trying t o awake. "] .
104
Jacques Derrida
aa.vee.tyea|caet|eeae:ec|ya:eea|ta:a| ,|at|yat:aasea|ta:a|
e|]eet, ie: esam|e, tae ,eemet:.ea| e|]eet. ia aay ease, aa. vee.ty
ee::eseacstetaeve:y veeat.eaeise.eaee. uasse:|:. tes.ataeOri
gin: ia aeee:c .ta tae esseaee ei se.eaee, taea, . ts aaet.eaa:.es
ma.ata.a tae eeastaat e| a. m, tae e:seaa| ee:ta.aty, taat eve:yta.a,
taeyat. atese.eat.ieasse:t.easaas|eeasa.c eaeeaacie:a|| , taat. t
staacsiast, ie:eve:.ceat.ea||y:eeata||e,asa||e.aev.ceaeeaacie:
a:tae:taee:et.ea|e::aet.ea|eacs-as.aca|.ta||ya||ete|e:eaet.
vatec.tatae. ceat.tyei.ts,eaa. ae sease ( 1 65-66 mec.iec} , .
natta. s.ceat.tyeisease,tae,:eaaceiaa. vee.tyaactaeeeac.t.ea
ie::eaet.vat.ea,.sa|ays:e| at. ve, |eeaase.t.sa|ays.ase:.|ec.ta.a
ame|.|esystemei:e|at.easaacta|es. tssea:ee.a.aia.te|yeea
:e]eeteiaea.s.t.ea. vea .itaese :e| at.eas a:e, . ta. aa se. eaee,
:e|at.easeia:e. cea|.t.esaact:atas, taeyceaettae:e.a,. ve:.
aay|esstesemes.a,a|a:|ae.a,s.ae:seet.ve[mises en perspectives],
semema|t.|e.ate:eeaaeet.easeisease, aactae:eie:esememec.ate
aaceteat.a|a.ms. i i, .aiaet,ea.vee.ty. sa|ays.::ecae.||e, taat. s
|eeaasee:csaac| aa,aa,e.a,eae:a|a:eaetceaaaeve:|ea|se
|ateobjects. ' 1aeyceaetessessaay:es. staataace:maaeat.cea
t.tytaat.sa|se|ate| ytae.:ea. 1aey aavetae.:| . a,a.st.e|e.a,i:em
aa.ateat.eaa.eat:ave:sestaemasmec.at.eas.1ae same e:c.s
a|aysetae:aeee:c.a,tetaea|aysc.ae:eat.ateat.eaa|aetsa.ea
tae:e|yma|eae:cs.,a.ieat.ve [signiant] . 1ae:e . sase:teipure
ea.vee.ty ae:e, a.ea ,:es .a tae ve:y :aytam ei se.eaee. Cea
seaeat|y, uasse:| see.ies . a a aete taat tae se.eat.ie statemeat,
.taeat |e.a, aest.eaec a,a.a as te .ts t:ata, a|ays :ema.as
:ev.s.eaa| ,aactaatO|]eet.ve,a|se| ate|yi:m|ae|ec,eeit:ata. s
aa.aia.te.cea( 1 66) . ~|se|ateaa.vee.ty. s.aaeeess.|| e, |atea|yas
aaicea.a tae kaat.aaseaseeaa|e. iitae aa. vee. ty .avest.,atec|y
uasse:|aactaeea.veeat.ea,eae:a|.zec|yeyeea:e.aiaetrelative,
taeya:e, tae:eie:e, aetsesymmetrically. re:tae.:eemmeatelos, tae
es.t.ve va|ae eiaa.vee.ty, . simmediately :evea|ec ea| y .ta.a tae
:e|at.v.tytaatuasse:|ceiaec.ua. vee.ty.sa|setaea|se|ateae:.zeaei
ea. vee.ty ia,. v. a,.ttaeseaseeiaa. aia.tetas|, uasse:|ceesaet
ma|eaa|vee.ty,aseea|c|eiea:ec, taeva| aeie:a|aa,aa,e. meve:
. saecaac taas:emevec eateia. ste:y s :eaea. xatae:, aa.vee.ty .s
|etataea:.e:.aactaete|ee| e,.ea|eeac.t.eaie:a||a. ste:.e.ty..t. staat
I l3
That is why, as we noted above, Husserl could not inquire as to the absoLute ideal
Objectivity concering language itself, whose ideality is always that of a "thematic
index" and not a theme. This irreducible mediacy thus makes illusory all the safety
promised by speech or writing themseLves .
105
Introductin to the Origin of Geometry
.taeata.eataeve:yea.veeat.easeiem.:.ea|ea|ta:eaac a. ste:y
ea|caet|ees.||e .
1ae:e||emeiaa.vee.tyeeaees. mmec. ate| yaeataatei:eaet.va
t.ea.itsseaema.staesame ,ie:,.taeatam.a. ma|| .a,a. st.et:aasa:
eaey, ae :eaet.vat.eaea|c|e. ma,.aa|| e. nat.iaa. vee.ty . s.aiaet
a|ays :e|at.ve, aac .i.ta|eaee:m. tstae :ecaet.ea eia| |em.:.ea|
ea|ta:eaaceia||sec. meatat.ea, .staeess.|.| .tyeiaa:ea.ste:yei
seasete|ecea|tecce]a:e:He:ea:t.ea|a:|ys. aee, aue:aav.a,:e
seatec tae eaae.ty ie: :eaet. vat.ea, uasse:| cees aetia.|te as|tae
se:.easaest. eaof itsjnitude. iaase. eaee| . |e,eemet:y,aeseetea
t.a|.tyie:,:eta.sest:ae:c.aa:y, .t. s.mess.||eie:eve:y,eemete:.
at eve:y . astaat aac eve:yt.meae :esames a.s tas| aite: aeeessa:y
.ate::at.eas, te e:ie:m a teta| aac . mmec.ate :eaet.vat.ea ei tae
. mmease eaa. a ei ieaac.a,s |ae| te tae e:. ,.aa| :em. ses ( 1 66
,mec.iec} , . 1aeaeeess.tyeitaese. ate::at.eas.saiaetaa|eae, s|ee,
:eiess.eaa||:ea|s, aac seie:ta, ,a.ea aas aeseaseeema:ec.ta
,eemet:.ea|t:ata|at.sae| ess.::ecae.||ete. t.
~total :eaet.vat.ea,evea. itaate:eess.|| e, ea|c a:a|yzetae
.ateoa|a.ste:yei,eemet:y]astassa:e| yasea|ctae:ac.ea|.mess.
|.|.tyeia||:eaet.vat.ea.uasse:|. saete::.eca|eattaat.atta. se.at
ateta|:eeae:at.eaeie:.,.as.s st.||ea|yate|ee| e,.ea|ae:.zea. re:
aace:taeest:.as.eaeeess.tytaat,eemet:.ea|aet. v.ty|e.ate:m.tteat. s
a| sea.cceaaaesseat.a| aac.ate:aa|aeeess.ty. s.aee ae. eeeeitae
,eemet:.ea|ec.iee.sse|i same.eat,aeimmediate :eaet.vat.ea.sess.
||e, eaaay|eve| . 1aat. say , uasse:|:ema:|s, tae .ac.v.caa| aac
eveataesee.a|eaae.ty ie::eaet.vat.ea. seiaae|v.easia.tace
( 1 68) . i t . || a| ays|ecea.ec.mmec.ateteta|.ty.
1ae e|v.easaess [evidence] ei taat ia.tace aac ei taat aeeessa:y
mec.aeyeea|cstamuasse:| s ae|ea:eseasaeasease. s. aeetaat
ia. tace. s.aiaet.::ecae.|| e, saea|c.taetia:a.sataet:aesta:t.a,e.at
ie::ereet.a,eaa.ste:y:w.taeattaatesseat.a|eeaeea|meateie:.,.as
aac.ta.ataeayetaes. seiaaa| |ee:ia| :eaet.vat.ea,aatea|c
eease. easaesseia. ste:.e.ty |e: ~| se, ae cea|t, taat eease.easaess
ea|c |e aeta.a,, . i.t as :ac.ea| |y :ea.|.tec aeeess te e:.,. as .
nat, se taat a. ste:y may aave .ts :ee:ceas.ty, mastaet taea tae
ca:|aessa.eaea,a|is tae e:.,.aa| :em. ses,. teaa|e eaet:atec
|at aeve:c.ss.atec, aet ea| y a.ce tae iaet |at a|se tae . ast.tat.a,
sease:~acmastaettaee:.t.ea| ie:,etia|aesseie:.,.as|etaeia.ta
ia| saace. a t:ata s acvaaee :atae: taaa aa aee.ceata| a|e::at.ea:
1a. sc. st. aet.ea|eteeaiaetaacsease,e:taeceiaeteaactaece ]a:e
ea|c|eeaaeec.ataesease.avest.,at.eaeia:.me:c.a|ia.tace.
natie:uasse:| ,ase|ae,taatia.taceeaaappear :ee.se|y.a.ts
106
Jacques Derrida
:.me:c. a| .|yea|y,.ea|aeiceaeiaa. aia.|ea.s|e:y1aas . iaeec.|a
|aeia.|aceei:eae|.a|.ea.uasse:|ceesae|,.ea.asesasee| .|ae
i:s|c.:ee|.eaeia. s. aes|.,a|. ea uees|eaes|ae:e||emaa|.|| a|e:
aac.a.|es h, .|aas| .,at|yea.,ma|.e|:e. |y.|eae|.ee|aa||ae:e
es. stsaa.cea| . za|. ea aame| y. |ae:emea|ei|.m.tsi:emea:eaae
.ty .aaee:ta.a sease.|s .aia.t. za|.ea ( 1 68) . ~ seeeaca:y.cea| . z.a,
ee:a|.ea |aea eemes|e:e| . ee|ae:eae|.a|.ea|. | .tyei.|s ia.|ace
aac|e|s. t,e||eyeac.|se|i 1a.s meemea|.saaa|e,eas |e|aeeea
s|.ta|.ea. ie: esam|e. ei|ae aa.|yei|ae e:|c s .aia.|e ae:.zeae:
, |eyeac|aeia.|e.ate:eeaaeet.eaei:e|ea|.easaac:e|ea|.eas|e|ie
eeas|.|a|.eaeitaee. ceaeeie:a|e|a|aa.|yei|ae.mmaaeatrasasaa
icea.a|aekaa|.aasease na|a|eea|| .ta.smeemea|.saaa|e,eas
|e|ae :ecae|. eaei,eeme|:y s esae|.|ace |aeassa,e|e|ae .aia.|e
| .m.teiaia. |eaacaa| .ta|.eseas.||e.ata. t.ea st:.e||ysea|.a,.eea
ae:e .|. s,eeme|:.ea| .cea|.za|.eaa.ea e:m. |s.aia.|.z.a,|ae :eae
|. a|. e a|. | .|y we:|.a, .ataec.aaaaeasaess eia:e . cea|.|y. ta. s
a|.|.tyeas. |yaacce]a:e|:aas,:esses.|s| .m.|s.a.eaa:etaeaaeme:e
taaataeaem.aa|| . m.|seia:eiae|aa| .|y1a.s. cea|.zat.ea.a.eaaas
ie: .|s ee::e|a|e aa .aia.te icea. a|ayscee.s. e|y .a|e:eaes .atae
c.uea| | memea|s ei uasse:| s cese:.|.ea 1ae aeaemeae|e,.ea|
sta|asei.tse. ceaee:ema. as:a|ae:mys|e:.eas 1ae.mess.|.| .|yei
aceaate|yce|e:m. a.a,|aeeea|ea|ei|a. si ceaceesae|aace:m.ae.
uasse:|says.aIdeas I, |ae :a|.eaa||:aasa:eaeyei. |s.as.,a|ia|e.
ceaee(Einsichtigkeit).

ueee:.taeee:|a.atyeiaa|eaaaee:.m
mec.ate| yaacassaea:esea|. tse|i.aaa. a|a. |.ea saea|cese seme
se:.eas :e||emsie: aeaemeae|e,y ,:e||ems s.m.|a: |e |aese. ie:
esam|e .ei|aeeeast.tat.eaeitaealter ego |yaa.::ecae.||ymec.ate
.a|ea|.eaa| .|y we.||eemec.:eet|y|ae|te|a. s|a|e:.aea|ae:ec
ae|.eaei,eeme|:.ea|esaet.|ace|y.cea| .za|.ea.|||eea:eeaee:a~t
tae :eseat]aae|a:e. uasse:| :e.s.eaa| |y ae:|s ta. s c. mea| ty ue
:.|es . 1aeeea| .a:se:|eie.ceaee|e|ea,.a,|esaea. cea| .zat.eas
. ||eeaee:aas|a|e:( 1 68 mec.iec}
1aeeaae.tyei:eaet. at.eamas||aea|et:aasm. ||ec.. ae:ce:|aa|
se.eaee ae| ceeay |ate a t:ac.t.ea emt.ec eisease ~s |ea, as
! t +
Cf. Ideas I, especially 83, pp. 220-22.
I I
Ibid. , p. 221 . [ I n hi s translation of the Origin, Derrida translates Einsicht by "evi
dence rationnel le . " In this he foll ows, as he says, the j ustifcation and practice of S.
Bachelard (see A Study ofHusserI' s Logi c, p. \ 0). This helps elucidate the phrase "l a
transparence rationnelle de son evidence" as a "translation" of "Einsi chtigkeit . " I n his
Guide for Translating Husserl, Dorion Cairs suggests the fol lowing: i nsi ght, i nsightful
ness, i ntellectual seenness, apodictic evidentness, evidentness. Note adapted by Tr. ]
107
Introductin to the Origin of Geometry
se.eaeemeesaayi:em.ts|e,|aa.a,saac. |s|e,.ea|sae:s|:ae|a:es
a:eaeeama|a|ec.taeeaaaeesie:saeaat:aasm.ss.eacee:easeaat.||ae
cayaea|ae a|. |. |y aaeas|eia. |. uaie:|aaate|y |a. s.s ea:
s. |aa|.ea.aac|aa|ei|aeae|emece:aa,e ( 1 69) . 1aeacaaeemea|s
eise.eaeeeaa|ea:saec. eeaaeatae seaseei.tse:.,.aaas|eea
| es| nat|aeataee:y|e,.ea| .tyei|aese.eat.ie,esta:es. . m:.seaec.a
mec.aey. |:ea|scea .a|ea se:|eieae.:.eaac.aaamaaa|sa:c.|y
D.cae|r|atecese:.|e|a. ss.taa|.ea:wasae||aee|e:a.|yeiesseaees
ie: a.m e:aas ea|y aaetae: aame ie: a aeaem.:.ea| a.ste:.e. ty:
Ceemet:yaac|aestac. es[sciences ] |aa|aeeemaay. |a:ees.iecia:
i:em |ae.: iaacameata| .a|a.t.eas. 1aey a:e .aeaa||e ei . s.ea
(idein) aac:.e|ectetaeayetaesesae|castae. ::.ae.|es Ceaias. a,
sym|e|.tat:ata. |aey seemteas|ec:eam(oromen os oneirottousi)
(Republic vi i .e 1ae:e|a:a.aa. :y.s|ae:eie:ea:,ea||a:ea,|
asaacie:as.|.||:eaa|ease.eaee|e. ts:.me:c.a|sease.. e .ase
|ae. .tsiaa|sease
VIII
1aastaeme|aecaactaeseaseeitaeaest.eaeeaee:a.a,e:.,.asa:e
.||am.aa|eca|tae same |.meas|aeeeac.t.easie:|ae|:ac.t.eaeise.
eaee. a,eae:a| ia e|es.a,taese:e| .m. aa:y eeas.ce:at.eas. uasse:|
:eea|| stae.:esem|a:yaacia| | ya.s|e:.ea|eaa:ae|e:,.a|aeseaseei
Historie) : e:yae:e|ae:e||ems.taee|a:.iy.a,. aes|.,a|.eas. tae
. as.,a|s .ate :.ae.|esa:ehistorcal (historsch) . o wes|aac.|aea.
.ta.ataea.s|e:.ea|ae:.zea. aa. eaee:y|a.a,. sa. ste:.ea| .aeee:
|.tt|eemay |ae a|ea|ce|e:m.aecta. a,s nat|a. sae:.zeaaas .|s
essea|.a| st:ae|a:e taateaa|ec.se|esec|a:ea,a me|aec.ea|. aa.:y
( 1 7 1 -72 mec.iec}
w.ta:eseet|eetae:se. eaees. as.|a:esee|te|aee:|cei:ese.
eat.ieea||a:e. e|ae::eta:astetae.:e:.,. asa:e |ae:eie:e:ese:.|ec
1aeya:ea|aysess.||e .a|taea,aas:e||ems|aey s|.| | :ema.a aa
as|ec. 1a.sie|cei.aa.:yaasae|.m. ts. s.aeea.ste:.e.|yem|:aees
|ae .aia.|e |eta|.|y ei|e.a,aac sease. Nata:a| |y. :e||ems ei|a. s
a:t.ea|a:se:|. mmec.ate|yaa|ea|ae|eta|:e||emeitaeaa.e:sa|
a.s|e:.e.ty ei tae ee::e| at. e maaae:s ei |e.a,eraamaa.|y aac tae
ea||a:a|e:|caactaea:.e:.st:aeta:eeeata.aec. a|a.sa.ste:.e.|y
( 1 72) .
' ' Plato, The Collected Dialogues, ed. Hamilton and Cairs (Princeton: Princeton
University Press, \ 96 \ ) , p. 765. The translation is that of Paul Shorey.
108
Jacques Derrid
~rte: aav.a, eeaec a.s aest.ea a|eat ,eemet:y te .ts |:eacest
ae:.zea, |at|eie:eeem.a,|ae|tetaecete:m.aece:.,.aeitaatse.
eaee,uasse:|:eseacs,asase:teieem|emeata:ye|a:.aeat.ea,tete
c.amet:.ea||yeesecmetaece|e,.ea|e|] eet.eas.
Ce:ta.a|y, taea:stea|c:eeeeci:em astaaca:ce.steme|e,.sm
ie:a.eatae:eta:ate:.me:c.a|ev.ceaeeaacte.ts.ast.tat.a,eea
eets .s aa .ac.seasa||e tas|. nat tae:e. saeta. a,a.ste:.ea|tetaat.
1ae.||as.eaeia.ste:yeaa|e,.veateta. sa:ste|]eet.eaea|y|yve:|a|
e: sym|e|.e a| |as.eas te seme aac.seeve:a|| e [ 1 72] |at aa:c|y
myta.ea| 1aa|es . uasse:| a. mse|iaac aaac|ec ta.s e|ass.e e|]eet.ea
aea,eeaee:a.a,taee:.,.aeise.eaeeaac,eemet:y i a:t.ea|a:, ae
attae|ecem.:.e.smaacestena|a.ste:y. ue ae:e]eets.t|eeaase
.t m.seeast:aes . tsea sty|e eia.ste:.ea| .avest.,at.ea, a.ea .s as
interal aacaeaem.:.ea|asess.|| e.is. taseia|te:eea||taataeve:aas
.t|eeaaaest.eaei:eta:a.a,te1aa|ese:taeiaetaa||e,.aa.a,sei
,eemet:y:natte:eaeaaeeiaetaa|a.ste:y. saetata||teeateaese|iea
i:em a.ste:y.a,eae:a| . Oataeeeat:a:y, . t . steeeaeaese|ite tae
seaseeia. ste:.e.ty. ~ac.aaseateaeeaesest:ess, at|east, eeat:asts
.ta taateia.s ea:|y aeaemeae|e,y , |ata.eaea|y eeaa:ms aac
ceeeas, . ta aaacm.:a||eace|.ty, tae. a.t.a|c.st:ast.ta:e,a:cte
eeaveat.eaa|a.ste:y, . uasse:|see.aes( 1 72-73) :
The ruling dogma of the separation in prnciple between epistemo
logical elucidation and historical, even humanistic-psychological
explanation, between epistemological and genetic origin, is funda
mentally mistaken [is fundamentally turned upside down: Derrida 's
translation], unless one inadmissibly limits, in the usual way, the
concepts of "histor, " "historical explanation, " and "genesis. " Or
rather, what is fundamentally mistaken is the limitation through which
precisely the deepest and most genuine problems of histor are
concealed.
1e.avest.,atetaeseaseeiase.eaeeast:ac|t.eaaacasea|ta:a|ie:m
.ste.avest.,atetae seaseei. tseem|etea. ste:.e.ty. r:emta. siaet,
eve:y . at:ase.eat.ae es|.eat.ea, eve:y :eta:a te a:st as. ems, te
:.me:c.a|ev.ceaeesaac. ast.tat.a,eeaeets, .sattaesamet. me a.s
te:.ea| c. se|esa:e [ 1 73] . waateve:ea:.,ae:aaee ea tae sa|]eetei
I I 7
I n Ideas I, 25, pp. 84-86, will be found a long pissage i n which Husserl develops
on his own, and in curiously similar terms, the objection that he prtends to addrss here.
The confrontation of this text with that of the Origin can b rmarkably i l luminating as to
the sense and fdelity of Husserl ' s itinerary.
109
Introductin to the Origin of Geometry
aetaa|a.ste:y, e |aea prori taateve:yea|ta:a| :eseat,tae:eie:e
eve:yse.eat.ae:eseat ,.m|.eates.a.tsteta|.tytaeteta|.tyeitaeast
1aeaa.tyeita. saaeeas. a,teta|.zat.eaa.ea. sa|ays|:ea,ata|eat
.ataeie:meitaea.ste:.er:eseat,tae r:. me:c.a|.a.tse|i[Primordial
e soiD |eacs as, .iee::eet|y.aa.:ecei, te tae aa.ve:sa| ~:. e:. ei
a.ste:,.Ast|eA|se|ateaae|aa,ea||e.a.tse|ieitaeL. v. a,r:eseat. a
a.e.t. s,:eaacec, t|ea. ste:.er:eseat. sat a:sts.,atea| ,tae.:
:eca..||eaaca:e|aeeaacmevemeateit|atteta|.zat.eaaactaat
t:ac.t.eaa|. zat. ea.
,
1ae |. ste:.er:eseat.s taea. ste:.ea|A|se|ate~
tae v.ta| evemeat ei tae eees. steaee aac tae .ate:eav.a, (des
Miteinander und Ineinander) ei :. me:c.a| ie:mat.eas aac sec.
meatat.eas ei sease (Sinnbildllllg [lind Sinnsedimentierllng] ) " ( 1 74
,mec.aec}, .
ve:ya:t.ea|a:a.ste:.ea|. avest.,at.eamastce]a:eaete.tsme:ee:
|ess . mmec.ate ceeaceaee ea taat .as.,at . ate aec.et.e :. ae.|es
[evidence absolument principielle] . ~||aa|.taa|iaetaa|a.ste:y:ema.as
.aeem:eaeas.|| e( 1 74) as|ea,astaesea :. e:.aaveaet|eeaes| .
eatecaacas|ea,asiaetaa|a. ste:yaasaetacatec. tsmetaectetae
aet.eaei.at:.as.e a.ste:y, te tae aet.eaeitae .ateat.eaa| a.ste:y ei
sease.
1a.s|eacsastetaeseeeac:.este, ta. st.mec.:eeteca,a.asta.ste:.
e.sm:atae:taaaem.:.ea|a.ste:y.1aeseaemaeita.se:. t.e. sm. saaa|
e,eastetaata.eaaace:|.esra. |eseayask.,e:easse.eaee. nat
tae a.ste:.e.smuasse:|aeattae|s, ces.teama.t.eseeaaeet.a,.tte
D.|taey s taee:yeitaeWeltanschauung, seemsteaave ame:eetaae
see.e|e,.ea| , a me:emodern sty|e. ~ac ae:e aat uasse:| aats te
:esti:ema.ste:.ea|:e|at. v. sm.s| esstaet:atae:.cea|ae:mseise.
eaeeaaca.|eseaytaaataea:.e:.eia.ste:.ea|se. eaee.tse|i.
ia eaeet, etaae|e,. smsetstae a|aacaatma|t.| .e.tyeitest.mea.es
attest.a,taateaeaee|e,eaeat:.|e, eaeaaamaa,:eaaas. tse:|c,
.tsa:.e:. , .ts e:ce:,.ts|e,.e , .tsa.ste:y, eve:a,a.asttaeaa.ve:sa|a
:.e:. , tae aaeeac.t.eaecaacaec.et.est:aeta:es , tae aa.ta:y,:eaac
eia.ste:y, saeaasuasse:|meaastecese:.|etaem.
Ne, on the one hand, taeseaa.meaeaa||etest.mea. esceaet|e
| .e |at, ea tae eeat:a:y, :esaese tae st:aeta:e eitae aa. ve:sa|
ae:.zeaaactae a:.e:.eia.ste:y taat uasse:| ces.,aates . taese:e
` Naturally, it is a question, as Husserl clearly states, of the hi storic Present in
general as the ultimate universal form of every possible historical experience, an experi
ence which itself is grounded in the Living Present of egological consciousness.
Moreover, Husserl emphasi zes i n a footnote [ 1 74] that all of intrinsic hi story passes
through the intrinsic history of the totality of individual persons.
+
i
!
,
110
Jacques Derrid
saes.t.easea|yeaases.a,a|a:aaccete:m. aeca:.e:.te |ea:t.ea
|atec tae:e. a itsauees. taea. te :eseet taesea:t.ea|at.eas aac tae
eem|.eateca.e:a:eaya.easa|m.tsme:ee:|esscete:m.aecmate:.a|
a:.e:.tetaea:.e:|ie:meiaa.ve:sa|a. ste:|e.ty.On the other hand,
taeiaets. a.eaa:etaas. ave|ectesae:tta. s:e|at. v. sm.eaa|e
cete:m.aec asee:ta.aa.ste:.ea|iaetsea|y .isemeta.a,| . |e a. ste:.ea|
t:ata . s cete:m.aa||e . a,eae:a| . xaa|e s ae .t :ea||y as
, | :-} . tae a|t.mate:eie:eaeeie:a| |iaetaa|a. ste:y.:esaesesas. ts
ae:.zea a a.ste:.ea| cete:m.aa|.| .ty taateve:y em.:.ea| se.eaee. |y
.tse|ia|eaeaacassaea.. see:|esste,:eaac. ~eee:c.a,|y. eaeec
aeti:steate:.ateseme|.aceie:.t.ea|c.seass.eaeitaeiaetsseteat|y
a.ste:.e. sm. .t. seaea,ataattaee|a.meitae. :iaetaa|.tya|:eacy:e
saesestaea. ste:.ea|a:.e:..ita. se|a.m.steaaveaaysease, | :-
,mec.iec} ,
iae:ce:te|ea||eteesta|| . saiaetsasiaetsof a.ste:y. emast
a|ays a|:eacy |ae aat a. ste:y . s aac aace: aat eeac.t.eas-
eeae:eteeeac.t.eas-.t|s ess.|| e. we masta|:eacy|e ea,a,ec .a a
:eeem:eaeas.eaeia. ste:.e.ty. . . e. . eitae .ava:.aatseia.ste:y taat
|aa,aa,e. t:ac.t.ea. eemmaa. ty. aac se ie:ta a:e. ia e:ce: ie: tae
etaae|e,.ea| iaet te aea:. etaae|e,.ea| eemmaa.eat.ea masta|
:eacy|esta:tec.ta.ataeae:.zeaeiaa.ve:sa|aamaa.ty.temeae:
te,:easeimeamastaave|eeaa||ete|eaace:steecsta:t.a,i:em
taeess.|.|.t. es. aeeve:ee:.eiaaa.ve:sa|| aa,aa,e.1aeetaae|e,.st
mast|esa:e .aec.et.ea||y. taatother meaa|seaeeessa:.|y| .ve.ta.aa
eemmaa.tyei|aa,aa,eaact:ac.t.ea..ta.ataeae:.zeaeiaa.ste:y.
sa:e.a|se. eiaata||taatmeaas.a,eae:a| tataea|t. mate:eeea:se..t
. saeeessa:,te|aetaattaea. ste:.er:eseat.a,eae:a|-tae.::eaae.
|| eie:meieve:,a.ste:.ea|ese:.eaee-. stae,:eaaceia| | a. ste:.e.t,.
aactaatt eea|c a|a,seemetete:ms .a ta. s r:eseat. ta tae mest
c.staat.taemestc. ne:eatetae: ueeve:st:aa,eteeaeaetae:te
mea ma, |e. tae, a| a,s a:e aaae:staaca||e-at tae | . m.t-.a tae
eemmeaa| . t, eitae. :i. v. a, r:eseat. aa. eataea. ste:.e r:eseat . s
:eetec 1aat eaea eitae.: iaacameata| r:eseats . s. also, mate:.a||y
cete:m.aec |y .ts .ase:t.ea.ta.atae iaetaa|eeateateia t:ac.t.ea.
see.a|st:aeta:e. |aa,aa,e. aacseie:ta. taateaeacees aetaavetae
same seaseeeateat. ta. s .a ae ay aaeets tae eemmeaa|ty eitae.:
ie:m 1a.s aa.ve:sa|ie:m. a.ea. stae mestprmordial aacconcrete
|.vec ese:.eaee. .s saesec |y a|| |e.a,te,etae:. 1a. s ie:m a| se
seemste|etaeiaa|:et:eaeameat.tae:eie:etaemestresponsible seea
I I !I
Some analogous developments will be found in the Vienna Lecture, "Phi losophy
and the Crisis of European Humanity, " i n C, p. 296.
1 11
Introductin to the Origin of Geomet
:.ty. eieve:y aeaemeae|e,.ea| :ecaet.ea ia ta. s a|t. matejurdical
instant [instance] .s aaaeaaeectaemest:ac.ea|aa.tyeitaee:|c.
1aas eve:y:e||emeia.ste:.ea|iaets .ave|vesa.ste:.ea|.ava:.aats
tae ve:y memeattae :e||emaatae:.zes aee:ta.arelativism. 1 20 1ae
|atte::eta.asa||.tsva|ae.:ev.cec.ts|eve|eimateriality aac.tsa:.e:|
eeac.t.eas a:e a:e:.ate|y cete:m. aec. 1ae a:t cevetec te :e
| at.v. sm.a tae ee|e|:ateciette:te i-vyn:aa| eaa|e .ate::etec. a
ta. say r:emtaat|ette:.:.tteaayea:ea:|.e:taaataeOrigin, e
m.,att

. a|. ea tae eeat:a:y. taat uasse:| :eaeaaeectae a.ste:.ea| a

:.e:.c.seeve:ec|y. ma,.aa:yva:.at.eac:eee,a.zec taattaea:e
aeaemeae|e,y eia. ste:yaacteeseetsemeta.a,etae:taaaesam
|esi:emtaeeeateateitaeem.:.ea|se.eaees. etaae|e,y. aa:t.ea|a: .
1a.s.saeta||ytae:eac.a,taatHe:|eaareaty:eesec taa|ette:te
i-vyn:aa|a.eaaas|eea:ese:vec. uasse:|seemsteacm.ttaattae
iaets ,e |eyeac aat e . ma,.ae aac taat ta.s e.at |ea:s a :ea|
s.,a.ieaaee. it .sas|itae. ma,.aat.ea.|eute.tse|i..saaa||ete:e:e
seattae ess.|.|.t.eseies.steaee a.eaa:e:ea|.zec .ac.ae:eat ea|
ta:es. . . . , uasse:|}sataat. t. se:aasaetess.||eie:as.ae|.ve
. aee:ta.aa. ste:.ea|t:ac.t.eas. teeeaee.veeitaea.ste:.ea|ess.|.|.tyei
taese:.m.t.vemea|yame:eva:.at.eaeiea:. ma,.aat.ea.
O:a,a.a
Historical relativism is now no longer dominated at one stroke by a
mode ofthought which would have all the keys ofhistory and would be
in a position to drw up a table ofall historical possibles before any
factual experimental inquir. On the contrar, the thinker who wishes
I 20
Is it necessary to underscore that the question here is not that of a criticism of
historical or socio-ethnological science as such? Husserl simpl y wants to cal l the problem
back to its presuppositions. Phenomenol ogy, whi ch alone can bring them to light as such ,
at times has been, moreover, taken up by the researchers themsel ves wi th various de
grees of explication.
This precaution had been formulated as an hommage to history as human science i n
"PRS, " p. 1 29.
I i
Letter of March I I , 1 935. Husserl there speaks notably of the "indubitable legiti
macy" that "historical relativism" involves "as anthropological fact" (our emphasis)
and of the possible and necessary task of a comprehensi ve Einfiihlung with respect to
pri mi ti ve societies that are "wi thout history" (geschichtlos) . [A great deal of this letter i s
availabl e i n Merleau-Ponty' s articl es cited beiow. See notes 1 22-1 25-tr. ] He insi sts
v igorously on the fact that the rights of relativi sm thus understood are preserved and
"conserved" by "the i ntentional anal ysi s" of transcendental phenomenology.
I22
Cf. "Phenomenology and the Sciences of Man, " pp. 90-91 . The sae interpretation
is presented i n Merleau-Ponty' s article, "The Philosopher and Sociology, " i n Signs, pp.
98-1 ] 3.
.
1 12
Jacques Derid
to dominate history in this way must learnfrom the facts and must
enter into them . . . . The eidetic ofhistor cannot dispense with
factual historical investigation. In the eyes ofHusserl, philosophy, as a
coherent thought which leads to a classication offacts according to
their value and truth, continues to have its fnal imporance. But it
must begin by understanding all lived experences. (Our emphasis)
i ssaeaaa.ate::etat.ea]ast. iec:
1aeea|y:e|at. v. smuasse:|ae|ae|ec,esasva|.c. s taatattaeaecte
a.ste:.ee aata:ee|e,.ea| iaets assaeaaac .atae.:iaetaa| .ty uas
se:|aeve:eeatestecta.sva|.c.tyevea. a ra.|eseayasx.,e:easse.
eaee. 1aea. ste:.ea| a:.e:. te a.eaae aac a|ays aea|ec,aac
me:eaacme:e .asamatte:eiiaete:eaeve::eseatec..tseems.as
|eyseia.ste:y e:asata||eeia||a.ste:.ea|ess.||es|eie:eaay
iaetaa|ese:.meata|.aa.:y. ~acs. aeea.ste:yaactaea.ste:.ea|es
s. ||es a|eata.ea He:|eaareaty sea|s:e:eseat taemate:.a| aac
cete:m.aeceeateateia. ste:.ea|mec.ieat.eas, . . e. .taeiaetaa|ess.||e
:ea| . zec. asaeaaacsaeaa see.ety. ea|ta:e. eeea. aacseie:ta . te
.ate::etuasse:|. ataea|evemaaae:. stease:.|etea.mtae:etea
s.eaeicecae.a,iaetaa|.ty.tse|ia priori. weeaaaetste. ta saea a
ayetaes. s. a.eaeeat:ac.ets tae ve:y :em. ses eiaeaemeae| e,y.
uasse:|aacea|tec| ytaea,attaata||eia.ste:y scete:m.aecess.||es
aacteeeaie:mtetaea:.e:.esseaeeseia.ste:.e.tyeeaee:a.a,eve:y
ess.||eea| ta:e.eve:yess.||e|aa,aa,e.eve:yess. ||et:ac.t.eanat
aeve:c.caec:eamteie:esee .|ysemee .cet.ececaet.ea.a| | taeiaets.
a||tae a:t.ea|a:ess.|| es a.ea mast eeaie:m te taese a :.e:. ei
aa.ve:sa|a. ste:.e.ty.
nataettececaeeiaetaa|.tya prori, .staatte | ea:ai:emtaeiaets :
Net aay me:e. .i taat s.,a. ies taat e.cet.e .ata.t.ea. ||aave te |e
a|aaceaec-evea :ev.s.eaa||y-aac iaets asec etae:.se taaa as
esam|es.aaa. ma,.aa:yva:.at.ea.1aea:eseeitaeva:.at.eateea
a.ae. ae.cet.e:eac.a,aacaeve:|eeateesaaasttaema|t.| .e.tyei
ess.||eiaets eataeeeat:a:y.taeteeaa.aeeveaaastae:.v.|e,eei
|e.a,a||e te e:|ea ea| yeae eitaese ess. ||es .a aa esem|a:y
eease.easaess[conscience d' exemple] . 1aas. ta. steeaa.ae aas aeve:
aac taem.ss.eaeic.seas,.a,}.taiaetaa|a.ste:.ea|. avest.,at.ea .
e:at|east. .i.tceesta. s. .t. saet|y:eteac.a,te sa|st.tateie:tae
a.ste:.ea|. aa.:y,.aaat.e.at.a,taeiaetstae se|.ta:y:ereet.eaeia
a. ste:.aa. .ts.m|yde jure :eeeceseve:ymate:.a|a.ste:.ea|.aves
t. ,at.eaaacaasaeaeeceiiaetsassaeate:evea|tetaea.ste:.aatae
a:.e:.seaseeia.saet.v.tyaace|]eet s. 1ecete:m. aeta. ssease.s.ie:
l 33
Ibid. , pp. 9 1 -92 [modifed] .
I ?4
Ibid. , p. 92.
1 13
Introductin to the Origin ofGeometry
uass:| .se|!tt|eaaest.eaei|e,.a,a.a,}|yaace:staac.a,a||| .vec
es

e:eaees. eia|aacea.a, e:|.m.t.a,tae teeaa.ae ei. ma,.aa:y

va.uea. ta

a tae|atte:.s es| .e.t|yaaci:eaeat|y:ese:.|ec.atae

O

lgm, a,nta,taa

teaa|eeeas.ce:eceaeeiuasse:| s |ast re:a.m.

ta.

steeamae:emaastaemetaecaeee:c.a,tea.eaee|ta.a a
a. e:sa|aaca| seiseca:.e:.eitaea. ste:. ea|e:|ca.ea. s a| ays
en,ma| |y,eaa. ae( 1 77) .
ra:ae:ea. ae says. e a|seaave . aac |ae taat e aave . tae
eaa..tyeie?metei:ecemtet:aasie:m. .ataea,ataacaaatasy.
ea:aaa a.stene|ex.staee. . . . ~ac:ee. se|y.ata. saet.v.tyei
i:eevanauea.aaca:aama,ta:ea,ataeeeaee.va||eess.|.| .t.esie:
tae|.iee:|c.tae:ea:.se..taaec.et.ese|iev.ceaee. aaesseat. a||y
,eae:a|seteie|emeats,ea,ta:ea,aa||taeva:.aats . 1ae:e|ye
aave :emeveceve:y|eacte taeiaetaa| |y va| .c a. ste:.ea| e:|c aac
a :e,
.
:cecta. se:|c .tse|ime:e|yaseae eitae eeaeetaa| es
s.|.|.t.es ( 1 77) .
ue:e,a. a. ecea?t. .

ma,.aa:yva:.at.eaaactae:ecaet.eade facto
ta|e

tae.:sta:ta,eataiaetaa| .ty nata,a.a taey :eta.ai:emiaet

?a|y.tsesm|a:.tyaac.tsesseat.a|st:aeta:e..tsess.|.| .tyaacaet
.tsiaetaa| .ty.
iite csev:yeitaea:.e:.st:aeta:esaactae.ava:.aatseiaa.ve:
sa|a.ste:...ty .s

metaee!e,.ea||y aac]a:.c.ea||yi:st. ta. sc.seeve:y

teaeaes

as aetaa,-ta.s . sev.ceat . aaci:stte uasse:|-a|eateaea

:ea| see.ety s e:eaea:ea|a.ste:.ea|memeat s easee.ie eaa:aete:
:eesecie:taese.e|e,. st se:a. ste:.aa s aet.v.ty 1ae:eie:e. . taas
aeve:|eeaaaest.eaeitaat.ae:eieeast:aet,.a,}aatma|essease
eietae:eseneaeesaace.v. |.zat.eas|yaa:e|y. ma,. aa:yva:.at.eaei
, eae s} eaese:.eaees

Neve:tae|ess. .iie:ea||eteeeast:aettae seaseeietae:ese

neaeesaace. v.| .za.eas . ataatmaaae: .iea|cc.seeve:.aaatay
taeya:ealso ese:eaesaace. v.|.zat.eas. aacaetaetaeya:ed(jef
ent. i ae:ce:teattaata.sseaseeiever e. v. |.zat.eae:ever ese:.eaee.
1 25 Mereau-Ponty, "The Philosopher and Soci ology, " p . 1 07 [modifed] . Always
commentlfl on the same letter, Merleau-Ponty wri tes: "Here he [ Husserl] seems to admit
tat the philosopher ou
.
ld not pos
.
sbly have immediate access to the universal by refec
tIon alone-that he s H no posItIon to do without anthropological experience or to
onsruct wha c?nstItuts the meaning of other experiences and ci vilizations by a purel y
Imagmary varIatIon of hI S own experiences" (p. 1 07) .
I n e
.
rleau-Ponty' s Phenomenology of Perception [ t r. Col i n Smith ( New York:
Humafltle
.
Pre
.
ss, 1 962)] .
.
the wol e l ast period of HusserI' s thought was already i nter
preted as t
,
Cl tly [ break n] Wlt the phi losophy of essences, " a rupture by which
Hussrl as merely explICItly laYIIg down analytic procedures which he had long been
appl ymg' ( p. 49) .
1 14
Jacques Derrid
i. | | a:staavete:ecaeeaattae:e. s eimy own ,.ataeiaetaa|sease,
eieea:se,.ataeexe:.eaeeaace. v. | .zat.eai:ema.eai .aiaetsta:t .
Oaeetaatseaseeitae exe:.eaeee: e.v. |.zat.ea.a ,eae:a|aas |eea
macee|ea:, ieea|c|e,.t.mate|yt:ytecete:m.aetaediference |eteea
taeva:.easiaetseie.v. |.zat.eaaacexe:.eaee.1a.sceesaetmeaataat
isaea|ca|aaceaeve:ye.cet.eatt.tacei:emtaatmemeatea. w.ta. aa
maea,:eate:iaetaa|cete:m.aat.ea, etae::ecaet.easa:est.||ess.|| e
aacaeeessa:y,:ecaet.eastaatmast|e:aceat| ya:t.ea|atecaeee:c.a,
te tae.: ce,:ee ei,eae:a| .ty, ceeaceaee, aac se ie:ta, yet a|ays
:eseet.a,, as uasse:| see.| es .a tae Origin, tae :a|e eitae st:.et
sa|samt.ea | }eitaes.a,a|a:aace:taeaa.ve:sa| .ia:ee:t.ea
te tae .ae:ease ei mate:.a| cete:m. aat.ea, :e|at.v. sm exteacs . ts
:.,ats, |at,s. aee.t. sceeaceattetaea.,aestce,:ee,.t.||aeve:|e,
as uasse:| aetes .a tae same |ette:, tae |ast e:c ei se. eat.ae
|ae|ec,e.
Ce:ta.a|ytae e:|eitae a.ste:.aa, see.e|e,.st, etaae|e,.st, aac se
ie:taeeast.tatesa|.acei:ea|.zec. ma,.ayva:.at.ea.ataeeaeeaate:
.taiaetaa| c.ae:eaee. ta. s|.aceiva:.at.eaeaa|easecc.:eet|yie:
aeeesstetaeeeae:eteaacaa.ve:sa|eemeaeatseisee. a|.tye:a. ste:.e
.ty s.aee taese . ava:.aats .| | teaea as aeta.a, a|eat tae see.ae
eaa:aete:eiaa:t.ea|a:see.etye:eeea,i.||-esee.a||y-aavete
emata.ze (einzufuhlen), as uasse:| sa.cte i-vyn:aa| . natta. s
emata.z.a,(Einfuh lung) , astaeiaetaa| cete:m.aat.ea eic.ae:eaee,
eaaaetexaet|y. ast.tatese.eaeece]a:e. Einfuhlung .tse|i. s ess.||eea|y
within aacby virtue eitaea:.e:.aa.ve:sa|st:aeta:eseisee.a| .tyaac
a.ste:.e.ty. itsaesesaa.mmec.atet:aaseeaceata|eemmaa.tyeia||
a. ste:.ea| e. v. | . zat.easaactaeess. |.| .tyeiaaEinfuhlung . a,eae:a| .
ia tae mate:.a| cete:m. aat.ea ei a. ste:. e.t. es, Einfuhlung, me:eeve:,
st:.et|y eeaie:ms .ta tae metaec ei a|| a.ste:.ea| aeaemeae|e,y,
s.aee.teaet:atesa. ste:.ea| s.,a.| eat.easi:em . ta.a aac ma|estae
external .aa.:yceeaceainternal . ata. t.ea.
nat, taea, ae cee:eeeae.|etae am:mat.eaaeee:c.a,tea.ea
a.ste:.e.ty .s aaesseat.a|st:aeta:eeitae ae:.zeaie:a||aamaa.ty ,as
e||asie:eve:yeemmaa. ty,aactaea|| as. eatetae aeaa. ste:.e.ty
(Geschichtlosigkeit) eiee:ta.aa:eaa.e see.et.es : 1a. saeaa.ste:.e.ty
seemsaette aaveaay a:eaaca|se|ate s.,a.aeat.eaie:uasse:|. i t
ea|cea|ymodiy taea:.e:.st:aeta:eeimaa|.ac saa.ve:sa|a. ste:.e
.tyem. :.ea||ye:mate:.a| | y. itea|cb taeie:meia.ste:.e.tytaat. s
ea|y :ee:t eaa. te see.et.eseae|esec. atae.: | ee|ecae:.zeas-
see. et.esasyet:emeveci:emtae.::at.eaeitae a:eeaai ceaei
I ?6
Letter already cited.
1 15
Introductin to the Origin of Geometry
tae . a| a.tetas|aac t:ac.t.ea 1ae. : sta,aat.ea ea|c aet |e tae
me:e a|seaeeeia. ste:.e.ty |at a|.ac eiaa.tace .atae:e]eetaac
:eee||eet.eaeisease 1ae:eie:e ,aacea| y.aeema:.sea.tatae.a|
.teaaca:ea. ste:. e.tyeitaeEuropeaneidos, cea:eaa.esee.et.esseem
.taeata.ste:y. iataeCrisis, me:eeve:,uasse:|ea| y:eee,a.zesaa
empirical tye .ataesesee.et.esa.eaceaeta:t.e.ate.ataea:e
eaaicea. Neaa.ste:.e.ty,taea,ea|cea| y|etae|ee:|. m.tmeceei
em.:.ea|a.ste:.e.ty 1aeam|.,a.tyeiaaexample a.ea. sateaeeaa
aac.st.a,a.saecsample aacate|ee|e,.ea|model . sst. ||ieaacae:e ia
taea:stsease,. aiaet, eeea|csay.tauasse:|taateve:yeemmaa.ty
. s.aa.ste:y,taata. ste:.e.ty. staeesseat.a|ae:.zeaeiaamaa.ty,.aseia:
as tae:e .s ae aamaa.ty.taeatsee.a| .ty aac ea|ta:e. r:emta.se:
seet.ve , aay see.ety at a| | , a:eeaa, a:eaa.e , e: seme etae:, eaa
se:veasaaexam|e. aaae.cet.e:eee,a.t.ea nateataeetae:aaac,
a:eeaastae:. v.|e,eei|e.a,taegood example, ie:.t.aea:aates. a
.ts a:.ty tae 1e|es eia| | a.ste:.e.ty. aa.ve:sa|.ty, ema.teme:a| .ty,
.aaa.te t:ac.t.eaa| .ty, aac se ie:ta. |y .avest.,at.a,tae sease eitae
a:eaac. aaa.teess.|.| .tyeia. ste:.e.ty ,a:eeaasaa|eaeca.ste:y
te.tsea:ee:eac.1ae:eie:e,.ata. sseeeacsease,a:ea.ste:.e.ty
.s :ese:vec ie: tae a:eeaa eidos. 1ae em. :.ea| tyes ei aea
a:eeaasee.et.es, taea,a:eea|ymore or less a.ste:.ea| . attae|ee:
|. m. t, taeytend toward aeaa. ste:.e.ty.
1aasuasse:| .s |ec te c.st. a,a.sa tae e:. ,.aa| .ty eiva:. eas |eve|s
within taemestaa.ve:sa|eidos eia. ste:.e.ty. iaave:y|:.eii:a,meat .
aese .as.:at.ea .s ve:y s. m.|a:te taat eitaeOrigin, uasse:|cete:
m.aes ta:ee sta,es e: stes eia.ste:.e.ty ia :ee:t.ea te tae ac
vaaeemeat.ataata.e:a:eaye:tetae:e,:ess.ea.ataatceve|emeat,
a.ste:.e.tyassames,:eate:essess.eaei. tseaesseaee . r.:st .tae:e
ea|c |e a.ste:.e.ty .a tae mest ,eae:a| sease, astae esseaee eia||
aamaaex.steaee , .aasmaeaasaamaaex.steaeeaeeessa:.| ymeves. a
taes.:.taa| saee eia ea|ta:e e:t:ac.t.ea. 1ae.mmec.ate|y a. ,ae:
|eve|ea|c |e taat eia:eeaaea|ta:e , taetaee:et.ea|:e]eet,aac
a.|eseay 1ae ta.:c |eve| , aaa| | y, ea|c |e eaa:aete:.zec |y tae
eeave:s.ea ei a. |eseay .ate aeaemeae|e,y"1 27 1aas, at eaea
' ` "Stufen der Geschichtl i chkeit . Erste Geschichtlichkeit . " 1 934. Bei lage XXVI . in K,
pp. 502-03. El sewhere Husserl writes i n t he same vei n: ' " Human l i fe i s necessari l y, i n the
main and as cul tural life, hi storical i n the strictest sense. But scientifc l i fe , life as the l ife
of a man of sci ence in a horizon of a communi ty of men of science, si gifi es a new kind of
hi storici ty" (Beilage XXVI I , 1 935 , in K, p. 507) . Al so see "Philosophy and the Cri si s of
European Humanity, " in C, p. 279. Husserl speaks there of a "revolutionization of
historici ty. " [ I n the versi on that Paul Ri coeur translates (see note 1 49 below) , the li ne i s
rendered: " ' revoluti on i n the heart of hi storicity, " the emphasis by Derrida. ]
I
116
Jacques Drrid
sta,e,tae:eve|at. eaa.eaeve:ta:estae:ev. eas:e]eet|yaa.aaa
.t.zat.ea .s ea|y tae sease.avest.,at.ea ei a a. ccea .ateat.ea.
,He:eeve:,taeea.va|eaeeeieve:ysease.avest.,at.eateaa. aaa.t.za
t.eaeaa|ees.tecasaaeaemeae|e,.ea|:a|e. , Oatae etae:aaac,
s.aeetaeseta:eememeatsa:est:at.iy.a,st:aeta:eseic.ae:eatae.,ats,
taeya:eaet. aiaetmataa||yexe|as.ve. aetea|ycetaeyeeex.st. atae
e:| c, |ateaeaactae same see.etyeaama|e taemeeaa|it.ta.a
.tse|i,.ataecm e:eat.atecaa.tyeiaae:,aa.es.ma|taae.ty.
it .s taea st:a.,attea:ctae e. cet.e.ava:.aatsaac tae te|ee|e,.ea|
a|se| ateseia.ste:.e.tytaatuasse:| s:ereet.ea.sc.:eetec.1aeinteral
aacdynamic c. ae:eat.at.eaeitaese. ava:.aatsmastaet| ese s.,atei
taatiaet . ta. sc.ae:eat.at.ea.s:ee.se|ytaes.,ataattae.ava:.aatsof
a.ste:.e.ty, taeesseaeesof |eeem.a,a:e :ea| | y.aaest.eaae:e. we
eea|c taea |e temtec |y aa .ate::etat.eac. amet:.ea| | yeesec te
taateiHe:|eaareatyaacma.ata. ataatuas:| ,ia:i:emeea.a,tae
aeaemeae|e,.ea| a:eataeses te a.ste:.ea| iaetaa|.ty aace: a|| . ts
ie:ms, |eavesa. ste:yme:etaaaeve:outside taem. weeea|ca|ays
say taat , |y ceaa.t.ea aac | .|e a|| eeac.t.eas eiess. |. |.ty, tae . a
va:.aatseia.ste:ytaas t:ae|eccea|yuasse:|a:eaethistorical . a
taemse| ves . we ea|c taea eeae| ace, | . |e wa|te: n.eme| . taat
uasse:| s essays a.ea t:y te ,:as a. ste:.e.ty taemat.ea||y eaa |e
eeas.ce:ecasia.|a:es .
12R
nataatea|ca.ste:.e.tyaacc.seea:sea|eata.ste:y|e,i aeaeei
taese .ava:.aats e:e ess.||e: ia e:ce: te sea| ei ia.|a:e . a tae
taemat.zat.ea eia.ste:.e.ty , maste aet a|:eacyaave aeeesste aa
.ava:.aataacme:ee:|esstaemat.eseaseeia. ste:.e.ty:~ac.saettaat
sease:ee.se|yaat.saaaeaaeec.auasse:| s |astmec.tat.eas,. aeem
|eteastaeya:e:
iitaetaemat.zat.eaeitaeaec.et.e. ava:.aatsaaceitaea.ste:.ea|a
:.e:.asatiaa|t, ea|caettaat|e.aeema:.sea.tahistor :atae:
taaa .ta historicity? 1ae ia.|a:e ea|c taea |e ra,:aat .i, at seme
memeat, uasse:|aste|eeeme.ate:estec.asemeta.a,| .|ea. ste:y.
I ?8
"Les Phases decisives dans Ie developpement de la philosphie de Husserl" (al
ready cited [see note 5] , in Husserl, Cahiers de Royaumont, p. 58) . [Thi s comment is only
found i n the French version of this essay. J Walter Biemel very accurately sees the Crisis
as a work of old age too easily interpreted as a turning point in Husserl' s thought, despite
the profound continuity which unites it to his previous i nvestigations. At the end of this
valuable lecture-while underscoring Husserl ' s fi delity-the author recalls the discom
fort of Husserl who, in "an entire series of manuscripts from group K III , " "asks himself
why philosophy should need history" ( in The Phenomenology ofHusserl, ed. Elveton, p.
1 67) . And in Beilagen XXV and XXVIII of the Krisis, Husserl asks himself in particular:
"Why does philosophy need the hi story of philosophy?" ( in K, p. 495), and: "How is
Hi story Required?" ( in K, p. 508; i n C, Appendix IX, p. 389).
117
Introduction t o the Origin of Geometr
ue aeve:seemstea

veceaetaat . wea|caet,taea,a. se:.,.aa|me:.t

|ete aave cese:.|ec, .aa :ee:|ytranscendental ste ,.a aseaseei
taate:ca.eakaat.aa.smeaaaetesaaast, ,taeeeac.t.easeiess.|.|
. tyie:a.ste:ya.eae:eattaesamet.meconcrete? Ceae:ete,|eeaase
taeya:eexe:.eaeec[vecues] aace:taeie:meihorizon.
1ae aet.ea ei ae:.zea .s cee.s.ve ae:e. ae:.zeaeease.easaess,
ae:.zeaee:ta.aty, ae:.zea|ae|ec,e, saeaa:etae|eyeeaeets
eitaeOrigin. ue:.zea. s,. veatealived ev. ceaee,teaconcrete |ae|
ec,ea.ea, uasse:|says, .saeve:|ea:aec[ 1 76] , a.eaaeem.:.ea|
memeateaataeaaaaceve:,s.aee.ta|ays:esaesestaeae:.zea.
1ae:eie:e,ea:ee|ea:|ycea|.a,. taa:.me:c.a||ae|ec,eeeaeeo
.a, tae teta| .ty ei ess.||e a. ste:.ea| exe:.eaees. ue:.zea . s tae
a|aysa|:eacytae:eeiaiata:ea.ea|eestae.acete:m.aat.eaei. ts
. aaa.teeeaaess. ataet,eveataea,ata.siata:easannounced teeea
se.easaess, . ~staest:aeta:a|cete:m.aat.eaeieve:ymate:.a|.acete:
m.aaey, aae:.zea. sa|aysv.:taa| |y:eseat.aeve:yese:.eaee .ie:. t
. sateaeetaeaa.tyaactae.aeem|et.eaie:taatese:. eaee-taeaa
t.e.atecaa.ty .aeve:y . aeem|et.ea. 1ae aet.ea eiae:.zeaeeave:ts
e:.t.ea|a.|eseay s stateeia|st:aetess.|.|.ty.atetaeeeae:ete.aaa
.teeteat.a| .tysee:et|y:esaesectae:e. a. 1aeaet.eaeiae:.zeataas
ma|estaea:.e:.aactaete|ee|e,.ea|ee.ae.ce.
IX
~ite:|:eacea.a,a. s:ereet.eate.ae|acetae:e||ems eiaa.ve:sa|
a. ste:.e.ty,uasse:|aa::estaeae|ceia. saaa|ys. saaceemes|ae|te
taee:.,. aei,eemet:y.i aaiea,es, aeatsie:a:ctaemesteea
e:etecese:.t.easeita.stest. Cemmeatate:saavemesteuea:eta. aec
taese cese:.t.eas|eeaase, .asae:t, asuasse:|a.mse|iaace:see:es.
taey,e|eyeacie:ma|,eae:a|. t.es [ 1 77] aac, sta:t.a,i:emaamaa
:ax.s,c:aaea:tetae eeast.tat.eaei,eemet:.ea|:ete.cea|.t. es. a
tae:ese.eat.aesae:eeitaeea|ta:a|e:|c.
1ae esta:e [situation] eita. saaa|ys.sseems:.,e:eas|y:ese:.|ec
|ytae|ea:.a,eitaemec.tat.ea, ces.te. ts:atae:i:eesty|e .~sea:e
,e.a, te see, .ts eeateat .s |essaeve| .a uasse:| s e:| taaa ata:st
aa:eat . ~ite:aav.a,cete:m. aectaeeeac.t.easie: t:ac. t.eaa|.tyin
generl, e aave tae :.,at te :eta:a te one ei taese t:ac.t.easa.ea
,se:v.a,]astamemeata,e asaaesem|a:y,a.ce,. saestac.ec. a
.tse|i.~ite:aav.a,axectaeseaseaactaemetaecie:all aest.ea.a,ei
e:.,.as, eas|a aest.eaa|eata s.a,|e e:.,.a. Oataeetae:aaac,
,eemet:y aas|eea :eee,a.zecas at:ac.t.eaa| systemei.cea|e|]ee
t.v.t. es. Ne.a.cea|e|]eet.v.ty,|etaO|]eet.v.tyaac. cea|.tymast|e
118
Jacques Derrid
aeeeaatecie:. ces.tetae.:cee:eetec.ate::e|atecaessaactae.::e
e.:eea|eeac.t.ea.a,. taeyeaa|esea:atec ~aa| yzecin general aac
aetas,eeet:.ea| ,as.ataei:sta:teitaetest . .cea|.tyeaeet.ve| y
eate:s.atet:ac.t.ea|y. tse|]eet.| eat.eaaactaaseaa|ei:eec.eaa|e
aaaceceve:weea,at .taea.te|e,.a,asuasse:|cees|yaeeeaat.a,
ie:O|]eet.v.ty. . e . taea. ste:.e.tyei.cea|e|]eet.v.ty.a,eae:a| 1ae
a:.e:.st:aeta:eseia.ste:.e.tyeea|c|eaest.eaecea|y|y:eeea:sete
|aa,aa,e .:.t.a,. taeeaae.tyei:eaet.vat.ea. aaciaa| |yteetaec
1aaa|steta. setaec. a.ea a|eae eaa||esee:eaeas.eaeitae.a
va:.aatseia.ste:.e.tyin generl .taaaaec.et.eee:ta.aty.eeaaae
:eta:a,ta. ss.ceeise.eaeetetae.ava:.aatsof tae:ese.eat.iee:|c
ea tae|as.seia.ea,eeet:.ea|:ete.cea|. t. esaave|eea:ecaeec
aacesta||.saec 1aas. aite:aav.a,ceiaectaeeeac. t. easie:tae O|
]eet. v.ty ei .cea| e|]eets. e eaa t:y te cese:.|e tae eeac.t.easie:
,eeet:.ea|.cea|.ty.tse|i. |y aae:ecaet.eaeieeast.tatecse. eat.ie
O|]e:t. v.ty aac a||.ts see.ie a. ste:.e.ty a:|.e:. .t .|||e:eea||ec.
uasse:| as|ec a.se|i. aeeea|c. cea| sease. already constituted . a
sa|]eet.ve.aaeaee .|ee|]eet.veaacea,a,ec.aa.ste:yaac. atae
eveeatei.ate:sa|]eet.v.ty:ueaeas|sa. mse|i.ae..aa:ev.
easeeat .eea|c.cea|.ty.tse|i|eeeast.tatec:
1aeaeeess.tyeita.sayei,e.a,|ae|[recursion] ta:ea,aase:.esei
z. ,za,s sees te ,a.ce uasse:| aea ae :.tes . 1a:ea,a ta. s
etaec.,e.a,|eyeactaeie:a|,eae:a|.t.eseesa.|.tecea:|.e: .e
eaaa|sea|etaeat.etaataec.et.easeeteitae:ese.eat.iee:|c
taattae e:.,.aa| ieaace:ei,eeet:y aacata. sc.sesa| . taata.ea
astaavese:vecastaeate:. a|ie:a. s.cea| . zat.eas ( 1 77) .
r.:st . e ast ce|..ttaese st:aeta:es ei tae :ese.eat.|e e:|c
a.eaeea|c.ast.tatea,eemet:y 1a.scese:.t.ea.sa|aysess.||e.
s.aee tae st:ata eitae :ese.eat.ie e:|c .s aeve: cest:eyec. ae:
ce| a.t.ve|yeeaeea|ec1a.sst:ata:ema.as. ataetaace:tae aa.ve:se
cete:.aec |y tae .cea| esaet.taceeise.eaee ~ac. aeee:c.a,teaa
.a,ea.eauasse:|asesat|eastt.ee..t.saeta.a,e:etaaaa,a:|
ei.ceasta:eaeve:taee:|cei.mec.ate.ata.t.eaaacese:.eaee.
,eve:}tae|.iee:|c.ie:eaeaeitae:esa|tseise. eaeeaas.tsieaacat.ea
eisease.ata.s. mmec.ateese:.eaeeaac.tsee::eseac. a,e:|caac
:eie:s|ae|te.t it. sta:ea,atae,a:|ei.ceastaateta|eie:t:ae
ne.a,aat. saetaa||yaetaec
' \ 29
!
|I
EJ
,
pp. 44-45 , in a paragraph which concers precisely geometry' s ideal exactitude.
The same image is used in C (9h : " The life-world as the forgotten meani ng-fundament of
natural science, " p. 5 1 ) . Husserl ' s ambiguous attitude before science-which he val ued
utmost as project and l east i n i ts superstructural precariousness and ability to conceal
refects the very movement of the "historical" constitution of sense: creation which
discloses and sedimentation whi ch covers over i mpl y each other.
1 19
Introductin to the Origin of Geometry
1ae:eie:e ..t. s:ee:te:ecaeetae.cea|sec.eatat.easeise.eaee
.ae:ce:tec. seeve:tae aa|ecaesseitae :e,eeet:.ea|e:|c 1a.
ae "epoche" ei tae e|]eet.ve se.eaees. tae :e||e ei a.ea .s
ceve|eec.a taeCrisis, .s c.mea|tie:seve:a| :easeas.
I \
1 . 1ae|:stc.iiea|ty.staateieve:y:ecaet.ea. .tast|e|eti:em
|e.a,aie:,etia|aessaac aae,at.ea. a sa|t:aet.eae:ceva|aat.eaei
aat.tetaec.ea||ycesec.eatse:aeat:a| .zes
2. ~stae:ecaet.eaeie|]eet.ve esaetse.eaee.ta.saeepoche ast
aeteaase aste :eaeaaee a||se.eat.ieaess 1aetaeat.zat.ea eitae
Lebenswelt mast|ese.eat.ieaacatta.atetaea:.e:.a.eaa:eae
|ea,e:taeaa|.taa|eaesei|e,.eaace|]eet.vese. eaee 1 31 uasse:|ertea
:eseatsta. sas aa:aces . taeLebenswelt, tae:ee|]eet.vesae:e
ei sa|]eet.ve:e|at.ve s.,a.ieat.eas. aasaaa.ve:sa| . aaeeac.t.eaec
st:aeta:e .ast:aeta:e:ese:.|ecie:.tsve:y:e|at. v.ty
\ `\2
1aea:.e:.ei
|e,.eaace|]eet.vese.eaeea:ea|se:eetecaac,:eaacec .ataea
:.e:.eitaeLebenswelt (C, 34 e , 1 30) . wea:eeeaiaec|yaa. vet-te
taeie:e:aac|et.,ae:aateitae.: sease:e|at.ea(Sinnbeziehung)
tetae|.iee:|cw.taeatta.s,:eaac.a,:e|at.ea.taeya:e . a. ca.:
(ibid. , 36, 1 4 1 ) .
3 . r.aa||y. .t. s aet saiie.eatte c.sse|ve aatuasse:|ea|| s. .atae
|aa,aa,eeine| zaae.taet:ataseise.eaee. t:atas.ataese|ves
(ibid. , 1 30) ; easteeat.aaa||yma|e:e||eat.etae:e| at.eaeitae
Lebenswelt ' s sa|]eet.ve:e|at. ve t:atas aac se.eaee s e|]eet.veesaet
t:atas 1ae a:aces eitae.: ataa| . ate::e|at.ea a|es |eta t:atas
ea.,at.eateaee(ibid. , 1 3 1 ) . iatae. aseea:.tyeita.sea.,ma. . a
tae.asta|. |.tyeitaesaee|eteeataesetet:atas. taeepoche ast
|est:eteaec|eteeataearche aactaetelos eiaassa,e 1etruths,
taateidoxa aactaateiepisteme, aeseseaseaaca:.e:.a:eaete:e,e
aeeas .a taemse| ves . :ea.a .ate::e|atec (Aufeinanderbezogenheit)
(ibid. ) . se.eaee s t:ata .a . tse|i .s aet aay |ess t:ata-) tae
sa|]eet.ve:e|at.ve e:|c. .a a.ea .t aas .ts |ases Ne cea|t tae:e
es. sts a aa.ve|y sae:ie.a| |ase|essaess(Bodenlosigkeit) : taat eitae
:at.eaa|.stsaactaet:ac. t.eaa|se.eat.ie. avest.,ate:saemeveaaeea
st:a.aec.ataeatesae:eeitae|e,.ea| aace|]eet.vea:.e:.aacce
!
0
Cf. notably 33 to 39, pp. 1 2 1 -48, and the related texts appended there.
!
` Ibid. On the difculty and necessity for a sci entifi c thematization of the Lebenswelt.
cf. (33] , p. 1 22. On the di stinction between the two U priori, cf. above all ( 36] , pp.
1 37-4 1 . I n the Origin, "logic" always has the sense of the "sedimented. "

Ibid. [37], pp. 1 42-43 . On the structural permanence of the presci entifc l ife-world,
also cf. [9h] , p. 5 1 .
.-j
120
Jacques Derrid
aet:e|atetaemtetae. :a.ste:.ea|,:eaac.atae|.iee:|c.1aeyae.tae:
e::ya|eattae. :earesponsibility ae:as|taemse|ves . what

m I in the
process of doing? Nor: from where does that come? nattae

eIS, aaetae:
aa.vet-]astasse:.eas, |at.taame:e mece:asty|e. aa.veteei
e
iaac.tye: ceta aac aet eisae:ie.a|.ty, .teeas. st s.a :eceseeacm,
tea:c tae :ese.eat.ie e:eet.ea .taeat ma|.a, :e||emat.e tae
t:aas,:ess. ea ( Uberschreitung) (ibid. , 36, 1 39 1. sa:ass
. a,} , eitae|.iee:|c s t:atatea:ctae e:|ceit:atas. a taem
se|ves 1ae:eta:otetaest:aeta:esei:ese.eat.ieese:.eaee mast
eeat.aaa||y|ee a|.vetaequestin: How can the a priori of scientic
Objectivity be constituted staring from those of the lie-world? w.taeat
ta. saest.ea,aay:eta:a,aeeve:eaet:at.a,,:.s|sa|c.eat.a,a||se.
eat. ie aa|.tyin general aaca||a.|esea.ea|c. ,a.ty,evea.i.tm. ,at
aavet:.ec:ee..tat.a,a|e,.t. mate:eaet.eateaatuasse:|ea|| s .ate|
|eetaa| . st.e aye:t:eay (ibid. , 34f, . 1 33) . ii e eeas.ce: ta. s
aest.eate|eat once a.ste:.ea|aact:aaseeaceata|,eseeteaat.::e
seas.||eem.:. e. sma||tae aeaemeae| e,. es ei:ese.eat.iee:ee
t.eaa:eeeacemaec, aeaemeae|e,.esa.eaea|caet|ettaemse|ves
|e|eset|ytaataest.ea
we mast a|se |ea:e ei ie:,ett.a, taat tae :ese.eat.ie e:|c-
a.ea tae :ete,eemete: aas at a. s c. sesa| aac a.ea e taas
:eeeve:-cees aet aave tae :ac.ea|.ty ei tae :e:ec.eat.ve e:|c
te a.ea uasse:| t:.es te :eta:a, a|evea|| , . aExperience and Judg
ment. 1 33 1ae :ese.eat.iee:|c . s aea|ta:a|e:|c a|:eacy .aie:mec
|y :ec.eat.ea, va|aes, em.:.ea| teeaa. aes, aac tae :aet.ee ei
measa:emeat aac .acaet.veaess a. ea taemse|ves aave tae. : ea
sty|eeiee:ta.aty
1ae a|eve eaa||es as te e.at eat a,a.a tae ceeaceat statas ei
uasse:| stest, taestataseieve:ysta:t.a,e.ataaceve:ye|ae,a. c. a,
:ereet.eaeaaa.ve:sa|a. ste:.e.ty.Ce:ta. a|y, taeesseat.a|st:aeta:esei
tae:ese.eat.iee:|ca:ec.seeve:ec|yacea||e:ecaet.ea. taateia| |
cete:m.aec iaetaa| ea|ta:e aac taat eitae se. eat.ie sae:st:aeta:es
a.eaesteac|eyeaca:t.ea|a:ea|ta:a| a:eas. ae:ce:te |ei:ee ei
taem natta.s saea|caetma|easie:,ettaattae:ese.eat.ieea|ta:a|
e:|ceaa|e:ecaeec,.a. tstan, . aa:ac.ea|"epoche" a.eaaatste
eataatatea:caat . sa|:eacy saesec. taet:aaseeaceata|eea
st.tat.eaeitaee|]eet. a,eae:a|,|eie:etae. cea|e|]eeta.ease:ves,
aeeve:, as esam|eaacmece|ie: O|]eet.v.ty, , tae :e:ec.eat.ve
st:atameiese:.eaee,taestat.eaac,eaet.eeeast.tat.eaeitaeego aac
This work does not attain the prepredicative world i n its frst radicality. It supposes,
like Ideas I, an already constituted temporality. Cf. on this Ideas [, notably 81 , p.
2 16-1 7, and EJ, 14, p. 68.
121
Introductin to the Origin of Geometry
alter ego, :. me:c.a| teme:a| .ty, aac se ie:ta 1aese :ecaet.eas.
me:eeve:, a:e ceae .a tests ea:| .e: taaa taeCrisis . i aIdeas I, tae
|:eacea.a,eitaet:aaseeaceata|:ecaet.eaa|:eacyesteacsby anticipa
tion asia:astaee.cet.eeia.ste:y,a.eauasse:|taea,atst.||:ema.aec
te|eceae . ~rte:aav.a,]ast.ieca.ssaseas.eaeia||t:aaseeaceat
e.cet.ecema.as, aetaa|ays.ea|Nata:e, aactaeem.:.ea|e:e.ce
t.e se.eaees eiNata:e ,,eemet:y, |.aemat.es. a:e ays.es. aac se
ie:ta, , uasse:|:ete .
Si
:
nilarly, just as we ave suspended all experiential sciences dealing
With the nature ofammate beings and all empirical human sciences
concer

ing pers

nal beings in personal reltionships, concering men

as subjects ofhistor, as bearers ofculture, and treating also the
cultural formations themselves, and so forth, we also suspend now the
eietic sciences which corespond to these objectivities. We do so in
ovance and
.
in idea; for, as everyone knows, these ontological-:idetic
sCle
n
ces (ratonal psychology, sociology, for instance) have nt as yet
recelv

d proper grounding, at any rate none that i pure and free from
all obJectIOn. (Ideas I, 60, p. 162 [modied]; our emphasis)
weeea|ctaeasaytaatuasse:|.aacvaaeesa|]eeteca.ste:y s e. cet.e
te

taeaataet.etaaseeaceata|:ecaet.ea-aae.cet.eae. ||t:yteeea
st.tate sta:ta, a tae Crisis. 1aat .s ay, ae cea|t, tae e:c
t:aaseeaceata| , a.eauasse:|aea:|ya|ays:ese:vesie:taeego ' s
a:e eeast.tat.a, aet.v.ty, . s aeve:at.|.zec .ataeOrigin. iii myse|i
aavese|eaeit:aaseeaceata|a. ste:.e.ty ,icese.ae:ce:tec.st.a,a.sa
ateaeeem.:.ea|a. ste:yaacas.m|ee.cet.eeia.ste:ya:a||e|tetae
etae:e. cet.es eiNata:e aac s.:. t. 1aeeidos eia. ste:.e.ty, as es|.
eatec aue: taeCrisis, seems te eseeec tae | . m. tsass.,aec te .t |e
ie:eaaac|yIdeas I. itsse.eaee.sae |ea,e:merely eaeaamaase.eaee
amea,etae:s it. staateiaaaet. v.tyeeast.tat.a,taeae|esae:eei
a|se|ate .cea| O|]eet. v.tyaaca||taee.cet.e se.eaees 1aatta. seea
st.tat.a,a. ste:ymay|eme:eieaac| yeeast.tatec.tse|i.saea.s,ae
cea|t .eaeeitaemeste:maaeatmet.iseiuasse:| s taea,at . a| se,eae
eitaemestc.mea|t ,ie:. taeee:cs|ac| y. tataateiaa.ste:.e.tya.ea
,asuasse:|sa.cme:eaacme:eertea,t:ave:seseve:yta.a,ta:ea,aaac
ta:ea,a ,aaci:steia||taeego .tse|i
II4
AI these difculties seem concentrated to us in the sense that Husserl gives to the
expresslo "transcendental histor, " which he utilizes (to our knowledge) only once, in
an unpublIshed manuscript of Group C (C 8 II, October 29, p. 3) : thus, the question
concers the intermonadic relation (always considered in itself, of course , as an inten
tional modifcation of the monad in general in its primordial temporality) , a relation
thanks to which the constitution of a common world becomes possible. This relation
sructurally implies the horizon of the history of the spirit, past and future; the latter
discovers for us what perception cannot give us.
122
Jacques De"ida
x
waat .taea.a:etaeesseat.a|aac,eae:a|eeeaeatseitae:ese.ea
t.ieea|ta:a| e:|c: O::atae:.aat a:e. . ataate:|c. tae. ava:. aat
st:aeta:esa.eaaaveeeac.t.eaectaeacveatei,eeet:y:ueeve:
:e|eaac ea: . ,ae:aaeeeeaee:a. a,a. ste:.ea|iaets . e sae .ta aa
. ec.ateaacaec.et.esae|ec,e-taeseaseeia.eaeaaa|ays|e
.avest.,a|ec-taeie||e.a,
i 1aatta. s:e,eeet:.ea|e:|c as ae:|ceithings c. sesecei
aeee:c.ateaaaaesaet saee aact.e
I . I:
2. 1aattaeseta.a,sastaave|eeaee:e:ea| Ce:e:ea| .ty. sa
a:t.ea|a:cete:.aat.eaeita.a, aeec(Dinglichkeit) .a,eae:a|.|ats.aee
ea| |a:ea|:eacyaacteaave| eu. tsa:seataee:|c,|eeaase|aa,aa,e
aac .ate:sa|]eet. v.ty ast aave :eeecec ,eeet:y, . ee:e:ea|.ty
cees aet esaaast. ve|y eve:|a ta.a,aeec. s. aee tae aeeessa:.| y
eees.st.a, aaaa |e.a,s a:e aet ta. asa||e as e:e |ec. es aac. | .se
eveataeea|ta:a|O|]eetsa. ea|e|ea,.tataest:aeta:a||y.a:eaet
esaaastec. aee:e:ea||e.a, ( 1 77) .
3. 1aat taese a:e |ec.es aac te aave sat.a| saaes. saaes ei
et.ea. aac a|te:at.easeiceie:at.ea [ 1 77] .
4. 1aat ate:.a| aa|.t.es ,ee|e:. e.,at. aa:caess. aac se ie:ta,
astaeeessa:. | y|e:e|atectetaese:e,eeet:.ea| .sat.etee:a|
saaes|yasa|eeata:ye.cet..cete:.aat.ea
i aIdeas I, a.|ees|.eat.a,tae:.ae. |esei:e,.eaa|a:t.ea|at. eaaac
.ate:aa| st:aeta:e. uasse:|t:eatec taesee. cet.e eaa:aete:. st.es as aa
.aces. ae:eastaeya:eac.:eettaee. ataeOrigin: 1aeeeast:aet.ea
eitaea.,aesteeae:ete,eaas,tae:e,.ea,eatei,eae:ataata:ea:t|y
c. s]aaet.ve .a:t|yieaacec.aeaeaaetae:,aac.ata. s ataa||y. ae|
s.ve, . ee::eseacstetaeeeast:aet.eaeitaeeeae:etataat|e|ea,te

. t
eatei|eestc.ae:eaeestaata:ea:t|yc.s]aaet.ve.a:t|yieaacecm
eaeaaetae:.as obtains with temporl, spatial, and material determina
tions, for instance, in the case ofthe thing " ,;72. i s-mec.iec} .ea:
eaas.s, . '
ra:e,eeet:y aac s.aeat.es,aaca| | tae assee. atec se. eaeesie:
!
` This idea, already developed in 9a of the Crisis, is more directly i nscribed within
an anal ysi s of the Lebenswelt . in 36 , p. 1 39, an analysi s identical to that in the Origin.
Thi s j ustifes (at least on a specifc point) the anteriority of the Origin ' s anal yses
concerning language and being-in-community.
! l

Al so cf. 149, pp. 382-83 et passim.

123
Introductin to the Origin ofGeometr
a. eat|e,a:e|aeesa| e|e:e .taea.. | | |ematerial e.cet.es .s.aee
tae. :a:ese.staeta.a,| y. aactaastaeee:e:ea|. cete:m. aat. eaei
e|]eets.a,eae:a| .nattaeya:eabstract ate:.a|se.eaees. |eeaasetaey
ea|yt:eat ee:ta.a e. cet.e eeeaeats eiee:e:ea| ta.a,s .a,eae:a| .
c.s:e,a:c.a,tae. :. aceeaceataac eeae:eteteta|.ty.a.eaa|seee
:.sestae ate:.a| (stojich), seas.|| eaa|.t.es aactaeteta|. ty ei
tae. ::ec.eates . sat.a|saaes . tee:a|saaes. aacsaaeseiet.ea
a:ea|ayssingled out from taeteta|.tyeitaee:ee.vec|ecy
ny .tse|ia|eae. taea. a stat.eaaa| ys. seea|ca priori aac:.,e:eas|y
:eea||ie:astaattae:ete,eeete:a|aysa|:eacyaacata. sc.sesa|
aaesaetsat.etee:a|saaesaacesseat.a||yva,aee:ae|e,.ea|
tyes . a.eaeaaa|ays,.ve:.se tea:e,eeet:.ea|descriptive se.
eaee 1a.seea|c|eea||ecgeogrphy. re:saeaasa|]eet.tae :.,e:ei
e.cet.easse:t.eas,|.setaatie:cete:.a.a,va,aeesseaees,.saetata||
aace:.aec|ytaeaeeessa:yaaexaet.taceeitaee:ee.vece|]eet we
ast .aceec |ea:e ei se.eat.ie aa.vet-. a.eaeaases ta.s aaexae
t.taceeitaee|]eete:eeaeette|eeeas.ce:ecasa ceieet . asaa
. aexaet.tace . uasse:|:.tes,e a:e st. ||aet.a,i:eIdeas I) : 1ae
est e:ieet,eemet:y aac .ts est e:ieet :aet.ea|eeat:e| eaaaet
ae| tae cese:.t.ve se.eat.ie . avest.,ate:eiNata:e te ex:ess :e
e.se|y,.aexaet,eeet:.ea|eeaeets,taata.ea. ase|a.a.seaace:
staaca||e . aac se eat.:e| y sa.ta||e aay ae ex:esses .atae e:cs
aeteaec..aceatec.|eas saaec.a|.||.ie:.aactae|.se-s.|eeea
eetsa.eaa:eessentially and not accidentally inexact, aaca:etherefore
a|seaaataeat.ea| ,;:1. . 1 90 mec.iec[ '
5. 1aat . |y a :aet.ea| aeeess.ty eica.|y | . ie. ee:ta.a saaes aac
ee:ta.a:eeesseseit:aasie:at.eaeea|c|ee:ee. vec. :este:ec.aac
:e,:ess.ve|ye:ieetec.ie:exa|e.:.,. c|.aes. eveasa:iaees. aacse
ie:ta ve:ye:ae|e,.ea| . . . e. .:e,eeet:.ea|.cete:.aat.eae:ss
aeee:c.a,tetaeaa|.tat.ve,:acat.easeiseas.||e.ata. t.eamore or less
smooth sa:iaees. s.ces. | . aes. e:more or less rough aa,| es. aac seea
1a.sceesaet:ea.|.ta:.,e:easaacaa. veea|e.cet.eix.a,eiva,ae
e:ae|e,.ea|tyes. iataeOrigin, uasse:|:.tes,a:eataet.ea||yaac
seeaat ea.,at.ea|| y,taat|eie:eexaet.taceee:,es. :eeeec.a,
i:etaeiaetaa| . aa esseat.a| ie: |eeees :eee,a.za||e ta:ea,a a
etaeceiva:.at.ea , i :s, .1aeseaseeita. s:ea:s|eeeese|ea:e:
ea tae |as. s eiIdeas I aac taeCrisis. ny . ma,.aa:yva:.at.eae eaa
e|ta.a.aexaet|ata:ee:ae|e,.ea|tyes . :eaacaess . ie:exam
I 38
This whole section, devoted to "Descriptive and Exact Sciences, " i s very impor
tant for understanding the Origin .
124
Jacques Derrid
|e , under a.ea .s constructed iae ,eeei:.ea| .cea|.iy ei iae e.:
e|e 1aeaei.eaeiia.see:ai.eaei sa|si:aei.ea .sa|se:eeaiec
.aiaeCrisis . naiiaeiye:eaacaess.sae| essa|:eacyia:a.saec.ia
aee:ia.a.cea| . iy ..i.saeiie|eeeaiasec. iaiaea|i.|.e.iyeiaaia:a|
saaes a.ea e:e e: | ess ee::eseac ie .i .a e:eei.ea. Oa|y aa
. a,.aai. ve.aieac.a,eaaaiia.aiaai.cea| .iy.a.is:e,eeei:.ea|a:
.iy. nai ia. s a:e .cea| .iy .s eia seas.||e e:ce:aac asi|e c.si.a
,a.saecea:eia|| yi:ea:e,eeei:.ea|. cea|.iy,a.ea. a.ise|i. s:e
|easeci:ea||seas.||ee:. a,.aai.ve.aia.i.veaess. 1ae. a,.aai.ea. s
aai ,.ves e iaea:e e:ae|e,.ea| iye, aac.i eaa i:aasie:
seas.||e saaesea| y .aie eiae:seas.||esaaes (C, 9a, . 25) . ~e
ee:c.a,ieuasse:| ,iaea,a:eseas.||e.cea| .iy.ss.iaaieceaa:eaia
emai.ea| |eve| . Once constituted, a:eaiaeai.es.||iaas |eaeeess.
||e ea|yie aace:siaac.a, ,aeseaei.eaaasae :ee.se ieeaa.ea|
sease. auasse:|, ..aaayease ,ieaaaei.v.iyeeaee. va||e.aiaeseaseei
Ca:ies.aa.aie||eeiaa| .s, s.aeeia.saei.v.iy.saieaeei:eeci:eie
aee,eaeeasiaea|i. es, i:e.a,.aai.eaaacseas.|. |.iy.iaseeve:y
ea| .,aiea.a,| .aeseeaee:a.a,ia. s. aiaeCrisis, iae :ee.seeeaieaiei
a.eaceesaeiseeie|eieaac.aaayeiae:eiuasse:| siexis ,aeaas
:.iiea.
In the intuitively given surrounding world, by abstractively directing
our regard to the mere spatiotemporal shapes, we experience
.
"bodies " -not geometrical-ideal bodies but precisely those bodies that
we actually experience, with the content which is the actual content of
experience. No matter how arbitrarily we may transform these bodies
in phantasy, the/ree and in a certain sense "ideal" possibilities we thus
obtain are anything but geometcal-ideal possibilities: they are not the
geometrically ' 'pure" shapes whih can be inscribed in ideal
space"pure" bodies, "pure" straight lines, "pure" planes, other
"pure" fgures, and the movements and deformations which occur
in "pure" fgures. Thus geometrical space does not signiy anything like
imaginar space . . . . (Ibid. , [modied]; our emphasis)
I 4U
Cf. on this Ideas I, 75; and Notes 3 and 4 of Ricoeur in Idees, p. 238. We would fnd
anticipated in the Philosophy of Arithmetic the principle for an analogous distinction
between perceptive plurality and arithmetical plurality. On the other hand, a distinction
of the sae type between a certain " style" of causality or of premathematical i nductivity
and those of pure physics i s invoked i n the Crisis and appended texts, notably i n passages
devoted to Galileo.
I 40
An essential diference remains, even if here he outwardly echoes Kant ("the propo
sitions of geometry are not the results of a mere creation of our poetic imagination, "
Prologomena t o Any Future Metaphysics, 1 3 [ET: ed. Lewis White Beck (New York:
The Liberal Arts Press, 1 950) , p. 34] ) . According to Kant, geometry is not imaginary
ffantastique] because it is grounded on the universal forms of pure sensibility, on the
125
Introductin to the Origin of Geometry
~|iaea,a,eeei:.ea|.cea|.iyay|e :ecaeecstarting i:eseas.
||eerae|e,.ea|. cea|.iy, ia.siaeiea.sie:.ea|cea:ia:ee.ai. saa|
|. iec as a ,:eaac .ia.a eeasi.iaiec ,eeei:y. uacea|iec| y, .a . is
ia:a, .a,.aai. veseas.||e.cea|.zai.ea,.iaeaia.ea,eeei:yeea|c
aeiaavea:.sea,esesseece|.eaie:e||eseie:. ,.a,eia.eauas
se:|. sveryeease.eas . ~|iaea,aia. se:.,.a. siae e:.,.aeiaai :e
eecesaaceeac.i.eas,eeei:y,.i.saeiie|eeeaiasec.iaiaee:.,.a
ei,eeei:y.ise|iaaca||ei.is:e|aiecess.|.|.i.es . .iea|yaaiae:.zes
aaieea:|.e:ea||eca"geogrphy. " iaeve:yaeaeeae|e,.ea|:e
,:ess.eaie|e,.aa.a,s, iaeaei.eaeia internal e:intrinsic a.sie:yaac
sease |eisas ce|.aeaie see saieiyeaieaes [crans d' arret], as e||as
a:i.ea|aie,i aeiave.c,a||"regressus ad infnitum. " 1ae.aie:aa|sease
ei,eeei:y, a.ea:ev.cesas.iaasiai.eaaa|ys.s, :ese:.|esiaai
iaeaesi.eaei,eeei:y se:.,.asieaiiaeconstituted seaseeiaai
aasimmediately eeac.i.eaec ,eeei:y 1ae sea:eeei:e ,eeei:.ea|
.cea|.i. eseaa|e|eu:ev.s.eaa| |y.aiaeca:|. 1aas , uasse:|:.ies.
si. | | , aesi.eas|.|eiaaieiiaee|a:.ieai.eaeiiaee:.,.aei,eeei:y
aaveae|eseceaa:aeie:, saeaiaaieaeaeecaei.aa.:e|eyeaciaese
:ese. eai.iemaie:.a| s( 1 72) .
1ae:e||eseie:.,.aeseceais.ceiaaieae|esa:eaaceeaee:a.a,
iaeseaseei:eexaeie::ee|]eei.vesai.eiee:a|.iyea|ciaciae. :
ideality of sensible space. But according to Husser!, on the contrary, geometrical ideality
is not imaginary [imaginaire] because i t i s uprooted from all sensible ground in general .
In accordance with Kant, it was sufcient for Husserl to be purifed of empirical and
material sensibility to escape empirical imagination. As for what concers at least the
structure of mathematical truth and cognition, i not their origin . Husserl remains then
nearer to Descares than to Kant. It is true for the latter, as has been sufciently em
phasized, that the concept of sensibility is no longer derived from a "sensualist" defni
tion. We could not say this i s always the case for Descartes or Husser! '
I I
Access to the origin of sensible ideality, a product of the imagination, would also
require, then, a direct thematization of imagination as such. Now the latter, whose
operative role is nevertheless so deci sive, never seems to have been sufciently inquired
into by Husser! ' It retains [ garde] an ambiguous status: a derived and founded reproduc
tive ability on the one hand, it is, on the other, the manifestation of a radial theoretical
freedom. It especially makes the exemplariness of the fact emerge and hands over the
sense of the fact outside of the factuality of the fact . Presented in the Crisis as a faculty
that is homogeneous with sensibility, it simultaneously uproots morphological ideality
from pure sensible reali ty.
It i s by beginning with the direct thematization of imagination i n i ts si tuation as an
original lived experience (utilizing imagination as the operative instrument of all eideticsL
by freely describing the phenomenological conditions for fction, therefore for the
phenomenological method, that Sartre' s breakthrough [trouee) has so profoundly
unbalanced-and then overthrown-the landscape of Husserl ' s phenomenology and
abandoned its horizon.
, ,
126
Jacques Derid
|aee. as. ce taeaetranscendental aesthetics a.eauasse:|a:t.ea
|a:|y eeate|atec . atae Ceae| as. ea eiFormal and Transcendental
Logic ,. :i ,

ra:acex.ea||y.|eeaase. cea|,eeei:.ea|saee.saei.a,.a:y,aac
iae:eie:eaetseas.||e, ..ts. cea| .iyeaa|e:e|aiectetaeieta|aiyeiae
seas.||ee:|c ~ac. ie:iaesae :easea. a|.ec,eemet:y:eams
ess.||e. ,e. a, se ia: as ie |e eeaiasec . aea: eyes .iaiae t:ae
aaia:etaaia|.ec,eeei:yattaesaei.eeeaeea| s ' i aeaeet .a
seas.||e . cea|.iy. a.eaa|ays s:.a,si:e . a,.aai.ea. eea|c ea|y
,.ve:.seieaa. a,.aa:yrantastique] saeeaacaa. a,.aa:yrant

s
tique] se.eaeeeisaee.ieaaaaie:eseea||eaac .ae:,aa.e:e|.ie:ai.

e
eie:ae|e,.ea|tyes iataaiease.eeea|caeiau:.ase|e,.i.
aie| yaac. taee|eteseea:. tyc.c.taai eaavenot two but
,

nlY
one universalform of the world: aeiie|aiea| yone geometr . . . (C,
9 c ,
1,.
. . ,
1a.s seas.||e aac. te a ee:ta.a ce,:ee. e.:.ea| aai.e.ai.ea a|
iaea,a .a eea:.sea .ta iaeis sa|.itec ie va:.at.ea. . a?..at.v

e
.cea|.tyeiiaee:ae|e,.ea|iyeeaaae|ea,e:|ee:e| e.:..a|,.s
t:ae aetea|yie:,eeei:.ea|forms |ata| seie:,eeet:.ea|easa:e
eat 1ae|atie:eeesietaeie:e. aaacia:ea,a:ax. s ie:exa|e .
ae:e] astc. st:.|at.ea.s .ateacec, | :s, ~aem.:. ea| teeaa. aeei
easa:eeat,.asa:vey.a,..aea.ieeta:e.aacseie:ta,astaeees
sa:. |y|e|ea,ieeve:y:ese.eai.ieea|ia:e uasse:|

ceesae |a|e:aie
eataai.ataeOrigin. iaiaeCrsis aeseesieeeas. ce:e.:.ea|ea
sa:e asa sia,e ia:iae:taaa seas.||ee:ae|e,yeatae atatea:cs
a:e,eeet:.ea|. cea|.ty.Heasa:e. a.i.atesaa

acv

aaee. ata seseei

taeaa. veea| ..aie:sa|]eet.ve .tae:eie:e. cea|e|,eei.veceie:mat.eaei
tae,eeei:.ea|ia.a,(C, 9 c , 1, He:eeve:.ea e| ea:|ya.,ae:e:
sa|seaeai|eve| .taea:.taei.zat.eaei,eeei:y".!||eev?sec

asa
ae :eve|at.ea.ta.a,eeet:y. ueeve:. iae en,meiia.s s..eaee
.|| ea|y|ee:ecee|y|a:.ec.aac.ts sease et.ec
I 42
These few pages are very i mportant, here in parti cular, for determi ni ng
.
the
.
rchitec
tonic situation of the Origin . On the sense of thi s "transcendental aesthetICS , al so cf.
CM, 6 1 . p. 1 46.
! 1'I
"So fami l iar to us i s the shift between a priori theory ad empi rical i nqui ry i n
everyday life that we usual l y tend not to separate the space ad te spatia
.
l shape
.
s
geometry talks about from the space and spatial shapes of expenentIal actualIty, as If
they were one and the same" (C, 9a, p. 24).
`` On surveying, see notably 9a, pp. 27-28. On surveying as "pregeometrical
achi evement, " which i s also "a meaning-fundament for geometry, " see 9h, p. 49.
Cf. C. 9f. pp. 44-45. Husserl speaks there of an "arithmetizaton of eometry: :
which "leads al most automatical l y, i n a certain way, t o the emptymg of Its sense
127
Introductin to the Orgin ofGeometry
wesae. iaea. a priori taatiaeays.ea|ta.a,. tae|ecy. taeva,ae
e:ae|e,.ea|aacae:eae.etyes. iaea:ieieasa:e.iaeess.|. |.ty
ei.a,.aa:yva:.at. ea.aac:eexaetsat.eiee:a|.tya|:eacyaacte
|e| eeatec.ataeea|ia:a|ae|ctaataseae:ecieiaea. |eseae:ae
c.caeiyetsae,eeet:y|aiaesaea|c|eeeae-. va||eas.ts. avea
te: , | :s,
1aastae . asi.tai.eaei,eeet:yeea|cea|y|eaphilosophical aei
uasse:| . ae eriea seasseir| aiea.z.a,,eeei:y (FTL, Ceae|a
s. ea. ::, .a|aysass.,aecteia. s . ast.tat.a,aeiaeeatee:aae.t,
eisense .tataeseaee|eir|ate(Ideas I, ;. . s,. r|atea. s(C,
9, :, . iaeC:eess,a.cec|yiaer|aiea.eceet:.aeeii ceas (ibid. ,
;s. . : i , . ' r|aiea.e. cea|.s. aacseie:ia.1aea.|eseae:.sa
aa ae .aaa,a:aies iae iaee:ei.ea| aii.iace . iae |atte: .s ea|y tae
s.:.t s :ac.ea|i:eece.a.eaaatae:.zesaeve|eyeacia.taceaac
eeas tae ae:.zea ei sae|ec,e as taat ei a :eaav.a,. . . e . eiaa
.aaa.ie :e]eei e: tass( Vorhaben) . 1ae:e|y. iae iaee:et.ea| att.iace
ases.cea| .zat.ea s cee. s. veassa,etetae| . .tess.||e.ase||as
tae eeast.tat.ea eitae ataeat.ea| ae|c .a ,eae:a| Nata:a| | y. ia.s
assa,eietae|..t. sea|ytae,e.a,|eyeaceve:yseas. || eaaciaeiaa|
| .. i. it eeaee:as iae .cea| | . .i eiaa .aaa.ie t:aas,:ess. ea. aettae
iaetaa||..ieiiaet:aas,:essecia. tace
sta:i.a,i:eta. s. aaa,a:a|.aaa.t.zat.ea.ataeat.esee,a.zesae
.aaa.i. zat.eas a.ea a:e se aay .aie:.e: :eve|ai.eas . re:. .i tae
:.e:c.a|.aaa.t.zai.eaeeasiaeataeat.ea|ae|cie.aaa.teieeaa
c.i.es ie: iaeC:eess. .tae| essfrst | ..tsiaea:.e:. systeeitaat
:ecaet.v.ty1aeve:yeeaieateiaa.aaa.ie:ecaet.ea.|||eeeaiaec
.ta.aaaa:.e:.sysiea.ea.ie:taeC:eess. . | | a|ays|eclosed.
[modifi ed] . Formal algebrization was already presented as a threat for primordial sense
and the "clari ty" of geometry i n Ideas I. where the " ' pure' geometer" was defned as
the one "who dispenses with the methods of algebra" (70, p. 1 82) .
1 41; As Husserl often remarked, the al lusion to Greece , to the Greek origin of phi loso
phy and mathemati cs, has no external hi storico-empirical sense. It i s the factual
[ h' cncmentief] i ndex of an i nteral sense of origi n . Cf. on thi s parti cul arl y "Phi losophy
and the Cri si s of European Humanity" ( in C, pp. 279-80) . Of course, the whole problem
of a phenomenology of hi story supposes that the " indicati ve" character of such language
is resol ved.
"Idealization and the Science of Reali ty-The Mathematization of Nature" ( Before
1 928) , Abhandlung in Krisis, p. 29 1 ; Appendi x I I in Crisis. p. 3 1 3. In addition to thi s text.
one of the most specifc sketches from the h istorical perspective concerning the relation
between Plato' s philosophy and the advent of pure mathematics by ideal ization and
passage to the limit has been publ i shed by R. Boehm in Bei l age VI I of Erste Philosophie
( 1 923124) . Vol . 1 (in Husserliana. Vol . 7 [The Hague: Nijhof, 1 956] , pp. 327-28) .
128
Jacques Derid
1|e ,a.ce|e:e .s ae|.ceaa,eemei:y. e: :aiae: i|e " ideal Euclid, "
aeee:c.a, ie uasse:| s ex:ess.ea. |.e| .s :esi:.eiec ie sease. aei
a.sie:.ea|iaei. iaie:.aii|ecaaeimece:ai.mes. i|ea:.e:.sysiem
. | | . ise|i|eeve:i|:ea|yaae. aaa.i.zai.ea. naii|e|aiie:. | | ea|y
iase|aeewithin .aaa.iyasi|eess.|.|.iyeiaaai|emai.ea|a:.e:.. a
,eae:a| . re:|as . i|ea. eaeeci ec.si.a,a. s| |eieea. eai|e eae
aaac. . aaa.i.zai.ea asi|e. asi.iai.a,aeieimai|emai.es. . e. . asi|e
c.se|esa:e ei mai|emai.ea| a:.e:.aess .ise|i-i|e ess.|.|.iy ei
mai|emai.zai.ea.a,eae:a|-aac. eaiae ei|e:|aac. . aaa.i.zai.easas
i|eea|a:,emeaiseia:.e:.sysiems . 1|ese|aiie:ea|cea|yaave|ac
ieaccc. meas.easei. aaa.iyieiaea:.e:. .|aiiaeyea|caeieeaee:a
a:.e:.aess. ise|i.iai|eOrigin, uasse:|. s.aie:esiec.a.aaa.i.zai.ea.a
i|ea:sisease.1|ai.sayaereduced a||iaea:.e:.sysiemseiasie:
:eseai,eeei:y..ae:ce:ie:eaea|aesaac,:asa,a.aiaee:.,.aei
a:.e:.aess.ise|iai.issea:ee. . . e. .i|e. asi.iai.ve.aaa.i.zai.ea
re:aassae|ac.si.aei.eaaeeeaaisie:aeeai:ac.ei.ea.e.aieceai
|yraa|x.eeea: . |eieea iaev.eaaaieeia:e, ra.|eseayaaciae
C:.s.seia:eeaa uamaa.iy, aac i|eCrisi .ise|i.|.e|. x.eeea:
aeies. ,ees |aes ie C:eesiaea,aiaac .a a:i.ea|a:ie ae| .ceaa
,eeei:y.ieass.,ai|e,|e:yeiaav. a,eeaee. veceiaa.aaa.ieiassei
sae.a,. . .
.

He:eeve:. iae c.ae:eaee e :eeseie e|se:ve|eieea iae ie

s.acsei.aaa.iyea|caeiaia||eem|eie|yeaaeeaai. .ai|e|.ie:a|
aesseiiae iexis. :ema.asaaa,:aaiees.i.ea iei as |aees.ce|y
s.ceiaeiemesiaa:eai|y.::eeeae. |a||eassa,es.
~,
Only Greek philosophy leads, by a specic development, to a science
in the form ofinfnite theory, ofwhich Greek geometry supplied us,
for some millennia, the example and soverei{n model.
Mathematics-the idea ofthe infnite, of infnte tasks-is like a
Babylonian tower: although unfnished, it remains a task full ofsense,
opened onto the infnite. This infnity has for its correlate the new man
ofinfnite ends.
~acia:iae:ea.
Infnity is discovered, frst in the form ofthe idealization of
magnitudes, ofmeasures, ofnumbers, fgures, straight lines, poles,
surfaces, etc . . . . Now without its being advanced explicitly as a
!
"" Paul Ricoeur, "Husserl and the Sense of History, " i n Husserl: An AnaLysis, p. 1 61 ,
n. 1 5.
129
Introductin to the Orgin ofGeometry
hypothesi, intutitively given nature and world are transformed into a
mathematical world, the world ofthe mathematical natural sciences.
A
.
ntiquity led the way: in its mathematics was accomplished the frst
dlscov
.
er ofboth
.
n
f
inite ideals and infnite tasks. Thi becomes for all
later times the gUldmg star ofthe sciences.
n,
Ofcourse the ancients, guided by the Platonic doctrine ofIdeas, had
already idealized empirical numbers, units ofmeasurement, empirical
fgures in space, points, lines, surfaces, bodies; and they had
trnsformed the propositions and proofs ofgeometr into
ideal-geometrical propositions and proofs. What is more, with
Euclid

an geometr had grwn up the highly impressive idea ofa

s

stemlcally

ohe
:
ent deductive theor, aimed at a most broadly and
highly conceived Ideal goal, resting on "axiomatic" fundamental
concepts and prnciples, proceeding according to apodictic
argume
!
s- totality formed ofpure rationality, a totality whose
uncondltloned truth i available to insight and which consists
exclusively ofunconditioned truths recognized through immediate and
mediate insight. But Euclidean geometr, and ancient mathematics in
general, knows only fnite tasks, a fnitely closed prior. Aristotelian
syl/ogistics belongs here also, as an a prior which takes precedence
over all others. Antiquity goes this far, but never far enough to grsp
the possi

ility ofthe infnite task which, for us, is linked as a matter of

Course wlth the concept ofgeometrical space and with the concept of
geometr as the science belonging to it. (C, 8, pp. 21 -22; Husserl' s
emphasis)
weeaaaeiei|aiiaea:sieiiaea|eveiexisea|yaii:.|aies.aaa.i.za
i.ea. aiaea:siseaseie C:eesa. |eseayaac ,eeei:y. . . e . iae
e:eai.ve .cea|. zai.ea eimaiaeai.es .a,eae:a|-aiaei iaey .|| aei
|e cea.ec .a iae Crisis. 1ae:e ex. sis aa .aaa.iy a.ea eaa| . zes
' "
[The fi rst part of thi s passage i s taken from " La Crise de J ' humanite europeenne et
l a philosophie, " translated by Paul Ricoeur. Thi s version (translated from Ms M I I I 5 I I
b) di fers i n places from the version ( Ms M I I I 5 I I a) publ i shed i n the Krisis and translated
i nto Engl i sh ( Lauer' s translation of this text i n the same volume that contains his transla
tion of " PRS, " Phenomenology and the Crisis of Philosophy, also follows the latter
vrsion). I have always cited the version in C, since here occurs the only signi fi cant
divergence between the two texts i n Derrida's use of them. The second part of the above
quoted passage is found on p. 293 of C. Note adapted by tr. ]
In this respect, it can be said that, by thei r intention, the Vienna Lecture and the
Origin are nearer each other than they both are to the Crisis . Both are interested in a
proto-origin prior to the "Gal ilean" origin of modern times. Cf. what we said above
about the reduction of the Galilean atti tude.
130
Jacques Derrida
tae c. seeve:y ei tae a:.e:.aess ei mataemat.es .a ,eae:a| aac tae
t:aas,:ess.eaeiseas.||eia.taces. evea.itaei:sta:.e:.system.s.a
.tse|iclosed, astaeseeeacassa,estates Oatae|as. seiaia.tea:.e:.
system, aa . aia.te aam|e: ei m+taemat.ea| ee:at.eas aac
t:aasie:mat.eas. sa|:eacyess.||e. ataats,stem. evea.itaeya:eaet
. aia.te|ye:eat. ve ~|evea|| .ces.tetaee|esecaesseitaesystem.e
a:ewithin mataemat.ea|.aia.ty|eeaaseeaaveceia.t. ve|y.cea|.zec
aac,eae|eyeactaeiaetaa|aacseas.||eia. taces 1ae.aia.te. a| a.ty
eitaemece:a:eve|at.eaeaataea|eaaaeaaeec.ataeia.te. aia.tyei
~at.a.ty s e:eat. ea wa.|e . avest.,at.a, tae sease ei aat taey
e:eatec-mataemat.ea|a:.e:.aess-taeC:ee|ss.m|yea|caetaave
. avest.,atect|eseaseeia||taeee:sei.a| a.tya.eae:eeae|esec
.ataata:.e:.aessaac. tae:eie:e. te |e sa:e . eitae a:eaac.a| a.te
a.ste:.e.ty eimataemat.es 1aat. || |e ceaeea|y:e,:ess.ve|yaac
| ate:ea.|y. ate:eeaaeet.a,:eve|at.eaa:yceve|emeatseeaie:m.a,te
taeeieaaca. ste:.e.ty eimataemat.es aac teae:eat. v.tya.ea a|
ays:eeeecs|yc.se|esa:e '
i itaat e:e se. tae eeat:ast|eteeataete textsea|c|e|ess
a|:at eaeea|ctaemat.zemataemat.ea|aprioriness aactaeetae:tae
a:.e:.systeme:systems. e::atae:mat|emat.ea|systematicity. w.ta.a
tae.a| a.tyeeaec|ytaeC:ee|s .aae.a| a. t.zat.ea. s:ecaeec.eae
a.ea .|| ma|e tae :ev.eas e|esa:e aea:. aet as tae e|esa:e
a:a|yz.a,taeC:ee|son the threshold eimataemat.ea|.aia.ty . tse|i.
|atas tae e|esa:e seeeaca:.|y| .m.t.a, taemwithin tae mataemat.ea|
| e|c.a,eae:a| vea. ataes.:.teitaeCrsis, taemeceo.aia.t. zat.ea
. | | ma:| | ess aa aataeat.e asa:,.a, taaa a |.ac ei:esa::eet.ea ei
,eemet:y He:eeve:. ta.sse|i:e|.:ta[renaissance a sol] .|||eattae
saet.eea| ,aaeobliteration eitaea:st|. :ta,ee:i. aeate) Aac..t
ast|e+ccec.tae:eeessei.at:amataeat.ea|.aaa.t. zat.eaeaataea
|e,eae:a| . zecad infnitum aacaeee:c.a,teaaaeee|e:

te

c:a,ta
I

3Z
nat.ieaea. aia.t.zat.ea.saae|.:ta ei,eemet:y .a. tsaataeat.e
:. me:c.a|. ateat.ea,a.eaeaet.eest.||:ema.aeca.cceateaee:ta.a
I.I
On thi s cf. the Crisis. notably 8, p. 22, and 9h, pp. 5 1 -52, and 71 , pp. 245-46.
I 2
The text taken from the Crisis, which does not seem to put into question ever again
the "Greek" origin of mathematics as an i nfnite t ask, poses thus the difcult intra
mathematical problem of closure, a notion which can have mul ti pl e senses according to
the contexts i n which it i s employed. On all these questions, we refer particularly to S.
Bachelard. A Study of Husserf ' s Logic. Part 1 . Ch. 3 . pp. 43-63 . Moreover, there i s al so a
closure of the mathematical domain in general in i ts ideal unity as mathematical sense, a
closure wi thi n which al l i nfnitization will have to be maintained, simpl y because thi s
infnitization sti l l concerns ideal-mathematical objecti vities. About the mathematical sys
tem in genera\
'
Husserl speaks of "an i nfnite and yet self-enclosed world of ideal objec
ti vities as a feld for study" (C, 9a. p. 26 [modifed] ) .
131
!ntroductin to the Origin of Geometr
exteat|ytaee|esa:eeitae:ev. eassystem, . emay eace: .i.t.s
st. | | |e,.t.mate te sea| eian e:.,.a ei,eemet:y Deesaet,eemet:y
aaveaa. aia.teaam|e:ei|.:tas,e:|.:taee:t. | eates.a a.ea.eaea
t.me.aaetae:|.:ta. saaaeaaeec. a.|est. | ||e.a,eeaeeai ec:Haste
aetsaytaat,eemet:y.seataeaytea:c.tse:.,.a.. asteacei:e
eeec.a,i:em. t:
uasse:|aacea|tec|yea|ca,:ee1e|e|e,.ea|seaseaactaeseaseei
e:.,.a e:e a| aysmataa| | y.m| .eatecie:a. m ne.a,aaaeaaeec .a
eaeaetae:.taey .|||e:evea| ecia||yea|yta:ea,aeaeaetae:attae
. a| a.tee|eeia.ste:ynat. taea.ayaave,eemet:y|e,. a.taa:e
.cea| .zat.eaaacexaet.tace:wayaetaave. t|e,.a.ta . ma,.aat.ve
seas.||e .cea|.zat.ea aacme:ae|e,.ea| tye|e,y. s.aee exaet.tace . s
already aat.e. atectae:e: O:. eeave:se|y. aystill ea| | tae systems
a.eae:eteta|| y:.c eieeae:ete,eemet:y,eemet:.ea| :1a. styeei
aest.ea.a,aacea|tec|yrelativizes taesee.ie.tyei,eemet:.ea|sease
as saea |atceesaetaest.ea.t. a.tse|i 1ae,eemet:.ea|telos . sae
cea|t ea| y tae i:a,meat e: a:t.ea|a: se,meat eia aa.ve:sa| 1e|es
a.eat:ave:ses. :eeeces. aac,ees|eyeactae,eemet:.ea|eae. |at
,eemet:y s acveata:e. s:.,e:eas|ya:t.ea|atece:ce|eyec. a[s' articule
en] taat1e|es taeacveata:ec. caet|e,.aas such |eie:etaeeme:,eaee
eia|se|ate|ya:eaacaeaseas.||e.cea|.ty..t:ema.astaeacveata:eo)
,eemet:yas|ea,asa:e.cea|e|]eet.v.t. esa:eeea| aec.ta.ataeie|c
eia:.e:.aesseeaec|ytaeC:ee|s 1aeauasse:|eaaat one and the
same time sea|eiaa:eseaseaacaa.ate:aa|a. ste:.e.tyei,eemet:y
aaceaasay.asaeeiteacees. taataaa.ve:sa|te|ee|e,yeixeaseaas
at e:|.aaamaaa. ste:y|eie:etaeC:eeea:eeaaeem. a,teeea
se.easaess [prise de conscience ] , taat a:e . cea|.ty .s aaaeaaeec .a
|eaac.cea| .ty. aacseea 1aas. attaesamet.meae savestaeabso
lutely e:.,.aa|seasee:internal a.ste:.e.tyeieaeat:ac.t.eaa|| .aeaac.ts
:e|at. v.ty.ta.aaa.ve:sa|a.ste:.e.tyi ata.smaaae:ae.sassa:ecei
eaet:at.a, aa. ve:sa| a.ste:.e.ty ea|y i:em .ta. a. esee.a| | y .i. |y
:eie:eaee .aeta:asa.s:e,a:cteat:ac.t.eaasexem|a:yastaatei
mat|emat.es
ra:i:em|e.a,taeaeeesste semeess.|.| . tytaat. s .tse|iaa. ste:.e
yetc. seeve:ec. ta.aaa. ste:y,|.e|ea|c.ata:a|et:aasi,a:ec|y
.t, .taeeeaaesseitae. a| a.te.sea|y.eataeeeat:a:y.taeeeaaessei
a.ste:yitself, .atae atmestcetas aaca:.tyei.ts esseaee w.t|eat
l .\
Thi s i s true, of course, onl y i nsofar as these objectivities are related, immediatel y or
not . to spatiality in genera\ , if geometry is considered in i tsel f and in the strict sense ; to
movement i n general . if kinematics i s considered in itself and in the strict sense. (But
Husser! ofen says that "geometry" i s an "abbreviation" for al l the objective and exact
sciences of pure spatiotemporal i ty. ) But i f geometry i s considered in i ts exemplariness.
thi s i s generally true for every absolutel y pure and "free" i deal objecti vity.
132
Jacques Deric
ia.s:.u.a iae aa.ie, a.sie:.ea|aamaa.iy, e::aiae:a.sie:.ea|e.v.|.za
i.eas, ea|cea| ye|a.maaem.:.ea|iyeeisee.eia:ee|e,.ea|aa
.i,nai,aseaavee|ea:|,seea.em.:.ea|a.sie:,. sesseai.a||,.ac.s
i.a,a. saa||ei:emaeaa.sie:,
~|se, uasse:|]ac,es.iaeme:eaeeessa:y.aiaeOrigin iaaa. aiae
v.eaaa ieeia:e e:iaeCrisi ie aeeeaai,historcaly, ie:iae |.:iaei
a.|eseaya.eaaaseeac.i.eaeciaaiei,eemei:y.1a.swasiae|.:ia
eia:ea.sie:y.1aee:.,.aeia.sie:.e.iy(Geschichtlichkeit) .||aeve:|e
ceeaceaieaaa.sie:y(Historie) . ~|iaea,aiaeiaee:ei.ea|aii.iacemay
|eseeeaca:yaac.aie:m.iieaieaiaee:ce:eiiaeiaa|.iy, .iea|c |e
i:a.i|essiecese:.|eiaeaeaemeae|e,.ea|aac. ai:. as.e,eaes.seiaai
:ee. se|yesia|| .saes iaeess.|.| .iyie:saea acese:.i.ea. 1a. scees
aeimeaa,me:eeve:,iaai.i.s. mess.||ee:ase|essiei:yaaesi:.as.e
aaca:a||e|a.sie:.ea|a:eaeaieia. ssa|]eei,ai.|.z. a,a||iaees
s.||e iaeiaa| ,.veas ,,ee,:aa.ea|, eeeaem.e, ea|ia:a| , see.e|e,.ea| ,
syeae|e,.ea| , aac se ie:ia .ia iae aaesi eemeieaee, iae aimesi
meiaece|e,.ea|seea:.iy, aac.iaeaiy.e|c.a,ieeaasa|.sm,aiem.sm,
aacseea. i.|e.se ,aiaeie,eaei.ecese:.i.eaeiiaemesiam|.i.eas
i:aaseeaceaia| :ecaei.ea eaa|ei:.ec, .ia iaeae| eia|| ava.|a||e
em.:.ea|iee| s . saeaaiiemisea|caaveiae.:ia| | va|aeea|y.aseia:
asiaeyea|c|eeeacaeiec.iaiaeee:ia.aiyiaaieve:yia.a,.sse|ea
eiiaeaexcept iae:ecaei.eaitsel, except iaee:.,.aeia.|eseayaac
a.sie:ythemselves aacassaea.iaiae|esieieases, esea|eiaai.s
si:.ei|ya:a||e|ieiaem.
r:em iae memeai uasse:| .s ,.vea |eia iae :ese.eai.ae ea|ia:a|
e:|cand iaea.|eseae:aseeac.i.easie:,eemei:y s e:.,. a, iaea|
seaeeeia||eeae:eiecese:.i.eaeiiae.asi.iaie: saeis saea|c aei|e
sa::.s.a, Ne: c. sae.ai.a,. 1aese eeac.i.eas e:e .ac.seasa|| e,
|aia| sesame.eai .~|se,. asemeve:ya| |as.ve|.aesa. eaaccaeia.a,
ieiae:ev.eassiai.ecese:.i.eas,iaeseaseeiiae.aaa,a:a|ee:ai.ea
. sesaaasiec. 1aeaa.iaces, a.eaiae:eie,eemeie:a.|eseae:aas
aia. sc.sesa|,amea,iaea.,aesia:e|eaac.cea|.i. esaaca.eaae
e:ee.veseaaa.aaa.ieae:.zea, asie:mai.easceve|eeceaiei:as.s
aaciaea,aiei.aie:mseie:ieei.ea,e|ea:|yse:veea|yas|asesie:a
aese:iei:as. seaieia.eas.m.|a:|yaamecaeieai.eas,:e.
ii. sev.ceai.aacvaaeeiaaiia. saese:ieiie:mai.ea. | | |ea:ecaei
a:.s.a,eaieiaa.cea|.z.a,,s. :.iaa|aei, eaeei a:eia.a|.a,,a.ea
aas .is maie:.a|s .a iae ces.,aaiecaa.ve:sa|:e,.veas eiia.siaeiaa|
aamaa.iyaacaamaasa::eaac.r,e:|caace:eaies . cea|e|]eei. v.i. es
eaieiiaem , i :mec.aec} .
!
` On this cf. notably EJ, 1 4, p. 65.
133
Introductin to the Origin of Geometry
ue:ee a:e ,iaea,as a|asi:eeea:se, |eie:eaa .cea|.z.a,ee:ai.ea
aeseaei.v.iyaasaeve:|eeasiac.ecie:.ise| iaacaeseeeac.i.eas
a:eaeve:ie|esesiac.ec,s.aeeea:ecea| .a,.iaa:ac.ea||y.asi.ia
i.veee:ai.ea1a. s.cea|.zai.ea. siaaia.ea ,eaiae|as. seiaseas.||e
.cea|.iy,iaeme:ae|e,.ea|iyeei:eancaess, ie:esam|e ,ma|esa
a.,ae:,a|se|aie|ye|]eei.ve,esaei ,aacaeaseas.||e.cea|.iyeeea:-iae
e. :e|e , a s.m.|a:| yaamec,|ai}aeie:mai.eai ae:ce:ie:eaea
|ae|aac,:asa,a.aiaespecies , . e. , iae e:.,.aa| aseei eiseas.||e
me:ae|e,.ea|.cea| .iy ,emasieeasiaai|y,eii:eei:em,eemei:.ea|
habits a.eaieaciee|iaseaie.i. iaThe Poetics of Space, eeaee:a.a,
iae eaaie: eai.i|ec 1|e raeaemeae|e,y ei xeaacaess, Casiea
naeae|a:ceve|esia.si:ea||eseme|aiaeeessa:ydeception: 1aec.m
ea|iyiaaiaacie |eeve:eeme .a:.i.a,ia. seaaie:asieave.ca| |
,eemei:.ea|ev.ceaee.
ua| .|e me:ae|e,.ea| .cea| .iy, esaei .cea|.iy aas |eea :ecaeec
.iaeaiiaeesseai.a|a.ceiseas.|.|.iye:.ma,.aai.ea,.i|:e|eaay|y
a|eai:emeve:ycese:.i. vemee:.a,. uacea|iec| yia.s| eac:e.is
sae:i e: aea| i:em seas.||e .cea|.iy. uas:| a|ays sea|s ei
,eemei:y s seas.||e sae:i, sa|si:aie, e:|as.s(Ideas I, ;:.
i s . naiiaese ieaacai.eas a:e aei iae iaacameaia| s eaes, a|
' ` The same principle and notion of substructive idealization, but without substantial
supplementary explication, is found again and again from one end to the other of Hus
sert ' s work. In particular: a) in the LI, I , 1 , 1 8 , p. 302. There we read among others those
lines devoted to idealization and to which the Origin will add nothing: "The image . . .
provides only a foothold for intellectio. It ofers no genuine instance of our intended
pattern, only an instance of the sort of sensuous form which is the natural starting-point
for geometrical ' idealization' . In these intellectual thought-processes of geometry, the
ideal of a geometrical figure i s constituted, which is then expressed in the fixed meaning
of the defnitory expression. Actually to perform this intellectual process may be presup
posed by our frst formation of primitive geometrical expressions and by our application
of them in knowledge, but not for their revived understanding and their continued
sigifcant use" ; b) in Ideas I, 74, pp. 1 90-91 ; c) in "Idealization and the Science of
Reality-The Mathematization of Nature" (Before 1 928), Appendix I I , in C, pp. 301 -1 4;
d) i nEl, to, pp. 41 -46; e) inFTLy 96c, and Conclusion, pp. 243 and 291 -93; f) in C, 9a
naturally, but also in 36, where in summary is said: "These categorical features of the
life-world have the same names but are not concered, M to speak, with the theoretical
idealizations and the hypothetical substructions of the geometrician and the physicist"
(p. 1 40; our emphasis); and g) in Appendix V: "Objectivity and the World of Experi
ence, " in C, pp. 343-5 1 .
'

The Poetics of Space, tf. Maria Iolas (Boston: Beacon, 1 964) , p. xxxv.
` All these formulas are also encountered in the texts we just cited. The sensible type
serves as the foundation for geometry in the process of being constituted. Next, it will
only serve as an illustrative "auxiliary" or "adjunct" to a geometrical activity which
goes through it toward pure ideality.
134
Jacques Derrida
taea,atae|atte:ea,ataetteasetaeie:e:|eie:,ettea| t .s a:e
ta.as.a,taat. s:eseas.||eie:tae|ea.a,acvaaeeei. cea|.zat.eaaac
ie:,eeet:.ea|t:ataassaea1ae. aaa,a:a|eaa:aete:eitae.cea| . z.a,
aet.tae:ac.ea|aac. ::at.vei:eecea.eataataetaa.iests. aactae
cee.s.vec. seeat.aa.tya..aa:eetstaeaeti:e. tsasteeac.t. eas. a||
ta.sa.cestae.cea|.z.a,aeti:ea,eaea|e,.ea|cese:. t.ea
,

|itae ea:|.e:testsce aetteaea as aay e:e a|eat taeprocess ei

.cea| .zat.ea. a:e taey e:e :ee.se as te taeorgin of the abilit te
.cea| .ze: |tceesaetseese |a. tsesteeae:etecete:.aat.eas. tae
ee:at.ea. sa|ays:eseatecasaassa,etetae| ..t sta:t.a,i:e
aaanticipatory st:aeta:e ei .ateat.eaa|.ty. e ,e |eyeac e:ae
| e,.ea| .cea|.ty tea:c tae . cea| aac .ava:.aat e|e ei aa . aia.te
a:es.at.ea
natie: tae .ateat.eaa| aat.e.at.ea te |ea te tae .aia.te . .t ast
already |e . cea| waat ta.s .cea| . zat.ea eiaat.e.at.ea ateaee aa
l 8
I n the same sense Gonseth notes: "The passage from the i ntuitive notion: the
intended line, to the ideal notion: the straight line, i s something completely indescriba
ble" (Les Mathematiques et la realite: Essai sur la methode axiomatique [Pari s: Lib
rairie Fel i x Alcan, 1 936] , p. 76).
t !i
To us the most specifc passages concering thi s seem to be the fol lowing:
A) "Geometrical concepts are 'ideal' concepts, they express something which one
cannot ' see' ; their 'origin, ' and therefore their content also, is essentially other than that
of the descriptive concepts as concepts which express the essential nature of t hings as
drawn di rectly from si mpl e i ntui ti on, and not anything ' ideal . ' Exact concepts have their
correlates i n essences, which have the character of 'Ideas ' in the Kantian sense . Over
against these I deas or ideal essences stand the morphological essences, as correlates of
descri pti ve concepts .
" That ideation . . . gi ves ideal essences as ideal 'limits, ' which cannot on principle be
found in any sensory intuit ion, to which on occasion morphological essences ' approxi
mate more or l ess, without ever reaching them . . " (Ideas I, 74, pp. 1 90-9 1 ; Husserl ' s
emphasi s) .
B) The text which follows, taken from the Crisis (9a, p. 26) , i s of a more genetic style.
Here Husserl also shows himself more sensitive to the difculty of a description which, he
thi nks, sti l l remains to be done: "Without going more deeply into the essential intercon
nections i nvol ved here (which has never been done systematically and is by no means
easy) , we can understand that, out of the praxis of perfecting, of freel y pressi ng toward
the horizons of conceivable (erdenklicher) perfecting ' again and again' (Immer-wieder),
limit-shapes emerge toward which the particular series of perfectings tend, as toward
i nvariant and never attainable poles. If we are interested in these ideal shapes and are
consistently engaged in determining them and in constructing new ones out of those
already determined, we are ' geometers. ' The same i s true of the broader sphere whi ch
includes the dimension of time: we are mathematicians of the ' pure' shapes whose uni
versal form is the coideal i zed form of space-time. In place of real praxi s . . . we now
have an ideal praxis of ' pure thinking' which remains excl usi vel y within the realm of
pure limit-shapes . " Husserl ' s emphasi s.
135
Introductin to the Origin of Geometry
tae:.zesaac:ese:.|es. stae:eseaeeie:eease. easaesseiaaIdea in
the Kantian sense. 1ae|atte:.staee|]eeteiaaideation, aaaeuasse:|
euea,.veste.cea| .zat.eaaaca.eaast|ec.st.a,a. saeci:e.cea
t.eaastae.ata.t.eaeiaaesseaee( Wesensschau) .
l h0
1aec.ae:eaee|e
teeataesete.ceat.eas. s eaeeaaeeast.tateaae|]eetasae:eat.ea.
taeetae:eaacete:.ae.t.aaa. ata.t.ea r:. e:c.a|,eeet:.ea|.cea
t.ea. ie:esa|e. |:.a,sa|eataaesseaeea.eac.c aetes. st|eie:e
tae .ceat.ea 1a.s .ceat.ea . s tae:eie:e e:ehistorical. nateaee tae
.cea| e|]eet . s eeast.tatec .ta.a :eacyace ,eeet:y. tae
Wesensschau :e,a. as.ts:.,ats |t. saet|yeaaaeetaattaesaee:c
ces.,aatestec.ae:eatee:at.eas .a|etaeases. taee|]eet.saa.::ea|
esseaee. a|taea,a aet at a|| . a,.aa:y [antastique] . | a eeast.tatec
,eeet:y.taeWesensschau ea|y:eeatstae:ecaet.ve.cea| .zat.ea |i
t?e,eeet:.ea|Wesensschau . sess.||eea|y|eeaase.cea| .z.a,.cea
t.
a aa
already :ecaeec tae ,eeet:.ea| e|]eet . eeave:se| y. t|e
ne:c.a| assa,etetae| ..t.sess.||eea| y.i,a.cec|yaaesseaee
a.eaeaa a| ays |e aat.e.atec aactaea :eee,a. zec. |eeaase a
truth eia:esaee.s.aaest.ea1aat.sayassa,estetae| . .ta:e
aet te |e ceae a:|.t:a:. | ye:a.| ess| y 1aat .s ay ,eeet:y .s ta. s
est:ae:c. aa:y ee:at.ea tae e:eat.ea eiaa e.cet.e | t ie| |es taat
,eet:y s .aia.te a.ste:y .||a|ays see .ts aa.ty:ese:. |ec|ytae
e.cet.. st:aeta:e eia :e,. ea. e: e:e :ee. se| y. |y tae aa.ty eiaa
a?st:et

eat sat.a|.ty,eia:e,.ea 1a.saa.tyee:ta.a|y.saet

.ste

oea|

..t.

e.nea|| yaaeaaa,ea||e nat.t.sea| ytaeaa. tyof tae

mitea. stenea|ceve|eeateitaee.cet.eea||ec,eeet:y |tis no
thing eats.ce taea.ste:yei,eeet:y.tse|i
sseaee| ..ts saese taeaaa eea|e:.zeaaactae|:easta:ea,a
tea:ctae.aia.teeiaa" immer wieder" e:aa" und so weiter, " a.ea. s
taeve:yeveeateiataeat.ea|. cea|.zat.ea.a,eae:a| | itaest:ae
ta:

itae "again and again" . siaacaeata| ae:e. tae :. v. | e,ec
es.t.eaeit|e:eteat.eaa|c.eas.eaei.ateat.eaa|.tyaaceitaateitae
iata:e .ataeeeast.tat.ea eisaee .a,eae:a| ast|e aesae|ec,ec
I 60
Cf. Idees, 74, pp. 235-36, n. 1 of translator.
I 6!
On t he "again and agai n, " t he iterative "over and over again, " or t he "and so
forth" as fundamental forms of idealization, "since de facto no one can always again"
[take all the ideal i zations into consideration] (FTL, p. 1 88) , cf. FTL, 74, pp. 1 88-89; and
. Bachelard
:
A Study ofHusserl's Logic [Part I I , Ch . 3] , pp. 1 1 9f. The "and so forth, "
masmuc as I t belons t o the evident structure of the noema of the thing i n general, had
been copIOusl y descnbed i n Ideas I (cf. particularly 1 49, pp. 379-83 , which sketches on
thi s a comparison between ideation, i ntuition of the I dea and of the "and so forth, " and
pure intuition i n the Kantian sense, whose ideation would only be phenomenological
clarifcation) .
136
Jacques Derrid
nai.a ees.i.eaieiae | .vecsaee.a a.eaiae.aceia.ieaesseiiae
acam|:ai.eas .s a i:aaseeaceaee iaai esseai.a||y eaa aeve: |e mas
ie:ec,iae.cea| .zecsaeeeimaiaemai.esa||esasie,e.mmec.aie| y
ieiae. aia.ie| .m.ieiaai. s. aiaeiaaaaia.saecmevemeai.1aas, iae
i:aaseeaceaeeeieve:y| .veciaia:eeaa|ea|se|aie|ya:e:.aiecaac
:ecaeec.aiaeve:y,esia:ea.eai:eesiaaiiaia:eie:aa.aia.iece
ve|emeai. Haiaemai.ea| saee ae |ea,e: saes aai sa:i:e ea| | s
i:aasaeaemeaa|.iy. 1aeceve|emeaiseimaiaemai.ea|saee. ||
aeve:de jure eseae as. iaai . say.im. ,aiseemme:e :eassa:.a,,
me:eour own. nai.siaaiaeia|se|eeaase.iaas|eeememe:eie:e.,a
ieas:
we:eei e:eseeiaaci e:eeaiiaese aame:eas mec.ai.easeaee
a,a.a,eea|ciaas|e|ec|aeseaeeme:eiea:c:.me:c.a|ieme:
a|.iy1ae a,a.aaaca,a.a a.eaaaacseve:exaei.iace.ase:.|esiae
acveaieimaiaemai.es.ia.aiaeeia.eeie|ee|e,.ea|:ese:.i.eaeiiae
.aia.ie iass. ~ac iae |aiie: . s ,:eaacec, iaea, .a iae mevemeai ei
:.me:c.a|aeaemeae|e,.ea|ieme:a|.zai.ea,i a.eaiaei.v.a,r:e
seaieieease.easaessae|cs. ise|iasiae:.me:c.a|~|se|aieea|y.aaa
.aceia.ie:eieai.ea, aa.maiecaacaa.iec|yiaeicea(in the Kantian
sense) eiiae ieia| aax ei|.vecexe:.eaee. ~s e aave seea, iae
i.v.a,r:eseai.siaeaeaemeae|e,.ea|a|se|aieeaieia.eaieaaaei
,e|eeaase.i. siaai.aa.ea, iea:ca.ea, aacsia:i.a,i:ema.ea
eve:y ,e.a, eai. s eaeeiec. 1ae i.v.a, r:eseai aasiae .::ecae.||e
e:.,.aa|.iyeiaNe, iae,:eaaceiaue:e,ea|y.i.i:eia. as,.ae:ce:ie
|ec.si.a,a.saa||ei:em.i,iaeasiNeas such, . . e . , asiaeasi:e
` `' Cf. the important 83 of Ideas I : "Apprehension of the Uni tary Stream of Experi
ence as ' Idea, ' ' ' pp. 220-22. Thi s Idea i s the common root of the theoretical and
the ethical. Finite and objective ethical values are undoubtedly constituted and
grounded, according to Husserl, by a theoretical subject. Thi s point has been very accu
rately brought to light by Emmanuel Levinas (The Theor of Intuition in Husserl' s
Phenomenology, tr. Andre Orianne [Evanston: Northwester University Press, 1 973] ,
pp. 1 33-34) and by Gaston Berger (The Cogito in Husserl's Philosophy, pp. 8082). But
on a deeper level , theoretical consciousness i s nothing other, in itself and thoroughly
understood, than a practical consciousness, the consciousness of an infnite task and the
site of absolute value for itself and for humanity as rational subjectivity. Cf. , for example:
"Philosophy as Mankind' s Self-Refection, " Appendix IV in C, pp. 335-4 1 . There we
read: mankind "is rational in seeking to be rational . . . reason allows for no diferentia
tion into ' theoretical , ' ' practical , ' '
a
esthetic' . . . being human is teleological being and
an ought-to-be . . . " (p. 341 ) . Also cf. CM, 41 , p. 88. The uni ty of Reason in all its
usages would manifest itself fully for Husserl in the theoretical project (rather than in the
practical function, as would be the case for Kant). On this point , a systematic confronta
tion between Husserl and Kant on the one hand and Husserl and Fichte on the other
would be necessary.
137
Introductin to the Origin ofGeometry
seaieiaa a|se|aiee:.,.a,.asieaceia:e|yaacs.m|ysaeeeec.a,.i .a
aa e|]eei.ve i.me nai ia. s :eieai.ea .|| aei |e ess.||e .iaeai a
:eieai.eaa.ea.s.is ve:yie:mi:si, |eeaase.i:eia.asaNea.ea
as. ise|iaae:.,.aa|:e]eei, .ise|i:eia.a.a,aaeiae::e]eei , aacseea.
aexi, |eeaase iae :eieai.ea .s a|aysiae esseai.a| mec.ieai.ea eia
Ne a|ays .a sasease , a|aysieac.a, iea:c a aexiNe. 1ae
~|se|aieeiiaei.v.a,r:eseai ,iaea, .sea|yiae. aceia.ieHa.aieaaaee
,iaeNeaess} eiia.s cea||eeave|e.a,. naiia. sHa.aieaaaee. ise|i
aea:sas such, .i.siaeLiving r:eseai ,aac.iaasiaephenomenological
seaseeiaconsciousness ea|y.iiaeaa.iyeiia.smevemeai.s,.veaas
indefnite aac .i. isseaseei. aceia.ieaess .sannounced .aiae r:eseai
, . . e . , .iiae eeaaess eiiae .aia.ie iaia:e . s, as saea, a ess.|.|.iy
experienced [vecue ] as sease aac :.,ai, . Deaia .|| aei |e eem
:eaeacec as sease|aiasa iaei exi:.as.e ieiaemevemeaieiiem
e:a|.zai. ea. 1aeaa.iyei.aia.iy, iaeeeac.i.eaie:iaaiieme:a|.za
i.ea,masiiaea|ethought, s.aee.i.saaaeaaeec.iaeaiaea:.a,aac
.iaeai|e.a,eeaia.aec.aar:eseai. 1a. siaea,aiaa.iy,a.eamases
iaeaeaemeaa|.zai.eaeii.meassaeaess.||e,.siae:eie:ea|aysiae
icea.aiae kaai.aaseasea.eaaeve:aeaemeaa|.zes. ise|i
1ae aaia. saecaess ei uasse:| s :eaeei.eas ea :.me:c.a|
ieme:a|.iy-iae.::.eaaess, |aia|se,as. ssa. c, iaec.ssai.siaei.eaiaey
|eii iae. :aaiae:-aas |ea, |eea aace:see:ec ti iae maaase:.is ei
Group C iaas]asi|,iase.aaieHasse:|

seemmeaiaie:s , . siaai aei|e

eaase iaese maaase:.is ieaea ea iae mesi :eieaac :e,.ea ei
aeaemeae|e,.ea|:eaeei.ea,ae:ecarsaess:. sss|e.a,ae|ea,e:iae
:ev. s.eaeiaea:.a,e:iae| e|ca.eaeae:s.ise|iieaeaemeaa||.,ai.
|aiiaeie:eve:aeeia:aa|sea:eeeiiae| .,ai.ise|i:~:eaeiiaeiceaaac
iae. cea|.z.a,a|.|.iy,a.eaexem|a:. | yeeeayasae:easiaee:.,.aei
maiaemai.es, sei|aes.aia.sesseai.a|ca:saess:
1aeicea.aiaekaai.aasease,iae:e,a|ai.vee|eie:eve:y. aia.ie
iass,assamesc.ve:se|aiaaa|e,easiaaei.easiaaia:ecee.s.veaisev
e:a|e.aisa|ea,uasse:| s .i.ae:a:y. raa| x.eeea:ve:y :ee.se|y:ee
e,a.zes .a iae icea iae mec.ai.a, :e|e |eieea eease.easaess aac
a.sie:y.' Ne, a.|e eem|eie| yma:s.a, .i .ia iae a.,aesiaac
mesieeasiaaiie|ee|e,.ea|c.,a. iy. a.|eeem|eie|y,:aai.a,a|e|.ev.a,
aiieai.eaieaai.ieeac.i.eas, uasse:|aeve:maceiae iceaitsel iae
theme eiaaeaemeae|e,.ea|cese:.i.ea.ueaeve:c.:eei|yceiaec.is
iyeeiev.ceaee.ia.aaeaemeae|e,y,ae 'prnciple ofal prnci
pies" aaca:eaei,a|ie:m eiev.ceaeea:eiae .mmec.aie:eseaeeei
! 6
"Husserl and the Sense of History, " in Husserl: An Analysis, p. 1 45.
138
Jacques Derrida
taeta.a,. tse|i .ae:sea im|. e.t|,taateaa.eitaeaeae

eaa||,
aeaaeae:aeaaa||eta.a,.tae:eie:etaefnzte tam, ,1aeet. i?iaa
.taaeaase:aasme:eaua.t,.tatae
.
|atte . | .eat.eat?a .ta
sees te aave .ta aeaeeae|e,y s nae. |e ei nae. | es
raeaeeae|e,y ea|a taas |estretched |eteea taejnitizing eea
se.easaessei.tsprinciple aaataeinjnitizing eease.easaessei.tsaaa|
institution, taeEndstiftung .aaeaa.te|yaeie::ea[differee] .a .tseeateat
|ata|aysev.aeat.a.ts:e,a|at.veva|ae. ,
i t . saet|yeaaaeetaattae:e.saeaeaeeae|e,yeitaei aea. e
|atte:eaaaet|e,.vea.ae:sea.ae:aete:.aea.aaaev. aeaee. ie:.tI S
ea|ytaeess.|.|.tyeiev.aeaeeaaataeeeaaesei

seea,.tse|i..t. s
ea|ydeterminability as tae ae:.zea ie:eve:y mta.t.ea. a,eae:| . tae
. av.s.||e.|.eaeisee. a,aaa|e,eastetaea. aaaae.tyeitae~nstete
|. aaD. aaaaeas. aae|eeata|ta.:a.|attaeeaesea:eeeitaesaaa
taev.s.||e |ya.aaaaeasieaaaat.sv. s.||e.aaayetaetv. s. ||em
.tse|i.|at:atae:e.a,.tsv.s.|.| .tytetaeee|ea:eiseeta.a,e| se. i t
. staaasst eta. sa|eae taattaeee|ea:eiata.a,. sseea(De Anima,
1i s|,. iitae:e. s aeta.a,tesaya|eattaeiaea se(. .t.s|eeaasetae
l 64
An essential fni tude can appear i n phenomenology i n another sense: to recognie
that the transcendental reduction must remain an eidetic reduction in order to avo d
empirical ideali sm is to recognize that transcend
.
ental ideali s does nO
,
t proc
.
eed, e,en 1 0
the Kantian tradition itself, without the afrmatIon of the phI losopher s radIcal fmtude.
This necessi ty for the transcendental reduction to remai n so i s th necess
.
ity to make he
absolute and primordial ground of the sense of being appear 10 regIon (the rglOn
" consciousness" unifed by an ego and an Idea) , i . e. , i n a region whIch, even were It
.
the
Ur-Region, i s no l ess a domain of determined existents . The uni tary ground of all egl Ons
can onl y appear i n one region; it can onl y then be concealed undr a typ of bemgess
[itance] determined the very moment it appars
.
as
.
the round. Wlthout thIs
.
oculttI?,
philosophical di scourse woul d renounce all
.
eldetIc r
.
1gor,
.
I . e. , all sense. Te eIdetIc l
,
l m1ta
tion i s then indispensable, and the reductIOn receIves 1ts true sene ,h1Ch, cntrary to
appearances, is that of prudence and critical hum!l i t. it
.
hout hl d1sappenng f the
ground necessary for appearing itself, wi thout th1S hmltatlon w1thm a
.
certm reglonal
ness, without this reduction that Heidegger impl i citly reproaches h1m w1th, us
.
serl
thinks that philosophy even more surel y fal l s back i nto regionalness; better st1l1, mto
empirical regionalness-here, for exampl e, under the form of anthropological factul ity,
Husserl thi nks, that of Dasein . On thi s poi nt, the dialogue between Husserl and Heldeg
ger could go on indefnitel y, except considering that the reduction i s alwys already
supposed as the essential possibility of Dasein, and that, conversIY, consc10u
.
sness as
transcendental source i s not a "region" in the strict sense, even If the neceSSI ty of n
eidetic language has to consider it as such. For both Husserl and Heidegger, the cohc
ity of appearing and of concealing seems i n any case primordial, essential , and defmtlve.
I 6^
[ET: On the Soul, t r. J. A. Smith, i n The Basic Works of Aristotle, ed. Richard
McKeon (New York: Random House, 1 941 ) , p. 568 (modifed) . ]
139
Introductin to the Origin ofGeometry
i aea. staatsta:t.a,i:ea.easeeta.a,.a,eae:a|eaa |e sa.a. i ts
ea a:t.ea|a::eseaee . taea. eaaaetaeeaaeaaaeaeeae|e,.ea|
ty,eeiev.aeaee . Des.tetaea|t.|.e.tyei:eie:eaeestetae i aea.a
uasse:| s |ast:.t.a,s. tae est :ee. se texteeaee:a.a, .tstye ei
ev.aeaee .s ieaaa. .tsees. .atae eaate:eiIdeas I aeveteatetae
aeaemeae|e,yeixeasea,; | 1 .---:, .Ceaee:a.a,taeaaeaate
,.veaaesseitaet:aaseeaaeatta.a,.eaaatae:ea:e||eaaa|e,eas
tetaateitaeteta|aa.tyeitae. aaeataax.aa.ea. ta. st.e .eaea
|. veaexe:.eaee.s aaeaate|y,. vea. ~|taea,ataet:aaseeaaeatta.a,
|e|ea,.a,teNata:eeaaaet|e,.vea.taee|eteaete:.aaaeyaaa
.ta s..|a:|y ee|ete . ata.ta|.|.ty .a aay |..tea | a.te eease. eas
aess. "as Idea ,. ataekaat.aasease,. [its] complete givenness is . . .
prescribed . . . " (ibid. , . --, .
1a. siaeaeitae. aaa.teaete:. aa|.|.tyeitaesaex-e:eeve:. as
e| | . taateitae e:|a .a ,eae:a|-aes. ,aat,es}ta:ea,a. tsesseat.a|
aata:eatpe ofevidence that is its own" (ibid. , -:,ea.aea} , . '
.
nat
ta. sev.aeaeeeitae iaeaas :e,a|at.veess.|. |.ty.s a|se|ate|yexee
t.eaa| . aaeaeeae|e,y. .taasae:ee:eeateat. e::atae:. t. saet
ev.aeaeeeitaei aea seeateat it.sev.aeaeeea|y. aseiaras.ti sjnite,
. . e . . ae:e.formal, s.aeetaeeeateateitae. aaa.tei aea. s a|seataaa. s
aea.eat eeve:y. ata.t.ea.1ae.aeaeiaa. aaa.tyesseat.a||yet.vatea
.s aet .tse|i aa . aaa.ty. tae ev.aeaee taatta. s .aaa.ty . s . at:. as.ea||y
.aeaa||e ei|e.a, ,.vea aees aet exe|aae |at :atae: aeaaas tae
t:aasa:eat,.veaaesseitaeIdea eita. s. aaa.ty (ibid. ,ea.aea}, .
i ataei aeaei.aaa.ty.tae:e .saete:. aeaev. aeaeeea|yeitaei aea.
|ataeteitaateia.ea.t. staeiaea. 1aeiaea. staee|eeiaa:e
.ateat.ea.etyeieve:yaete:m.aeae|]eet ita|eae:evea|s.taea.tae
|e.a,eitae.ateat.eaintentionality .tse|i.
1aas . ie:eaee. aeta.a, aea:s .aa see.ae ev. aeaee. waataees
aea: . s ea|ytae :e,a|at.ve ess. |.|.ty ei aea:.a, aaa tae aa.te
ee:ta.atyei. aaa.teaeaeeae|e,.ea|aete:.aa|.|.ty. . . e. .aee:ta.aty
.taeataee::eseaa.a,ev.aeaee. nyaeaa.t.ea.aeta.a,eaa|eaaaea
teta.sie:a|aete:.aat.eaeitaeiaea 1ae|atte:. astae. aaa.teaete:
.aa|.|.tyeix. . s ea|yrelation with an object. it .s. . atae |:eaaest
sease.Objectivit . tse|i.
ia a.s a:t.e|e ea kaat aaa uasse:| . raa| x.eeea: :.tes tae
I66
In FTL, Husserl also evokes "thi s phenomenologically cl arifable i nfi nite anticipa
tion (which, as an i nfnite anticipation, has an evidence of its own) " ( 1 6c, n. I , p . 62).
But, at that poi nt , Husserl no longer goes beyond the promise or suggestion made i n the
passage. Moreover, at the end of thi s note he refers to Ideas I.
140
Jacques Derrid
c.si.aei.ea,iaacameaia|.a kaai. . . |eiweeaintention cintuition "
.s ieia||yaa|aewa.aHasse:| .
!7
i aiaei,s aeaac.si.aei.ea. saeve:
iaemai.e. auasse:| . Necea|i,aa. aieai.ea.awa.eaaeia.a,. s,.vea
eaaaeiaave, assaea, aaeaemeae|o,.ea|eaa:aeie:,aacuasse:|eaa
aeieeae:eie|ycese:.|e. i, ai|easiaei.a. iseeaieai, ie:iae. aieai.ea s
ie:m. saeeae:eieaac| .vecev.ceaee, wa.ea. saeiiaeease. akaai.
~eee:a.a,|y,phenomenology eaaaei|e,:eaacecassaea. a. ise|i,ae:
eaa .iitsel .ac.eaie .is ewa :ee: | .m.is . nai . s aei iae ee:ia.aiy
,w.iaeaiamaie:.a||yceie:m.aecev.ceaee,eiiae. aaa.ieceie:m.aa|.|
.iyeixe:eiiaee|]eei.a,eae:a|aa .aieai.eaw.iaeai.aia. i.ea, aa
emiy.aieai.eawa.ea|eia,:eaacs aac.s c.si.a,a. saeci:emeve:y
ceie:m.aecaeaemeae|e,.ea|.aia.i.ea: is aeiiae samei:aeie:aay
eease. easaesseiiae.aaa.ieias|aacie:ie|ee|e,.ea|ee:ia.aiyaace:a||
.isie:ms :~ssa:ec|y, iaea,ia.s.aieai.eaa|a:esease[sens pur d'inten
tion], ia.sintentionality, .a. ise|i.siae|asiia.a,iaaiaaeaemeae|e,y
eaac. :eei|ycese:.|eeiae:w.seiaaa.a.isaa. ieaeis ,.aia.i.eas,:esa|is ,
e:e|]eeis , |ai , w.iaeaiwaai.a,e:|e.a,a||eie cese:.|e.i, Hasse:|
aeve:iae|ess:eee,a.zes, c.si.a,a.saes, aacposits ia. s.aieai.eaa|.iyas
iaea.,aesisea:eeeiva|ae .He|eeaiesiaespace wae:eeease.easaess
aei.aes .ise|i ei iae i cea s :ese:. i.ea aac iaas .s :eee,a.zec as
i:aaseeaceaia|eease.easaessia:ea,aiaes.,aeiiae.aaa.ie.ia. ssaee
.siaeinteral |eiweeaiaei ceaei. aaa.iy.a.isie:ma|aacaa.ie,yei
eeae:eie,ev. ceaeeaaciae.aaa.iy. ise|ieiwa.eaiae:e. siaeicea.ii.s
eaiae|as.seiia. sae:.zeaee:ia.aiyiaaiiaea.sie:.e.iyeiseaseaaciae
ceve|emeaieixeaseaa:eseii:ee.
I 67
"Kant and Husserl , " in Husserl: An Analysis, pp. 1 75-201 . In this very dense
article, Ricoeur defi nes Husserlianism as the completion of a latent phenomenology and
the reduction of an ontological disquietude, both of which aimate Kantianism; of these
he has said that "Husserl did phenomenology, but Kant limited andfounded it" (p. 201 ) .
I n thi s way the formidable and decisive problems of the Fifth Cartesian Medi tation are
taken up again in a Kantian reading: the practical detenination of the person by respect
must precede and condition a theoretical constitution which, by itself alone, cannot have
access to the alter ego as such. Also cf. on this Fallible Man, tr. Charles Kelbley
(Chicago: Henry Regnery, 1 965), pp. 1 05-2 1 . As for the relation with an object which
preoccupies us here, Ricoeur writes more particularly: "The key to the problem is the
distinction, fundamental in Kant but totally unknown in Husserl, between intention and
intuition . Kant radically separates from one another the relation to something and the
intuition of something. An object " X is an intention without intition. This distinction
subtends that of thinking and knowing and maintains the ageement as well as the tension
between them" (p. 1 89).
Here we naturally leave aside those various possibilities, so often invoked by Husserl ,
of empty intentions, like the symbolic intentions that are deceived or not fulflled, and so
on. They could not b said to be deprived of intuition in general . Their emptiness is
circumscribed, in that they always bear reference to a determined but absent intuition.
141
Introductin to the Origin ofGeomet
re:aas ia. s ae|s as ieeem:eaeacwayiae icea.a i~ kaai.aa
seaseaac, ae:e,iaemaiaemai.ea|. cea| .zai.eawa.easaeses. ieea|c
ea|y|eoperative aacnot thematic eeaeeis.
!B
1a. saeaemeae|e,.ea|
aeaiaemai.zai.eae|eysa:eieaacaac.::ecae. ||eaeeess.iy.1aeicea
.siae|as.seawa.eaaaeaemeae|e,y.sseia.ae:ce:ieaea.eveiae
aaa|.aieai.eaeia.|eseay.1aaiaaeaemeae|e,.ea|ceie:m.aai.eaei
iae icea . ise|i may |e :ac.ea||y . mess.||e i:em iaea ea s.,a.aes
e:aasiaaiaeaemeae|e,yeaaaei|e:eaeeiec.aaaeaemeae|e,yei
aeaemeae|e,y,aaciaai. isLogos eaaaeve:aea:assaea.eaaaeve:
|e ,.vea.a aa.|eseayeisee.a,, |ai ,|.|e a|| seeea, eaa ea|y |e
aea:c e: aace:sieec ia:ea,a iae v.s.||e. 1ae Endstitung ei
aeaemeae|e,y ,aeaemeae|e,y s a|i.maie e:.i.ea| |e,.i. mai.ea. . . e . ,
waai . issease , va|ae , aac:.,aiie||as a|eai.i, , iaea, aeve:c.:eei|y
measa:es aie aaeaemeae|e,y. ~i|easi ia.sEndstitung eaa,.ve
aeeessie.ise|i.aaa.|eseay,.aseia:as.i.sannounced .aaeeae:eie
aeaemeae| e,.ea|ev.ceaee..aaeeae:eieconsciousness wa.ea. smace
responsible ie:.ices.ieiaeaa.iaceeiiaaieease.easaess,aac. aseia:
as .i ,:eaacs i:aaseeaceaia| a. sie:. e.iy aac i:aaseeaceaia| .aie:sa|
]eei.v.iy. Hasse:| s aeaemeae|e,ysia:isi:em ia. slived anticipation
asa:ac.ea|:eseas.|.|.iy,semeia.a,wa. ea, waeaeeas.ce:ec|.ie:a| |y.
ceesaeiseemie|eiaeeasew.iaiaekaai.aae:.i.ae,
X

1a:eseaeeeiiaeiceaa|eae, iae:eie:e,aaiae:.zesiae|eaiea:e
.cea| |iy|yiaea,a:e|.m.iaaciaeacveaieimaiaemai.es , aiaeiiaai
eea|c,.ve:.seiecea|isa|eaiiaaie:.,.a s see.aea.sie:.e.iy. ~:ewe
aeieeai:eaiecw.iaaaaa.sie:.ea|iceaeaiaeeaeaaacaac.is.ase:i.ea
.aiaeeveaie:a.sie:.ea|iaeieaiaeeiae:: ia wa.ea ease, wewea|c
si:.|eiae saa,siaai Hasse:|:ee.se|ywaaisieave.caacwea|cm.ss
ea:ia:,ei-aeaemeae|e,.ea|a.sie:y.waaiwei:a|yaeec.sie.aves
i.,aieiaeseaseeiiaeicea s:eieaaca.sie:.e. iy.
uacea|iec| yiaeiceaaaciaexeaseaa. ccea.aa.sie:yaac.amaaas
: 'animal rationale" a:eeie:aa| .uasse:|eueasaysia. s naiia.seie:a.iy
IS only a a.sie:.e.iy. ii . s iae possibilt of a.sie:y .ise|i. iis
sa:aieme:a|.iy-eema:ec w. ia em. :.ea| ieme:a|.iy-.s ea|y aa
ema.ieme:a|.iy.1aeicea, |.|exeasea, .snothing eais.ceiae a.sie:y
I68
We refer here to the very enlightening distinction proposed by Fink in his lecture,
already cited, on " Les Concepts operatoires dans la phenomenologie de Husser\ . " [See
note 66 above. ]
1 '

142
Jacques Derrid
.aa.ea.tdispLays .tse|i.. e. . .aa.ea,.aeaeaactaesaemeveeat,
.tc.se|esesaac|ets. tse|i|eta:eateaec
s. aeetaetcea. saeta.a,eats.cea. ste:,|attaesense ofa||a.ste:,.
ea|,aa. ste:.eet:aaseeaceata|sa|] eet.v.t,eaa|emace:eseas.||eie:
.t 1aas. .ataeCartesian Meditations , i .;1, , uasse:|seasseic.se|es
.a,taeiaa|sease(Zwecksinn) eise.eaeeasa"noematic phenomenon. "
i at:aaseeaceata|sa|]eet. v.ty s c.se|esa:eei taei cea. progressiveness
.saetaaext:.as.eeeat.a,eaeytaataaeetstaeicea|attae. e:at.ve
:ese:.t.ea ei .ts esseaee. 1ae icea .s aet aa ~|se|ate taatfrst
ex. sts.atae|ea.taceei.tsesseaeeaactaeaceseeacs.atea.ste:ye:
|eeeesc. se|esec.aa sa|]eet.v. ty aese aets ea|c aet|e.at:. as.
ea||y.ac.seasa||ete.t iitaate:et:ae. a||t:aaseeaceata|a.ste:.e
.tyeea|c|esa.cte|eea|yaae.:.ea|a. ste:y. . . at.|. zecasaat
:evea|sesseat.a|.ate:eeaaeet.eas nattaeseesat. a|.ate:eeaaee
t.eas ea|c |e . ess.||e . taey ea|c |e aeta.a, .taeat a
t:aaseeaceata|sa|]eet. v.tyaac.tst:aaseeaceata|a.ste:.e.ty. 1ae ~|
se|ate ei tae icea as tae 1e|es ei aa .aia.te cete:.aa|.|.ty . s tae
~|se|ateof .ateat.eaa|a.ste:.e.ty 1aeof ces.,aates ae.tae:ae:e| y
e|]eet.veae:ae:e|ysa|]eet.ve,ea. t.ve tae eieeaee:asae.tae:
aa .aceeaceat . e|]eet.ve ~|se|ate taat .sc.se|esec .a aa .ateat.ea
a.ea.s:e|at. vetetaat~|se|ate. a.tsie:.t.aaceeaie:ste. t. ae:
ceestaeeieeaee:aasa|]eet. ve~|se|atea.eae:eatesaacass. .
|ates sease . ate .ts ea .ate:.e:.ty. xatae:. ta. s ei eeaee:as tae
.ateat.eaa|~|se|ateeiObjectivity, taea:e:e|at.ea. taaae|]eeta
:e|at.ea .a a.easa|]eet aace|]eet a:e :ee.:eea||yea,eace:ec aac
,eve:aec iitae of aaaeaaees ae. tae: aa e|]eet.ve ae:a sa|]eet.ve
,ea.t.ve.taat.s|eeaase.teeaee:astae~|se|ateofgenitivity .tse|ias
i!i
That the Idea may not be i mmediately graspable in its evidence i s, i n any case, the
sign of its profound hi storicity. The expanded title of "Philosophy as Mankind' s Self
Refl ection" i s: "Phil osophy as Manki nd' s Self-Refl ection: the Self-Realization of Reason
through Stages of Development Requires as its Own Function the Stages of Development
of this Self- Refection" ( see ' ' La Philosophie comme prise de conscience de I ' humanite, "
tr. Paul Ri coeur, i nDeucafion, 3 : Verite e t Liberte [Cahiers de Phi l osophi e] , ed. Jean Wahl
[Neuchatel : Edition de la Baconniere, October 1 950] , p. 1 1 6) .
t
Husserl rigorously distingui shes Idea from eidos (cf. Ideas I, Introd. , p. 42) . The
I dea, then, is not essence. From which the difculty, already indicated, of an intuitive
grasp or evidence of what is neither an existent nor an essence. But it is als necessary to
say of the Idea that it has no essence, for it is only the openness of the horizon for the
emergence and determination of every essence. As the i nvi sible condition of nidence, by
preserving the seen, it loses any reference to seeing indicated i n eidos, a notion from
which it nevertheless results in its mysterious Platonic fous. The I dea can only be
understood [or heard: entendre J .
t !
Jean Cavail l es, Sur fa Logique, p. 77.
143
Introductin to the Origin of Geometr
taea:eess.|.| .tyeia,eaet.e:e|at.ea taeof eaaa:staesa|]eet s.
as well as taee|]eet s. ,eaea|e,.ea||yseeeaca:yaacceeaceatstatas .
taea.ta:ea,ataeve:yeeaaessei . ts.acete:.aat.ea.. t eaaa:stae.:
:.e:c.a|.ate:ceeaceaee iitaat. se|ea:|ytaeease. aysaea|ce
eaeese. as Cava.||es taea,at. |eteea aa a|se|ate |e,.e aac a
t:aaseeaceata| |e,.e (Sur La Logique, ::, . e: |eteea aeea
se.easaessei:e,:ess aaca :e,:esseieease.easaess (ibid. ,
:s, :~| |taee:ese.s.aeetaedialectical ,eaes. staatCava. |i-seeses
te tae aet.v.ty eiuasse:|.aa eease. easaess .s cese:.|ec :ee.|y
aacee.eas|y|yuasse:|eava:.eas|eve| s. a|taea,ataee:c.saeve:
meat.eaec weaave seeaaeaeata.saet.v.tyeieease.easaess
as|eta aate:.e:aaceste:.e:te ass.v.ty. taattaeeveeat ei
:.me:c. aiteme:a| .zat.ea,taea|t.mate,:eaaceia| | eeast.tat.ea,as
c. a|eet.ea|ta:ea,aaacta:ea,a,aactaat,aseve:,aataeat.ec.a|eet. e.t,
aats,ta. smevemeatasea|,taec. a|eet.e|eteeataec. a|eet.ea|,tae
.aceaa.temataa|aac.::ecae.||e.m|.eat. eaei:eteat.easaac:etea
t.eas,aactaeaeac. a|eet.ea|,taea|se|ateaaceeae:ete. ceat.t,eitae
i. v.a,r:eseat.taeaa. ve:sa|ie:meia| |eease.easaess, titaeA|se|ate
eit:aaseeaceata|a.ste:, .s .aceec. asuasse:| sa,s .ataeOrigin, tae
v. ta|mevemeateitaeeeex.steaeeaactae.ate:eav.a,(des Mitein
ander und Ineinander) ei :.me:c. a| ie:mat.eas aac sec. meatat.eas
eisease(Sinnbildung und Sinnsedimentierung) " ,e.tec. 1 09 a|eve,.
taeatae e:eat. ve aet. v.ty eisease . |.es . a .tse|ia ass.v.ty :e
,a:c.a, eeast.tatec aac sec.eatec seasea sease a. ea aea:s
aacaetsassaeaea|y.ta.atae:e]eet eia aee:eat. v. ty. aacse
ie:ta waat Cava.||es ]ac,es . ess.||e e: c.mea|t te ac.t ie:
aeaeeae|e,y-ae:etaeet.veie::esea:eaaactae,:eaaceie|
]eet.v.t.esa:e:.,at|ytaeeeaaeet.eateae:eat.vesa|]eet.v.ty(Sur La
Logique, . -, . s :ee. se|yaat uasse:|cese:.|es .a taeOrigin,
eaeat.etaetaeeeisec.eatat.ea.staeieeaseia.s:eaeet.ea.1e
a,a.a tase a Cava.||es te:s. uasse:| saes exaet| y taat a sa|
]eet.v.ty ae:ec .a .ts r:eseat |y a eeast.tatec e|]eet.ve sease
,a.ea .s tae:eie:e .ts a|se|ate|e,.e iasteas . ts ae:s te a
a.,ae:sa|]eet.v. ty. . e .teitsel .ataee:eat.veeveeat|ya.ea
.t,ees|eyeac.tse|iaac :ecaeesaaesease. aac seea 1a.sae
sease.||a|se|etaeeeateiahigher sease. avest.,at.ea.aa.ea
tae ast sease. sec. eatec aac :eta. aec i:st . a a se:: eie|]eet.v.st
att.tace. .|| |e :eaaseaec .a .ts ceeaceat :e|at.ea te |.v.a, sa|
Cavai l l es, who then referred above al l to Ideas I and to FTL, moreover added: "Per
haps the later phenomenological investigations at least permit such a bluntly posed di lemma
to be contested" (p. 65) .
144
Jacques Derrid
]eei. v.iy. uasse:|aeve:seemsieaaveiaea,aiiaaiia.sasiea|ase
iae s.a,a|a:.iy eiiae a|se|aie-ie :ese:ve ie: .i iae ee.ae.ceaee|e
ieeaiaeeeasi.iai.a,aaciaeeeasi.iaiecmemeais(ibid. ) . re:a.m
ia.s ee.ae.ceaee . s s.m|y aeia.a, |ai iae a|se|aie aa.iy eisease s
movement, . . e. , iaeaa.iyei iaeaeaee.ae.ceaeeaacei iae .aceaa.ie
ee.m|.eai.eaeiiaeeeasi.iaiecaaceeasi.iai.a,memeaisin the abso
lute identit eiai.v.a,r:eseaiiaaic.a| eei.ea||y:e]eeisaacma.aia.as
itsel
Oieea:se,a| |ia.s:ema.asa:acex.ea|aaceeai:ac.eie:yas| ea,as
eeeai.aaeieeeas.ce:-. m|.e.i|ye:aei-iaeiceaassome thing aac
xeaseaasaaabilit. wemasieeasiaai|y:eia:a, iaea.
1 . 1euas.e:| s eeae:eiecese:.i.easeeaee:a.a,iaeaeema s|e.a,
aea:ea||y.ae|acec. aeease.easaess, eeaee:a.a,iae.cea|.iyeiaeema
i.esease,aa.ae|acecaessa.ea. sae.iae:asa|]eeiae:aae|]eei,aac
iae:eie:eis nothing but iaee|]eei sO|]eei.v. iy,iaeaea:.a,ei. is as
saeafor aeease.easaess: ,aaceeaee:a.a,iaeaea.ma,.aa:y[nonfan
tastique] .::ea|.iyeiiaeeidos , aa.::ea|.iya.ea. snothing other than
iaeseaseaacess.|.|.tyofiaeiaa|:ea|.iyiea.ea.i. sa|ays:e|aiec,
.mmec.aie| ye:aei, asiae:.,e:eas:ese:. i.eaeiiaeeidos' esseai.a|
meceeiaea:.a,, . iieacm.iie:]asieae. asiaai, eveae:e. iaa
.::ecae.||e :esami.ea, iaaiiae:e .s .a uasse:|aai e:aasiae:e
as aei evea .a r|aie ,exeei .a iae |.ie:a|aess ei a.s myias aac
eca,e,y)-aame|y,a r|aiea. sm eiiaeeidos e:iaeicea-iaeaiae
ae|e aeaemeae|e,.ea| eaie::.se, esee.a| | y aea .ieeaee:as a.s
ie:y,|eeemesanovel. 1aeicea. ssi.|||essaaex. sieaiiaaaiaeeidos, .i
iaai . s ess.||e , ie: iaeeidos . s aa e|]eei iaai. sceie:m.aa||e aac
aeeess.||eiea ia.ie .aia.i.ea 1ae | cea.saei . |i.sa| ays|eyeac
|e.a, (epekeina tes ousias) . ~s iae 1e|es eiiae .aaa.ie ceie:m.aa
|.|.iy ei|e.a,, .i.s |ai|e.a, seeaaessieiae|. ,aiei.iseaae
aemeaa|.iy, .i . s iae | . ,ai ei |.,ai, iae saa ei iae v.s.|| e saa. a
a.cceasaaa. easaes.iaeai|e.a,saea. ~ac.i.saecea|iaai
ar|aiemaiec|yr|aiea. sie| | sas a|eai.
:. 1e uasse:| s aei.ea ei xeasea. vea .i ee:ia.a ex:ess.eas ai
i|mesm.,aisa,,esiia.s,a.cceaxeasea.saeiaaa|.|.iyeeaeea|ec.a
iae saaces eia a. sie:.ea| sa|]eei.v.iy e: .aiae sa|e:|c [arrere
monde] ei|eeem.a, xeasea.saeisemeeie:a.iyaie:s.aa. sie:y.
` Li kewi se, the transcendental Ego in the phenomenological sense has no other con
tent but the empirical ego and, further, no real content of its own, although i t is not the
abstractform of a content either, as indeed might some falsel y psed problems about thi s
suggest. I n its most radical moment, every transcendental reduction gi ves access to a
145
Introuctin to the Origin ofGeometr
a:si|eeaaseiae:e.saea.sie:y.iaeaixeasea, . . e. ,aea:ei:aasm.s
s.eaeiseaseasiaei:ac.i.eaeii:aia,iaea|eeaase,:ee.:eea||y,iae:e
.saexeasea.iaeaia. sie:y, . . e. ,.iaeaiiaeeeae:eieaac.asi.iai.a,
aeis ei i:aaseeaceaia| sa|]eei.v.iy, .iaeai .is e|] eei.aeai.eas aac
sec.meaiai.eas . Neaeae sea|eixeaseaa.ccea.aaamaas.ac,
.i.sc.mea|iie,ei:. ceiiaesyeae|e,.ea|aaaiemeiiaea|iye:a|.|.iy,
aeaesea|eixeaseaa.ccea.aa.sie:y,iae. ma,|aai.veseaemaei
aeameaa|sa|siaaee.s aa:cieeaaee. iieeeaaaeea:se|vesieiaese
seca|ai.ve:e]ac.ees , e. iae:a. sie:yea|cea|yaaveaaem.:.ea|aac
exi:.as.es.,a.aeai.ea,e:e| sexeaseaea|cea|y|eamyia.Oaeeme:e
e ea|c aave ie eaeese |eieea xeasea aac u. sie:y. Yei ve:y
ea:| y, .aa.se:.i.e. smeisyeae|e,.smaac.aiae :eia:aieiaeia.a,s
iaemse|vesasiaeacveaieii:aees.i.v. sm, uasse:|a:,ec,eii. a,
:.ceiiaeseei:ameiiaesea| siaea|i. esaaca| |iaevesi.,eseie|ass..
sa|siaai.a|.sms .
i i xeasea. s|aiiaeesseai.a|si:aeia:eei iaei:aaseeaceata|ego aac
iaei:aaseeaceaia|we, .i is ,|.seiaem, a. sie:.ea|ia:ea,aaacia:ea,a
Ceave:se| y, a.sie:.e.iy, as saea,is :ai.eaa|ia:ea,a aacia:ea,a. nai
being, a.eaa:i.ea|aiesxeaseaaacu. siecy.a:e|ai.eaieeaeaeiae:,.s
a"sense, " aie|ee|e,.ea|ea,ai ie|ea.eaeeasi.iaies|e.a,asmeve
meai .1ae|asia,eseiiaeOrigin a:eea,a,ec.aia.s:e||em Dee
aeisiaacae:e|eie:eiae,:eaiaac:eieaac:e||emae:.zeaeixea
sea,iaesamexeaseaiaaiiaaei.eas.aeve:ymaa,iaeanimal rationale,
aemaiie:ae:.m.i.veae. s:, i s,ec.iec}, .
aeaiyeeiiaeiaa|aamaa.iy aasia.sesseaeeeianimal rationale.
aeaiye, uasse:|eeai.aaes, aas a :eei.aiaeesseai.a|si:aeta:eei
aai .s aa.ve:sa||yaamaa, ia:ea,aa.eaaie|ee|e,.ea|xeasea :aa
a.a,ia:ea,aeaia||a.sie:.e.iyaaaeaaees.ise|i.w.iaia. s.s:evea|eca
seiei:e||ems.a.is ea:.,ai:e|aiecieiaeieia|.iyeia. sie:yaacie
iae ieia| sease a.ea a|i. maie|y ,.ves .i .is aa.iy , | s ,mec.iec}
thoroughly historical SUbjecti vi ty. In a letter of November 1 6, 1 930, Husserl writes:
" For, with the transcendental reduction, I attained, I am convinced, concrete and real
subjectivity in the ultimate sense in al l the fullness of i ts being and life, and in thi s
subjecti vity, uni versal constituting life (and not si mpl y theoretical constituting life) :
absolute subjecti vi ty i n its hi storicity" (letter published by A. Diemer, French tf.
Al exandre Lowit and Henri Colombie, i n "La Phenomenologie de Husserl comme
metaphysique, " Les Etudes Philosophiques, NS 9 [ 1 954] , p. 3hereafter cited as
Diemer) .
` "Reason is not an accidental de facto ability, not a title for possible accidental
matters of fact, but rather a title for an all-embracing essentially necessar structural
form belonging to all transcendental subjectivity" (eM, 23, p. 57) .
|
146
Jacques Derrid
i. |eiaei:si,eeei:.ea|aeia.easaeses.i.iaei:siphilosophical
aei.s ea|yiae sease. aesi.,ai.eaeiia. sa.sie:.ea|:ai.eaa|.iy 'in the
constant movement of selelucidation. " 1e|ee|e,.ea| xeaseaa|:eacy
eeea.ec e. v.| . zai.eas [l'humanite dans ses tpes empirques] |eie:e
iae a. |esea.ea| sease.avesi.,ai.ea ,a sease.avesi.,ai.ea a.ea
awa|eaecxeaseaie.ise|i,aacaaaeaaeeciaea:easeeia. sie:.e.iy.
. e . iae ve:y seaseof xeasea. ie a.sie:y 1ae sease. avesi.,ai.eaei
aaiasa|:eacy iae:e a:|sa:aia:eaac. eeaseaeai|y. a:ac.ea|
aac e:eai.ve e:.,. a

ve:, se/faa|ea.a, [naissance a se. } ei a

|aieai.aieai.ea.sa:e|. :iauav.a,a::.vecai.ise|i.a. | esea. ea|kea
seaeaaiaasese:e. se ea|,iae a:eaeai.e iaaei.eaei|e,.aa.a,aac
:ese:.i.ea, ra. |esea,aaciaeC:. s. seia:eeaauaaa.i,. .aC,
:s, i aseia:asiae:ac.ea|a.|eseae:ee| .es.iaiaedemand ei
iaeie,es. |emustprescribe [commander] ; . aseia:asae:eseacsieaac
.s:eseas.||eie:. i. aeassaesiae:eseas.|. |.iyie:amandate. Oa|y
.aia. sseaseceesuasse:|ceiaea. asa"functionar of mankind" [C,
;:. | :}
naiaai. s iaeself (selbst) eiia. sse|ie|ae. cai.ea(Selbsterhellung) ?
i s aaaai:aaseeaceaia|eease.easaessea|yiae|aeeei:eres. vea:i.e
a|ai.ea. . e . iaemediation ei a ie,es :eia|.a, essess. ea eiitself
ia:ea,a ia.s eease.easaess: Ce:ia.a aaase:.is ei iae | asi e:. ec
.,ai sa,,esi ia.s. eaes aeee:c.a, ie a.ea iae a|se|aie ie,es
ea|c |e |eyeac i:aaseeaceaia| sa|]eei. v.iy nai . iia.s "b-
1 7: "Thus philosophy is nothing other than rational i sm, through and through, but it i s
rati onali sm diferentiated wi thi n i tself according t o the diferent stages of t he movement
of intention and fulfllment: i t is ratio in the constant movement of self-elucidation
[Scl bsterhel lung] , begun with the first breakthrough of phi losophy into mankind. whose i n
nate reason wa previously in a state of concealment, of noctural obscurity" ( " Phi losophy
as Mankind's Self-Reflection, " i n C, p. 338) .
1 7
n
"Just as man and even t he Papuan represent a new stage of animal nature, i . e . , as
opposed to the beast, so philosophical reason represents a new stage of human nature and
its reason" ( "Phi losophy and the Cri si s of European Humanity, " in C, p. 290; also cf.
pp. 298-99) .
1 7 7 Cf. E I I I , 4, p. 60: "The absolute polar ideal I dea. that of an absolute in a new
sense, of an absolute whi ch is situated beyond the worl d, beyond man, beyond
transcendental subjecti vi ty: i t i s the absolute Logos, the absolute truth . . . as unum,
verum, bonum . o . " (Diemer, p. 39) .
If the I dea is thought here to have a transcendental sense and. as we wi l l see in a
moment, is "beyond" only compared wi th the constituted moment of transcendental
subjecti vi ty, we can observe that Husserl profoundly recuperates the original scholastic
sense of the transcendental (unum, verum, bonum, etc . , as the transcategorial of Aristote
lian logic) over and above its Kantian meani ng. but also in a development of the Kantian
enterprise .
147
Introductin to the Origin of Geometr
yeac ces.,aaies ea|y a ie| ee|e,.ea| i:aaseeaceaee. .i ve:y e|ea:|y
eaaaeice:.vehistorical i:aaseeaceaia|sa|]eei.v.iyeiiaea|se|aieei
iaeSel; |eeaase. s.aeeiaeie,esa|aysaasiaeie:eia1e|es . .is
i:aaseeaceaeeea|caei|e:ea|i:aaseeaceaee|aiiae. cea| re|eie:
|:.a,.a, a|eai |:aaseeaceaia| sa|]eei.v.iy itsel. Oiae: assa,es
sa,,esiia.s.assa,esa.ea. .iaeaiaaycea|i. e:e| .ie:a|| yeeaie:
iea||eiuasse:| s esi| asi.a,. aieai. eas
1aei:a,eaisa.eaeai.eaCeca:ea:|ec.iaiaesaeaa:
eaia|.,a.iyCec.sae|ea,e:.ave|ec. asie:esa|e.aIdeas I ,;11.
. i : . aac;:. : i , , ea|yas iaeese|a:yece|aac | . .ieia||
eease.easaessei. ess. |. |.iy.aiae:eeieiaae. cei.ei:aia. iae|aiie:
|e.a,i:si aai Cec a. se|ieea|caeiea| | .aie aesi.ea Cec .s ae
|ea,e:ces.,aaiecasiaei:aaseeaceai:.ae.|e-aaceeaseaeai|ya|se
:ecaeec .aIdeas I ,;s. | :-s,-eieve:y aa.ve:sa|factual
ie|ee|e,y. e. iae:eiNaia:ee:iae s.:. i. . e . eia. sie:y D.v.ae eea
se.easaess. a.ea:evea|siae.aiaa,.|. |.iyeieeasi.iaiecesaees .sa
iei.eaa|eeaieaiaaciaec.:eei.a,1e|esie:iae :ea|aa.ve:se ~s sea
.i. sa iaeiaa|.iy 1ae :ecaei.ea eiCec asiaeiaa| |e.a, aac iaeiaal
eease.easaessseisi:eeiaes.,a.ieai.eaeii:aaseeaceaia|c.v. a.iy.saea
as.iaea:s.aiae|asi:.i.a,s 1aea|.,a.iyeaaaeaaeecae
eaia,eeeaee:as:ee.se|yiae:e|ai.eaeiiaei:aaseeaceaia|~|se|aie
sc. v.a.iyaaciaei:aaseeaceaia|~|se|aieasa. sie:.ea|sa|]eei. v. iy ia
.isi:aaseeaceaia| sease. Cec . sseei.esces.,aaiecasiaeeaeie
a:ca.ea iaeaiaeayaacaesea|s.aas . aieiae:i.es
as aai .s aeia.a, eiae:iaaaiaere|e' ~ii.esiaeie,eses
:essesitself through ai:aaseeaceaia|a. sie:y.aieiae:i.es.i.sea|y
iaea|se|aiee|a:aaiaeai.e.iyof i:aaseeaceaia|a.sie:.e.iyitself iaiae
i:siease .i:aaseeaceaia|aeaeeae|e,yea|c|eea| yiaeesi:.,e:
easlanguage eiaseea| ai.veeiaays.ese:aaa|se| aie.cea|. s i a
iaeseeeacease.iaeeeaeeis|e::eeci:eeiaays.esea|caave
ea| yametaphorical aac.ac.eai.ve sease. a.eaea|caeiesseai.a| |y
aaeeiiaee:.,.aa|a:.iyeiaeaeeae|e,yasi:aaseeaceaia|. cea|.s
iaiaei:siease.iaeesseai.a|aac:eseai|ea.iaceeiaa.aia.iyea|c
i 8
I n the same fragment (Diemer, p. 40) . the transcendence of the Logos i s defned as a
transcendental norm, "the i nfnitely di stant Pole. the I dea of an absol utely perfect
transcendental omni-communi ty.
1 7 K I I I , p. 1 06 (Diemer. p. 47) . [Derrida translates hi s frst cited phrase from the
German found i n Diemer on p. 48 rather than quoting the French given on p. 47. 1 In thi s
sense. the Pole as "beyond" i s always beyond for the Self of transcendental conscious
ness. It i s its own beyond. It will never be a real transcendence: "the path which starts
from the Ego . . . is its own path [our emphasi s] , but all these paths lead to the same
pole, situated beyond the world and man: God" (ibid. ) .
148
Jacques Derri
|eunfolded ea| y.aaa.sie:.ea|c. sea:s.veaessi:ema.ea. iea|c|ei
. ise|i|ederived. iaiaeseeeacease,.aaa.iyea|c|eea|yiae.aceaa.ie
openness iei:aiaaacieaeaemeaa|.iyie:asa|]eei.v.iyiaai.sa|ays
aa.ie.a.isiaeiaa||e.a,.
weeea|c|eaeme:eaaia.iaia|ieuasse:|iaaa|ysee.a,ac.|emma
ae:e . 1ecese ea|c sa:e|y|e ie si:aacea:se|ves . aa seea| ai.ve
aii.iace, .aiaee]e:ai.veseaseiaaiuasse:|a|aysass.,aecieia.s, .
1aeaeaemeae|e,.ea|aii.iace. sa:siaaava.|a|.|.iyeiaiieai.eaie:iae
iaia:eeiai:aiaa.ea. sa|aysa|:eacyaaaeaaeec. i asieaceii:aai.
ea||y.avesi.,ai.a,iaeei.eas, emasisi:.veiea:ciaeaeeessa:.|y
single :eeieieve:yc. |emma.Deesiaeseaseeii:aaseeaceaia|a.sie:.e
.iyma|eitsel aaae:sieec ,e:aea:c}thrugh iaaia.sie:.e.iy, | .|eiae
ie,esa.ea.saiiae|e,.aa.a,:i s Cec,eaiaeeeai:a:y,ea|yiaeaa|
a|a||meais.iaaiecaiiae.aaa.ie,iaeaameie:iaeae:.zeaeiae:.zeas,
aaaiaeEntelechy eii:aaseeaceaia| a.sie:.e.iy . ise|i: 1aeieai
eaee, ea iae|as.s eia si. | | ceee: aa.iy, saea e:aas . siae ea|y
ess.||e:eseaseieiaeaesi.eaeia.sie:.e.iy.Ceasea|saacasses
through constituted a.sie:y,ae. sbeyond . a:e|ai.eaieeeasi.iaieca.s
ie:yaaca||iaeeeasi.iaiecmemeaiseii:aaseeaceaia|| .ie. naiae.s
only iaere|efor itself eiconstituting a.sie:.e.iyaacconstituting a.sie:.
ea| i:aaseeaceaia| sa|]eei.v.iy. 1ae c.aa.sie:.e.iy e: iae meia
a.sie:.e.iyeiiaec. v. aeie,esea|yi:ave:sesaac,ees|eyeac raei
asiae:eacymace eia.sie:y, yeiiaeie,es .sbut iaea:emeve
meaiei.iseaa.sie:.e.iy.
1a.s s.iaai.ea ei iae ie,es .s :eieaac|y aaa|e,eas-aac aei |y
eaaaee-ieiaaieieve:y.cea| .iy,saeaasea:aaa|ys.seilanguage aas
eaa||eaasiesee.iy ia. seeaeei, icea|.iy. sat once sa:aieme:a|
aaaema.ieme:a| , aacuasse:|aa|. aes.isemei.esi eaeiasa.ea.
semei.mes .a iae eiae:, aeee:c.a,ie aeiae:e:aei ae :e|aies .iie
iaeiaa|ieme:a|.iy.Oa|yiaea eaaesaytaaia:esease, iae.aea| .iy
ei. cea|.iy,a.ea.snothing other than iaeaea:.a,ei|e.a,,.sat once
sa:aieme:a|,uasse:|a|seeriea saysi.me| ess[in-temporel] ) aacem
a.ieme:a| , e:a,a.aiaai"supratemporality implies omnitemporlit, "
iae|aiie:.ise|i|e.a,ea|y" a mode of temporality" (E, ;-1c , :-|
,mec.aec} , . ~:e aei sa:aieme:a|.iy aaa ema.ieme:a|.iy a|se iae
eaa:aeie:.si.es eiTime itsel? ~:eiaey aei iae eaa:aeie:. si.es eiiae
i.v|a,r:eseai.a.ea.siaea|se|aieeeae:eiere:mei aeaemeae|e,.
ea|ieme:a|.iyaaciae:.me:c.a|~|se|aieeia||i:aaseeaceaia| |.ie:
t 80
F I , 24, p . 6 8 (Diemer, p . 47: "God i s the Entelechy . . . )

t 8 |
"Die urzeitliche, iiberzeitliche ' Zeitlichkei t, ' " Husserl says, speaking of "my Liv
ing Present" (C 2 I I I , 1 932, pp. 8-9) .
149
Introductn to the Origin of Geometry
1aea.cceaieme:a|aa.iyeic.a , sa:a , e:.a ieme:a|.iyea
iaeeaeaaacaaceiomniieme:a|.iyeaiaeeiae:.siaeaa.ia:y,:eaac
eia||iaes.,a.aeai.easUnstances] c. ssee.aiec|yiaeva:.eas:ecaei.eas.
aeia

a|.iyaacesseai.a|.iy,e:|a|.aessaacaeae:|a|. aess, :ea|.iyaac

.aeaaiy, empeiria aaci:aaseeaceaia|.iy. 1a. s aa.iy, asieme:a|.iy s
ieme:a|aa.iyie:eve:yGeschehen, ie:eve:ya. sie:yas iaeassem||a,e
eiaaiaaeas.a,eae:a| ,.sa.sie:.e.iy.ise|i
I there is any histor, iaea a.sie:.e. iy eaa b ea|y iae assa,e ei
seeea [Parole] , iae a:e i:ac.i.ea eia :.me:c.a| ie,es iea:c a
e|a:1e|es nais.aeeiae:eeaab aeia.a,eais. ceiaea:ea.sie:.e.iy
eiiaaiassa,e,s.aeeiae:e.saene.a,a.eaaasseaseeais.ceeiia.s
a.sie:.e.iye:eseaes.is.aaa.ieae:.zea. s.aeeiaeie,esaaciae1e|es
are
.
aeia. ,at

.ceiaeinterplay ( Wechselspiel) eiiae.::ee. :eea|.as.

:ai.ea,ia.ss.,maesiaeaiaaiiaeAbsolute is Passage. 1:ac.i.eaa|.iy. s
aaie. :ea|aiesi:emeaeieiaeeiae:,. ||am.aai.a,eae|yiaeeiae:.aa
mevemeai ae:e.aeease. easaessa.seeve:s .is aia .a aa . aae a.ie
:ecaei.ea, a|ays a|:eacy|e,aa, aac ae:e.a eve:y acveaia:e .s a
eaa?,eeic. :eei.ea [conversion] aaceve:y:eia:aieiaee:.,.aaaaa
aae. easmeveiea:ciaeae:. zea1a.smevemeai.sa|seDanger(ous)
as the Absolute [I'Absolu d' un Danger] . re:.iiae|. ,aieisease. sea| y
ia

:ea,arassae,iaai.s|eeaaseiae| .,aieaaa| se|e| esieaiaeay

i.|eseeea,a,aieaa|e|esiea|y.aiae.aaaiaeai.e.iyeialanguage
aaa|yiaea|c.eai.eaeia sea|. a,|e. a,. iaiaai :eseei . aeaeme-
ae|e,y as Heiaea ei D. seea:se .s | :si ei a|| Selbstbesinnung aaa
Verantwortung, iae i:ee :ese|ai.eaie ia|e a eae s ea sease ,e:
:e,a.aeease. easaess [reprendre son sens ]) . .a e:ae: ie ma|e eaese|i
aeeeaaia||e.ia:ea,aseeea. ie:aa.me:.|ecaiaay 1a.sseeea
. s a. sie:.ea| , |eeaase .i . s a|ays a|:eaay aresponse. xeseas.|.|.iy
ae:emeaas saea|ae:.a, ae:ceae aea:s se|ea[une parole enten
due] , ase||asia|.a,eaeaese|iiaei:aasie:eisease..ae:ce:ie|ee|
arte:.isaavaaee. ia.ismesi:aa.ea|.m|.eai.eas. iaea. Heiaea.saei
iaeaeai:a|:eiaeee:preambulator exe:e. seeiiaea,ai. xaiae:,.i. s
iaea,ai.ise|i.aiaeeease.easaessei.iseem|eiea.sie:.e.iy
` Since The Idea of Phenomenology [tr. William P. Alston and George Nakhnikain
(The Hague: Nijhof, 1 973)] (cf. [Lecture 1] , pp. 1 8-1 9) , Husserl' s entire itinerary con
firms the essence of phenomenology in its fundamental discovery, that of the
transcendental; reduction as the essence of Method, in the richest and perhaps most
enigatic sense of this word. Husserl says the transcendental reduction i s "the Prto
Method of all philosophical methods" (C 2 I I ; S, 7; Diemer, p. 36) . On the sense of
phenomenology as Method, see particularly Beilage XI I I : "Foreword to the Continuation
of the Cri si s, " in K, pp. 435-5. [A French translation is presented by H. Dussort in
Revue Philosophique de France et de l' Etranger, 1 49 ( 1 959) , pp. 447-2. Some passages
are translated in C, p. 1 02 , and pp. xxviii ff. ]
150
Jacques Derid
~||ta.s:.,e:eas|yceve|estaec.seeve:yei.ateat.eaa| .ty.1ae| atte:
.s a|se aeta.a,|attae~|se|ateeia|.v.a,Meveeat.taeata.ea
ae.tae: .ts eac ae: .ts e:.,.a ea|c aave aay eaaaee eiaea:.a,.
i ateat.eaa|.ty .s t:ac.t.eaa| .ty. ~t.ts ,:eatestceta~. . e . . .ataea:e
eveeateiaeaeeae|e,.ea|tee:a|.zat.eaastae,e.a,eati:e
se|ite se|ieitae~|se|ateeitaei.v.a,r:eseat-.ateat.eaa|.ty .stae
:eeteia. ste:. e.tyiitaat.sse. eceaetaaveteassea:se| veswhat .s
taeseaseeia.ste:.e.ty.i aa||taes.,a.ieat.easeita. ste:.a.ste:.e.ty.s
sense.
r:ev.cece :eseet.tsphenomenological va|ae. saea aa asse:t.ea
ceesaett:aas,:esssease.tse|i.. . e. .a. ste:y sappearing aactaepossi
bility ei.ts aea:.a,. saeaaaasse:t.eaceesaet .s t:aaseeaceata|
.cea| . saac seea|at. veetaays.es i asteac. .t a:ss tae eeat
aeaeeae|e,yeaa|ea:t.ea|atec..taeateeaias.ea.. taaa. |ese
ayes.a,taeaest.eaeine.a,e:u.ste:y.1a. seate|e,.ea| aes
t. ea , eate|e,.ea| .a tae aeauasse:|.aa sease eitae te:. a.ea
a|eaeeaa|e .aactecayertea.s.eesecteuasse:| s aeaeeae|e,.
ea|eate|e,y,eaaaetstei:eaaeaeeae|e,yassaea. natece
aet|e|.evee.tae:taatta.saest.eaeaaeve:.in philosophical discourse,
simply :eeecet:aaseeaceata|aeaeeae|e,yas .ts :esaes.t.eae:
|ateat,:eaac. Oa taeeeat:a:y.ta.saest.eaea|c a:s .ta.aa.
|eseay.a,eae:a|taeeeatae:e.aaeaeeae|e,yte:.aatesas
taea.|esea.ea|:eaeceat.eie:eve:ya.|esea.ea|decision-a e
eateeaee.vece:eeve:|yuasse:| .s. aeeta.s:eaeceat.e.sa| ays
aaaeaaeecas.aia.te.taatmoment . saetaiaetaa|. ty|ataa.cea|sease.
a:.,ata.ea.| |a|ays:ea.aaace:aeaeeae|e,.ea|]a:. sc.et.ea.a
:.,at taataeaeeae|e,ya|eae eaa ese:e. se|yes| .e.t|yaat.e.at.a,
taeeacei.ts.t.ae:a:y.
weaeecteeeae|aceta.s:eaeceat.ece]a:ee:aat.e.ate.tsiaetaa|
eac. se taat e ay ass i:e tae aest.ea "how" te tae aest.ea
"why" -tesaeeiaateseas. it.s. ata.s:eseettaata||a.|e
sea.ea|c.seea:seastce:.ve.tsaatae:.tyi:eaeaeeae|e,y we
astesaaastce]a:etaeaest.eaeia.ste:.e.ty s seaseaaceia.ste:.e
.tyassease. . e. .eitaepossibility of a.ste:.ea|iaetaa| .tyaea:.a,.se
taate eaaaseia|| sease eitaeie||e.a,aest.eas .Is there, and
why is there, any historical factuality? 1aese te aest.eas a:e .::e
cae.||y.ate::e|atec.1ae ayeaaee:,eea|yi:etaepossible ,. a
taeetaays.ea|e:eate| e,.ea|sease .aacaet.ataeaeaeeae|e,.ea|
sease, aea|e.a, eia. ste:.ea| iaetaa| .ty. aac aea|e.a,as aeaa. ste:y
ea|y c.se|eses.tseventuality eatae |as. seiaeease.easaesseia:e
seaseaaca:ea. ste:. e.ty.. . e .eatae|as. seiaeease.easaesseipos
sibility .atae aeaeeae|e,.ea| sease. ~s e aave saue.eat|y seea.
151
I ntroduction to the Origin ofGeometry
ta.seease.easaess a.eaaeaeeae|e,ya|eaeeaa|:.a,te|.,ateaa
ea| y|eate|ee|e,.ea|eease.easaess 1a.s.s|eeaasetaeseasetea.ea
eaaveaeeess. saetaaeveat s|e.a,.|eeaaseta.sseaseeaaa|ays
aet|e. aea:aatec..teaac.eeate:aet|e|e:a.|eeaasetae ay ees
.tsse:.easaessteaaeaeeae|e,.ea|ee:ta.atyaacta:ea,ata. sse:. eas
aess:eeeve:s tae v.:a|eaee eiaa "in view of what?" 1ae eate|e,.ea|
aest.ea.taea.seesa||etea:.seea| yeateiate|ee|e,.ea|am:at.ea.
. . e. . eat eii:eece 1e|ee|e,y .s tae ta:eateaec aa.ty eisease aac
|e.a,.eiaeaeeae|e,yaaceate| e,yueeve:.ta.ste|ee|e,y.a.ea
aeve:eeasecte,:eaac aacaa.ate uasse:| s taea,at. eaaaet|ede
termined .aaa.| esea.ea|| aa,aa,e.taeat:ev. s.eaa||y|:eas.a,ta.s
aa.tyie:tae|eaeiteiaeaeeae|e,y.
1aas. sae.a,aattae seaseeiaaeveat.seatae|as. seiaiaetaa|
[evenementielle] esa|e.aacaattaeseaseeisease .a,eae:a|.sea
tae |as.s eiese|a:.aess .a ,eae:a| . e eaa taea ass ea:se|ves a
aest.eaa.eaae|ea,e::eeeecsi:eaeaeeae|e,yassaea Net .
" What is a Fact? " , aaest.eatea.ea aaeaeeae|e,.ea|eate|e,y
:eseacsasa:a|e . nat . "Why are a factual starting point in factualit
and a reduction possible in general? " O:. " What is the factuality offact
which supposes the exemplariness offact? " O:yet." What is the primor
dial unity ofsense andfact, a unit for which, by themselves alone, neither
can account?" i aetae:e:cs. sae.a,aatsease.sasa.ste:.e.ty. i
eaa e|ea:|y ass yse|iay tae:e ea|c |e aay a.ste:y :atae: taaa
aeta.a,.
l i
a
Oataeeeac.t.eataattaetas.a,se:.eas|yeia:eiaetaa| .ty
ie||esarte:taeess.|.| .tyeiaeaeeae|e,yaacassaes.ts] a:.c.ea|
:.e:.ty. tetaseiaetaa|.ty se:.eas|yas saea .sae|ea,e:te:eta:ate
e. :.e.se:aeaa.|eseay. Oataeeeat:a:y. .tee|etes a.|ese
ay. nat|eeaaseeitaat ..taststaac. atae:eea:.easeeaaesseia
aest.ea.taeaest.eaeitaee:.,.aeine.a,asu.ste:y.ve:y:esease
tesaeaaaest.eaeaa:esa:iaee ea|y .aaaeaeeae|e,.ea|:eeess
Oate|e,yea|yaasa:.,atte tae aest.ea. | ataea|ayseea|:eaea
[breche] eita.saest.ea.ne.a,.tse|i.ssilently saeaaace:taeae,at.v
.tyeitaeapeiron.
l i
4 uacea|tec| y. ne.a, .tse|iasta|aysa|:eacy|e
| 8!
Such a question can be repeated about every si ngle factuality and about al l the
particular forms of i nfnite historicity as the horizon of every phenomenon, about all the
determined forms of the world in general as the horizon of every possible experience,
singularly of this hi storical world right here.
! S4
We have already cited the passage in which Husserl, gathering together the entire
signifcance of his enterpri se, afrms that , for phenomenology, pure exi stential [existen
tielle] factuality as wild si ngularity (always outside the reach of every ei detic subsump
tion) i s "eternally the apeiron" ( "PRS, " p. 1 1 6). We pass from phenomenology to ontol
ogy ( in the non-Husserlian sense) when we si lently question the upsurge of stark fact and
152
Jacques Derrida
,.veateta.a|.a,,.atae:esat.ea-wa.ea. sa|sea:esat.eai
Hetaec'~acaacea|tec|yaeeesstene.a,and ne.a, sa::.va|ast
a|waysa|:eacy|econtracted e:drawn together, waeaaeaeeae|e,y
|e,. as|ye|a. .a,tae:.,attesea|[droit a parole] . ~ac.ine.a,c. c
aethave te|e u.ste:yta:ea,aaacta:ea,a,taedelay e:lateness ei
D. seea:seafter taesaew.a,eine.a,wea|c|e|atas. |e. sie:taae
[fautive misere] eitaea,atasaeaeeae|e,y. 1aatta. seaaaet|ese.
|eeaasea.ste:.e.ty. s:ese:.|ecie:ne.a,.taatce|ay. staecest. ayei
1aea,at.tse|iasD.seea:se-ea|y aaeaeeae|e,yeaasay ta saac
a|ea.|eseayeaa|te. t. re:aeaeeae|e,ya|eaeeaaa|e.aaa
. tea.ste:.e.tyaea:. . e ,.aaa.tec.seea:seaac. aaa. tec.a|eet.ea|aess
astaea:eess.|. | .tyaactaeve:yesseaeeeine.a,.aaa.iestat.eait
a|eaeeaaeeataea|se|atesa|]eet.v.tyeiseasetene.a,u.ste:y|y
a|.a,a|se|atet:aaseeaceata|sa|]eet.v.tyaea:,attaeeaceitae
est :ac.ea| :ecaet.ea, as a:e ass.veaet.ve tee:a|. ty, as a:e
aatetee:a|.zat.eaeitaei.v.a,r:eseat-. . e. ,aswealready saw, as
. ate:sa|]eet.v.ty 1ae c.sea:s.ve aac c.a|eet.ea| .ate:sa|]eet.v.ty ei
1.ew.ta.tse|i.atae. aaa.tea|t.|.e.tyaac. aaa.te. |.eat.eaei.ts
a|se|atee:.,.aseat.t|eseve:yetae:. ate:sa|]eet.v.ty. a,eae:a|teex.st
aaca|estaee|e.ea|aa.tyeiaea:.a,aacc.saea:.a,.::ecae.
||eue:ece|ay.staea. |esea.ea|a|se|ate,|eeaasetae|e,.aa.a,ei
etaec.e:eaeet.eaeaaea|yeeas.st.ataeeease.easaesseitae.|.ea
t.eaeianother :ev. eas, ess.||e,aaca|se|atee:.,.a.a,eae:a| . s.aee
cease to consider the Fact in its phenomenological "function. " Then the l atter can no
longer be exhausted and reduced to its sense by a phenomenological operation, even were
it pursued ad infnitum. The Fact is always more or always less, always other, in any
case, than what Husserl defines it as when he writes, for example, in a formula which
marks the highest ambition of his project: fact' , with its ' irrationality' , is itself a
structural concept within the system ofthe concrete Apiori" (eM, 39, p. 8 1 ; HusserJ ' s
emphasis) . But phenomenology alone, by going t o the end of eidetic determination, by
exhausting itself, can strip pure materiality from the Fact. It alone can avoid the confu
sion of pure factuality with such and such of its determinations. Naturally, having
reached this point, in order not to fall back into the philosophical nonsense of ir
rationalism or empiricism, the Fact then must not function: its sense must not b deter
mined outside or independently of all phenomenology. Also, once we have become
conscious of phenomenology' s juridical priority in all philosophical discourse, perhaps it
is permissible to regret again that Husserl had not also asked this ontological question
about which there is nothing to say concerning the question itself. But how can we lament
that phenomenology is not an ontology?
[Derrida says of the neologism presumption: "} wanted to escape the current mean
ing of the word presomption (conjecture or hypothesis), in order to be nearer the
metaphorical schema of anticipation and in order to set it more visibly over against the
very rare French word resumption ( I' m not even sure it exists}-which can only be
written with a u . " Therefore, this word is translated as "pre-sumption" to emphasize its
diference from ' ' presumption. ' ' ]
153
Introductin to the Origin ofGeometry
ta. s a|te:.ty ei tae a|se|ate e:.,.a st:aeta:a| |y aea:s .amy Living
Present aacs.aee.teaaaea:aac|e:eee,a. zecea| y.atae:. e:
c.a|.tyeiseeta.a,|.|emy Living Present, ta. sve:yiaets.,a.aestae
aataeat.e.tyeiaeaeeae|e,.ea|ce|ayaac|.. tat.eaiatae| ae|| aste:
,a.seeiateeaa.ae,taexecaet.ea. sea|ya:etaea,atastaatce|ay,
a:e taea,at.avest.,at.a,tae seaseei| tse|iasce|ayw.ta.aa.|ese
ayCea|ctae:e|eaaaataeat.etaea,ateine.a,as u.s te:y,ase| |as
aaaataeat.ea. ste:.e.tyeitaea,at , .itaeeease.easaesseice|ayeea|c
|e:ecaeec:nateea|ctae:e|eaaya.|eseay,.ita. seease. easaessei
ce|aywasaet:.e:c.a|aaca:e:Newa:.e:c.a|eease.easaessei
ce|ayeaaea|yaavetaea:eie:eiaat.e.at.ea. ~ttaesaet.e,
a:e eease. easaess eice|ay eaa ea|y |e a a:e aac |e,.t.ate, aac
tae:eie:e a:.e:. , :esat.ea, w.taeatwa.ea ,eaee a,a.a, c.seea:se
aaca. ste:ywea|caet|eess.||e.
1ae. ess.|.| .tyei:est.a,.ataes.|ea.ateaaaee,aewaess} eia
i. v.a,r:eseat ,tae se|e aaca|se|ate|ya|se|atee:.,.aeitaeDeraete
and tae De a:e, ei ne. a,and sease, |at a|ways etae: .a .ts se|i
.ceat.ty. tae . aa|.|.ty te |.veeae|esec .a tae .aaeeeat aac.v.cecaess
[indiviSion] eitae:.e:c.a|~|se|ate,|eeaasetae~|se|ate. spresent
ea|y.a|e.a,defered-delayed [dierant] w.taeat:es.te ,ta.s. eteaee
aacta. s. ess.|.| .tya:e,.vea.aa:.e:c. a|aaca:eeease.easaess
eiD.ae:eaee .saeaaconsciousness, w. ta. tsst:aa,esty|eeiaa.ty,ast
|ea||ete|e:este:ecte. tsewa|.,at .w.taeatsaeaaeease.easaess,
w.taeat. tsewa:ee:cea. seeaee, aeta.a,wea|caea:.
1ae:. e:c.a|D.ae:eaeeeitaea|se|ateO:. ,. a, wa.eaeaaaac. a
ceaa.te|yast |eta :eta.aaacaaaeaaee. ts a:e eeae:eteie:w. ta
a:.e:.seea:. ty . . e. ,tae|eyeace:taeta. s s.cewa.ea,.vesseasetea| |
e.:.ea| ,ea. as aac a| iaetaa| :eias.ea, taat .s e:aas waat aas
a|wa,s|eeasa.caace:taeeeaeetei"transcendental, " ta:ea,atae
ea.,mat.e a.ste:, ei .ts c. s|aeemeats D. ne:eaee wea|c |e t:aa
seeaceata| . 1ae a:e aac .ate:m. aa||e c. sa. etace ei taea,at st:.v
. a,te:ecaeeD. ne:eaee|,,e.a,|e,eaciaetaa|. aaa.t,tewa:ctae
.aaa.tyei.tsseaseaacva|ae,. . e. ,wa.|ea.ata.a.a,D.ae:eaee-taat
c. sa. etace wea|c |e t:aaseeaceata| ~ac 1aea,at s a:e ee:ta.aty
wea|c |et:aaseeaceata| , s. aee.teaa|ee|ie:wa:ctetaea|:eacyaa
aeaaeec1e|esea| y|yacvaae.a,ea,e:|e.a,.aacvaaeeei[en avan
cant sur] ) taeO:.,.ataat. aceaa.te|y:ese:ves .tse| i. saeaaee:ta.aty
aeve:aacte|ea:ataat1aea,atwea|aa|ways|eteeee.
1a. sst:aa,e:eeess. eaeia"Rickrage" . staeeveeats|eteaec
.aThe Origin ofGeometr, wae:e|yti.s.eeeeiw:.t.a,a| seae| cs, as
uasse:| says, aaexe|a:ys.,a.aeaaee[ 1 57] .
July 1961
Appendix
The Origin of Geometr 1
THE INTEREST THAT :ee| sas .a ia. se:| ma|es.iaeeessa:yie
ea,a,ea:sieia||.a:eaeei.easa.easa:e|yaeve:eeea::ecieCa|.|ee
we masiieeas ea: ,aze aei me:e|y aea iae :eacymace, aaacec
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a. si|.a|.a,,.iasaec.ae:eai. aa. si|.a|.ai:emaai.ias. aiaai
eia||iae|aie. aae:.ie:seiiaee|ce:,eemei:.e. scem,aeaeve:iaey
e:eai e:|,e.iae:asa:e,eemeie:se:asma|.a,:aei.ea|a|.ea
i.easei,eemei:y.xaiae:,.aceeca|evea||,emasia| se.aa.:e|ae|
.aieiae e:.,.aa|meaa.a, eiiae aaaceccea,eemei:y, a.eaeea
i.aaecie|eva| .c.iaia.s ve:ysamemeaa.a,-eeai.aaecaacaiiae
samei. measceve|eecia:iae:,:ema.a.a,s.m|y ,eemei:y .aa||
.isaeie:ms . Oa:eeas.ce:ai.eas.||aeeessa:.| y| eacieiaeceeesi
:e||emseimeaa.a,, :e||emseise.eaeeaaceiiaea. sie:yeise.eaee
. a,eae:a| ,aac.aceec.aiaeeaci e:e||emseiaaa.ve:sa|a.sie:y. a
,eae:a| , se iaai ea: :e|| ems aac exes.i.eas eeaee:a.a, Ca|.|eaa
,eemei:yia|eeaaaexem|a:ys.,a.aeaaee.
iei. i|eaeiec. aacvaaeeiaai,.aiaem.csieiea:a. sie:.ea|mec.ia
i.eas eamecema. |eseay,i|e:eaea:s ae:eie:iae :sii.me.ia
Ca|.|ee,ia:ea,aiaec.se|esa:eeiiaeceia:e||emseiiaemeaa.a,
e:.,.aei,eemei:yaac,ieaaceceaia. s, eii|emeaa.a,e:.,.aeia. s
aeays.es, ae|a:.iy.a,| .,aiie:ea:ae|eaace:ia|.a,.aame| y, ,iae
.cea ei} see|.a, ie ea::y eai, .a iae ie:m eia.sie:.ea| mec.iai.eas,
se|i:eaeei.eas a|eaiea:ea:eseai a.|eseaiea| s.iaai.ea . aiae
aee iaai.a ia. say e eaaaaa||yia|e essess.eaeiiaemeaa.a,.
meiaec,aac|e,.aa.a,eia. | eseay, iaeone a.|eseayiea.eaea:
| .iesee|sie|eaacea,aiie|eceveiec. re:,as.|||eeemeev.ceai
ae:e, ai a:si. aeeaaeei.ea .ia eaeexam| e, ea:.avesi.,ai.easa:e
a. sie:.ea|.aaaaaasaa|sease,aame|y,.av. :iaeeiaiaemai.ec.:eei.ea
a.ea eeas a ceia:e||ems a.ie aa|aeaiee:c.aa:ya. sie:y.
:e||emsa.ea,,aeeve:,] .aiae.:eaay, eaacea|iec|ya.sie:.
` This manuscript was written in 1 936 and was edited and published (beginning with the
third paragraph) by Eugen Fink i n the Revue internationale de philosophie , Vol . I , No. 2
( 1 939) under the title "Der Ursprung der Geometrie als i ntentional- historisches Prob
l em. " It appears in Biemel ' s edi tion of the Crisis as "Beilage I I I , " pp. 365-6. The first
paragaphs suggest i t was meant for i nclusi on i n the Crisis.
157
.
158
Edmund Husserl
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eaaaaia:a||yaeiyei|eseeaaiiae |e,. aa.a,.
1aeaesi.eaeiiaee:.,.aei,eeei:y,aace:a.eai.i|eae:e ,ie:iae
sa|eei|:ev.iy,e. ae|acea||c.se.|.aesiaaicea|. iasaaesex.si.a,
aiaeai.ea||y.aa:esaeei.e,saa| | aei|eeeas. ce:ecae:easiae
a.|e|e,.ea|a.sie:.ea|aesi.ea,. e ,asiaesea:eaie:iaei:si,eeei
e:s ae aeiaa|| y aiie:ec a:e ,eeei:.ea| :ees.i.eas, :eeis,
iaee:. es, e:ie:iaea:i.ea|a::ees.i.easiaeyc. seeve:ec, e:iae|. |e.
xaiae:iaaa ia. s, ea: .aie:esi saa|||e iae .aa.:y |ae| .aieiae esi
e:.,.aa|sease.aa.ea,eeei:yeaeea:ese, as:eseaiasiaei:ac.
i.eaei.| | eaa. a, .ssi.||:eseaiie:as, aac.ssi.|||e.a,e:|ecea. aa
| .ve|yie:a:c ceve|eeai . e .aa.:e .aie iaai sease .a a.ea .i
aea:ec.a a.sie:yie:iaei:sii.e-.aa.ea.iaacieaea:,evea
iaea,ae|aeaeia. a,eiiaei:sie:eaie:saaca:eaeieveaas|.a,
aue:iae. sia:i.a,i:eaaie|ae, i:eea:,eeei:y,e::atae:
i:eiaee|ce:aaacecceaie:s, saeaasae|.ceaa,eeei:y, ,iae:e
.saa.aa.:y|ae|.aieiaesa|e:,ece:.,. aa||e,.aa|a,sei,eeei:y
asiaey aeeessa:. |y asiaave |eea .a iae.: :. a||y esia||.sa.a,
iaaei.ea. 1a.s :e,:ess.ve .aa.:y aaave.ca||y :ea.as .ia.a iae
sae:eei,eae:a|.i.es , |ai, asesaa||seeasee, iaesea:e,eae:a|.i.es
a.eaeaa|e:.ea|yex| .eaiec,.ia:ese:.|ecess.|.|.i.eseia::.v.a,
ai a:i.ea|a: aesi.eas aac se|iev. ceai e|a. s as aase:s 1ae
,eeei:ya.ea.s:eacyace,seiesea|,i:ea.eaiae:e,:ess.ve
.aa. :y |e,.as, . sai:ac. i.ea Oa:aaaaex. sieaee eves.ia.a.a
aae:a||ei:ac.i.eas .1aeae|eea|ia:a|e:|c, .aa||.isie:s, ex.sis
ia:ea,ai:ac.i.ea1aeseie:saavea:.seaassaeaaeie:e|yeaasa| | y.
ea|se|aea|:eaayiaaii:ac.i.ea. s:ee.se| yi:ac.i.ea,aav.a,a:.sea
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iaea,ae,eae:a||y|aeaeia.a,,e:as,eecasaeia.a,,eiiaea:
i.ea|a: :eveaaaee aac eiiae s.:.iaa| sea:ee iaai |:ea,ai .i a|eai .
~ac yei iae:e |.es .a ia.s|ae|ei|ae|ec,e, eve:yae:e aac essea
i.a||y, aa.|.e.i|ae|ec,e, a.eaeaaiaasa| se|eaceex|.e. i, a
|ae|ec,e ei aaassa.|a||e se|iev.ceaee ii |e,. as . ia sae:ie. a|
eeea|aees, saea as. iaai eve:yia.a,i:ac.i.eaa| aasa:.seaeaiei
aaaa aei.v.iy, iaai aeee:c.a,|y asi ea aac aaaa e. v. | .zai.eas
ex.siec,aacaea,iaeiae.:i:si. aveaie:s, aesaaeciaeaeeai
eiaie:.a| saiaaac,aeiae::ae:a| :eacys.:.iaa||ysaaec r:e
iaesae:ie.a| ,aeeve:,eae. s|ec. aieiaeceias 1:ac.i.ea.seea.a
ia.s,eae:a|ayieeeai.aaec.aa.:y.aac, . ieaeeeas. sieai|ya.aia.as
So also for Gal i l eo and al l the periods followi ng the Renaissance, continual l y being
worked on in a l i vely forward development, and yet at the same time a traiti on.
159
The Origin of Geometry
iae c. :eei.ea ei . aa.:y, aa .aia.iy eiaesi.easeeasa, aesi. eas
a.ea|eaci eceia.ieaase:s.aaeee:c.iaiae. :sease 1ae. :ie:
ei ,eae:a|.iy-. aceec, as eae eaa see . ei aaeeac.i.eaec ,eae:a|
va| . c.iy-aaia:a||y a||ews ie: a|.eai.ea ie . ac. v. caa||y ceie:. aec
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,eeei:y,ava.|a||eieasia:ea,ai:ac. i. ea,eaave|ea:aec.i,aacse
aave ea:ieaeae:s, , ie|e aieia|aea.s.i.ea eis. :.iaa|aeee| .sa
eaisa.ea,:esia:ea,a iae eeai.aaece:| eiae s.:.iaa|aeis
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iaesei:ea.ea.iaasa:.sea.|ai.iaeve:yie:iae :eie:eaeeieaa
ea:| . e:eae.s:eeaiec.C|ea:| y, iaea, ,eeei:yasiaavea:.seaeaiei
afrst aea.s.i.ea, eai eii:si e:eai. ve aei.v.i.es we aace:siaac . is
e:s.si.a,aaae:ei|e.a,. .i. saeiea| yae|. | eie:a:c:eeessi:e
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aea.s.i.easa.aia.aiae.:va| .c.iy,a||a|eaaieia| .iysaeaiaai,ai
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160
Edmund Husserl
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iai.eas. 1ae seas.||e aiie:aaees aave sai.eieme:a| .ac.v.caai.ea
.aiaee:|c|.|ea||ee:e:ea|eeea::eaees, |.|eeve:yia.a,em|ec.ec
.a |ec.es as saea, |ai ia.s .s aei i:ae eiiae s.:.iaa| ie:m .ise|i,
But the broadest concept of l iterature encompasses them all : that is, it belongs to
thei r objective bei ng that they be li ngui stical l y expressed and can be expressed again and
again; or, more preci sely, they have their objecti vi ty, their existence-for-everyone, only
as signifi cation, as the meaning of speech. This is true i n a peculi ar fashi on i n the case of
the objecti ve sci ences : for them the di ference between the original l anguage of the work
and its translation i nto other languages does not remove i ts identical accessibil i ty or
change it i nto an i nauthentic, indirect accessi bi l i ty.
161
The Origin of Geometr
a.ea.sea|| ecaa .cea|e|]eei[ideale Gegenstindlichkit] . iaaee:
ia.aay.cea|e|]eeisceex.sie|]eei.ve|y.aiaee:|c,|ai.i. sea|y. a
v. :iaeeiiaeseie|eve|ec:eei.i. easaaca|i.maie|y.av.:iaeeiseas.
||yem|ecy.a,:eei.i.eas . re:|aa,aa,e. ise|i, .a|. isa:i.ea|a:.za
i. eas,e:cs, seaieaees, seeeaes, , .s, aseaaeas.|y|eseeai:emiae
,:ammai.ea|e. ai eiv.e, iae:ea,a| ymace aei.cea| e|]eeis ,ie:
exam| e,iaee:cLowe eeea:sea|yeaee. aiaeCe:maa|aa,aa,e,.i. s
. ceai.ea|ia:ea,aeai.is. aaame:a||eaiie:aaees|yaay,.veae:seas .
nai iae .cea| .i. es ei ,eemei:.ea| e:cs, seaieaees, iaee:.es-
eeas.ce:ec a:e|y as | .a,a.si.e si:aeia:es-a:e aei iae . cea|.i.es iaai
ma|eaaai. sex:essecaac|:ea,aiieva|.c.iyasi:aia.a,eemei:y.
iae|aiie:a:e.cea|,eemei:.ea|e|]eeis,siaiesei a.:s,eie.wae:eve:
semeia.a,.sasse:iec, eaeeaac.si.a,a. saaai. siaemai.e ,iaaia|eai
a.ea.i. ssa.c,.ismeaa.a,, ,i:emiaeasse:i.ea,a.ea.ise|i,ca:.a,iae
asse:i.a,, .s aeve: aaceaaaeve: |e iaemai.e. ~ac aai .siaemai.e
ae:e.s:ee.se|y.cea|e|]eeis,aaca.iec.ae:eaieaesi:emiaeseeem
.a,aace:iaeeeaeeiei| aa,aa,e.Oa::e||emaeeeaee:as:ee. se|y
iae.cea|e|]eeisa.eaa:eiaemai.e.a,eemei:y.aecees,eemei:.ea|
.cea|.iyasi|.|eiaaieia||se.eaees,:eeeeci:em.is:.ma:y.ai:ae:
seaa|e:.,.a,ae:e.i.sasi:aeia:e. ia. aiaeeease.eassaeeeiiae
:si.aveaie: ssea| , ie.is.cea|e|]eei.v.iy :iaacvaaeeeseeiaai.i
eeea:s|ymeaasei | aa,aa,e,ia:ea,aa.ea.i:eee.ves,seiesea|,.is
| . a,a. si.e|.v.a,|ecy[Sprachleib] . naiaecees| .a,a.si.eem|ec.meai
ma|eeaieiiaeme:e|y.ai:asa|]eei.vesi:aeia:eiaeobjective si:aeia:e
a.ea,e. ,. ,as,eemei:.ea|eeaeeie:siaieeiaaa.:s,. s. aiaei:eseai
asaace:siaaca||e|ya||aac. sva|.c,a|:eacy.a.is| .a,a. si.eex:ess.ea
as,eemei:.ea|seeea,as,eemei:.ea|:ees.i.ea,ie:a||iaeiaia:e.a
.is,eemei:.ea|sease:
Naia:a||y, esaa| | aei,e.aieiae,eae:a|:e||ema.eaa|sea:.ses
ae:eeiiaee:.,. aei|aa,aa,e. a.is.cea|ex.sieaeeaac.isex. sieaee.a
iae:ea|e:|c,:eaacec.aaiie:aaeeaacceeameaiai.ea.|aiemas|
sayaiee:csae:ea|eaiiae:e|ai.ea|eieea|aa,aa,e,asaiaaei.ea
eimaa .ia.a aamaa e. v. |.zai.ea, aac iae e:|c as iae ae:.zea ei
aamaaex.sieaee.
i.v.a, a|eia|| y. aiaee:|c e a:e eeasiaai|y eease.eas eiiae
e:|c, aeiae:e ay aiieai.eaie .ie: aei, eease.eas ei.i asiae
ae:.zeaeiea:| .ie , asaae:.zeaeiia.a,s,:ea|e|]eeis, .eiea:aeiaa|
aacess.||e.aie:esisaacaei.v.i.es. ~|ays siaac.a,eaia,a.asiiae
e:|cae:.zea.siaeae:.zeaeiea:ie||emea,aeiae:iae:ea:eaayei
iaem :eseai e:aei. neie:e evea ia|.a, aei.ee ei.i ai a|| , e a:e
eease. easeiiaeeeaae:.zeaeiea:ie||emea. ia.is|.m.iecaae|eas
eiea:ae.,a|e:s, iaese|aeaieas . wea:eiae:e|yeeeease.easeiiae

!
1 62
Edmund H usserl
eaeaea:exiena|ae:.zea.aeaeaeaseaseiae:s ..aeaeaeasei
aeease.easeiiaeas yeiae:s. as iaese.iaaeieaaeaie:
.aieaeiaa|aaceieai.a|.. ec.aieaacec.aie:e|ai.easeieaiay.
,ia. s .ave|ves} a :ee.:eea| ,eii.a, a|ea, .ia eiae:s . aaceaiae
|as.seiiaese:e|ai.easieaacea|.iaiae.eaie:.aiea:i.ea|a:eces
eieeaa.iy. iaiae. aaciaea |ae. .a a aa|.iaa| ay. eiy
|e.a,se:e|aiec i. |ee. eve:yaaaa|e.a,-aacta.s. saeae. s
aace:sieec|yeaaceve:yeaee|se-aasa.sie||eeaaac. a| ays
eeaai.a,a.se|i.e.v. |.zai.ea.a,eae:a| ..aa.eaae|aesa. se|iie
|e|.v.a,.
ii. s:ee.se|yie ia.sae:.zeaeie.v.|.zai.eaiaaieeea|aa,aa,e
|e|ea,s Oae.seease.easeie.v.|.zai.eai:eiaesia:iasaa.ec.aie
aac ec.aie| .a,a.si.eeeaa.iy. C|ea:| y.i.sea|yia:ea,a|aa,aa,e
aac.isia::eaea.a,ceeaeaiai.eas. asess.||eeeaa.eai.eas.iaai
aeae:.zeaeie.v.| .zai.eaeaa|eaaeeaaaceac|esseae .as.ia|ays
.sie:ea. waai.s:.v.|e,ec.aeease.easaessasiaeae:.zeaeie.v.|.
zai.ea aac as iae |.a,a. si.e eeaa.iy .s aia:e ae:a| e.v.| .zai.ea
,ia|.a,aay iaea|ae:a| aac iae e:|c eiea.|c:ea, . ia ia.s sease
e.v.| .zai.ea. s. ie:eve:yaaaeseeae:.zea.i.s. aeeaa.iyei
iaese ae eaa :ee.:eea||y ex:ess iaese|ves. ae:a||y. .a a ia||y
aace:siaaca||eiasa.ea.aac.ia.aia.seeaa.iyeve:yeaeeaaia|s
a|eaiaai.s.ia.aiaesa::eaac.a,e:|ceia.se.v.|.zai.eaase|]ee
i.ve|yex.si.a,ve:yia.a,aas.isaae.e:.saaa||e.aiae|:eacesi
sease. . e. . | .a,a.si.ea||yex:ess.||e.1aee|]eei.vee:|c. si:eiae
sia:i iae e:|c ie: a|| . iae e:|c a.ea eve:yeae aas as e:|c
ae:.zeai ise|]eei.ve|e.a,:esaesesea.aace:steecasea.ia
aeeea|aa,aa,e . iaa,aa,e.ie:.isa:i.asiaaei.eaaacexe:e.sec
eaae.iy. .s:e|aiecee::e|ai.ve|yieiaee:|c. iaeaa.ve:seeie|]eeis
a.ea. s|.a,a. si.ea||yex:ess.||e.a.is|e.a,aac.is|e.a, saea1aas
eaasea.ie||eea.e:|c-iaee:|ceia.eaea.eia.eae.
a| ays ia|| aac eaa ia||-aac. ea iae eiae: aaac. |aa,aa,e. a:e .a
sea:a||y.aie:i.aec. aac eae.sa|ays ee:ia.a eiiae.: .asea:a||e
:e|ai.eaa| aa.iy. iaea,a asaa||y ea| y . | .e.i| y. .a iae aaae: eia
ae:.zea
1a.s|e.a,:esaesec. iae:.a||yesia||.sa.a,,eeeie:eaae|
v.eas| y a|se ex:ess a.s .aie:aa| si:aeia:e nai iae aesi.ea a:.ses
,a.a. uecees iae |aiie:. .a .is.cea|.iy. iae:e|y |eeeee|]ee
i.ve:1e|esa:e.seeia.a,syea.ea.eaeaa|eaace:sieec|yeiae:s
[nachverstehbar] aac.seeaa.ea||e.asseeia.a,syea.e|e|ea,.a,
ieia. saa.. seo ipso e|]eei. ve. ]asiasaea.se|i.aseeae:eieaa..s
exe:.eaeea||eaacaaa||e|yeve:yeaeasa:ea|ia.a,.aiaee:|cei
163
The Origin of Geometry
ia. a,s.a ,eae:a| ree|eeaaa,:eea|eaisaeaia.a,s. eaaa|eee
ea ve:.aa||easse:i.easeaiae|as.seieeeaexe:.eaee.eie nat
aeceestae.ai:asyea.ea||yeeasi.iaiecsi:aeia:ea::. veataa.aie:
sa|]eei.ve|e.a,ei.iseaasaa.cea|e|]eeia.ea.as,eeei:.ea| .
. s aayia.a,|aia:ea|syea.e e|]eei. evea iaea,a. i aas a:.sea sy
ea.ea||y:ieias:eaeei 1aee:.,.aa||e.a,.ise|iiae:e. .aiae. ec.
aey[Aktualitit ] ei.isi:si:ecaei.ea.. e ..ae:.,.aa|se|iev.ceaee.
:esa|is . a ae e:s. si.a, aea. s.i.ea ai a|| iaai eea|c aave e|]eei. ve
ex. sieaee v. v. cse|i ev.ceaeeasses-iaea,a. asaeaaayiaaiiae
aei.v.iy.ec.aie|yians.aieiaeass.v.iyeiiaeae.a,|yiac.a,eea
se.easaesseiaaiaas]asiae|eea. r. aa||yia. s:eieai.ea c.sa,
ea:s. |aiiae c.saea:ec ass.a,aac|e.a,astaasaei|eeee
aeia.a,ie:iaesa|]eei.aaesi.ea..ieaa|e:eaa|eaec 1eiaeass.v
.iyeiaai .sai| :sie|sea:e| yaa|eaecaacaai e:aasee:,es
.ia,:eaie:aac,:eaie:e|a:.iyiae:e|e|ea,siaeess.||eaei.v.iyeia
:eee||eei.ea.aa.eaiaeasiexe:.eae.a,[Erleben] .s|.vecia:ea,a.a
a aas.ae aac aas.aei.veay. Ne .iiae e:.,. aa||yse|iev. ceai
:ecaei.ea. asiae a:eia| i|| eaiei. is .aieai.ea. . saai.s:eaeec
,:eee||eeiec, .iae:eaeeessa:. |yeeea:s. aeeeaay.a,taeaei. ve:eee|
|eei.eaeiaai. sasi.aaaei.v.iyeieeaea::eaiaeiaa|:ecaet.ea.aac
iae:e a:.ses iae:e|y. .a e:.,.aa| ee.ae. ceaee. iae se|iev.ceaee ei
.ceai.iy aaiaasae|eea:ea|.zec.ae:.,.aa|iasa.ea.siaesaeas
aai as :ev.eas|yse|iev.ceai ~|seeeesia||. saec.s iae eaae.iy
ie::eei.i.eaai.||.iaiaese|iev.ceaeeeiiae.ceai.iy,ee.ae.ceaee
ei.ceai.iy, eiiae si:aeia:e ia:ea,aeaiiae eaa.a ei:eei.i.eas Yei
evea.iaia.s.eaavesi.||aei,eae|eyeaciaesa|]eeiaaca.s sa|
]eei.ve.ev. ceaieaae.i.es. iaai.s.esi.||aaveae e|]eei. v.iy,.vea
itceesa:.se.aeeve:-.aa:e|. .aa:ysia,e-.aaace:siaaca||eiasa
.eaasseeaaseia|e.aieeeas.ce:ai.eaiaeiaaei.eaeieaiayaac
ie| |e aa|.acas a eeaa.tyeieaiay aacei| aa,aa,e. ia iae
eeaiaei ei:ee.:eea|| .a,a.si.e aace:siaac.a,. tae e:.,.aa| :ecaei.ea
aaciae:ecaeieieaesa|]eeieaa|eactively aace:sieec|yiaeeiae:s
ia ia. sia||aace:siaac.a,eiaai .s :ecaeec|yiae eiae:. as .a iae
easeei:eee||eei. ea. a:eseaieeaeee|.saeaieaeae seaa:iei
iae:eseai.iecaei.v.iyaeeessa:.|yia|es|aee.|aiaiiae saei.e
iae:e.sa|seiaese|iev.ceaieease.easaesseiiae.ceai.tyeiiaeeaia|
si:aeia:e.aiae:ecaei.easei|eiatae:eee.ve:eiiaeeeaa.eai.ea
aaciaeeeaa.eaie:. aac ia.s eeea:s :ee.:eea||y 1ae :ecaet.eas
eaa:e:ecaeeiae.:|.|eaessesi:ee:seaiee:sea.aac.aiaeeaa.a
eiiaeaace:siaac.a,eiiaese:eei.i.easaai.sse|iev.ceaiia:asaas
iaesae.aiaeeease.easaesseiiaeeiae: |ataeaa.iyeiiaeeea
164
Edmund Husserl
a.iyeieemmaa.eai.eaamea,seve:a|e:seasiae:eeaiec|y:ecaeec
si:aeia:e|eeemesaae|]eeieieease.easaess, aeiasa|.|eaess, |aias
iaeeaesi:aeia:eeemmeaiea|| .
Neemasiaeieiaaiiaee|]eei.v.iyei iae.cea|si:aeia:eaas aei
yei|eeaia| | yeeasi.iaiecia:ea,asaeaaeiaa|i:aasie::.a,eiaaiaas
|eeae:.,.aa||y:ecaeec.aeaeieeiae:saee:.,.aa||y:e:ecaee.i
waai .s | ae|.a,. siaepersisting existence eiiae .cea|e|]eeis evea
ca:.a, e:.ecs .a a.ea iae .aveaie: aac a.s ie||esa:e ae |ea,e:
a|eia||yse:e|aiece:eveaa:eae|ea,e:a|.ve.waai.s|ae|.a,.siae.:
eeai.aa.a,ie|eeveaaeaaeeaeaas,eease.eas| y}:ea|.zeciaem.a
se|iev.ceaee.
1ae.me:iaaiiaaei.eaei:.iiea,ceeameai.a,|.a,a.si.eex:ess.ea
. siaai.ima|eseemmaa.eai.easess.||e.iaeai.mmec.aiee:mec.aie
e:seaa| acc:ess , .i .s, se ie sea|, eemmaa.eai.ea|eeeme v.:iaa| .
1a:ea,a ia.s , iae eemmaaa| .zai.ea ei maa .s |.uec ie a ae |eve| .
w:.iiea s.,asa:e , aea eeas.ce:eci:em aa:e|yee:e:ea|e.aiei
v. e, si:a.,aiie:a:c|y,seas.||yexe:.eaeea||e,aac.i. sa|ayses
s.||eiaaiiaey|e.aie:sa|]eei.ve|yexe:.eaeea||e. aeemmea. naias
| .a,a.si.e s.,as iaey aa|ea, as ce | .a,a. si.e seaacs, iae.: iam.|.a
s.,a.aeai.eas . 1ae aa|ea.a, .s semeia.a, ass.ve. iae aa|eaec
s.,a.aeai.ea. siaas ,.veaass.ve|y,s.m. |a:|yieiaeay.aa.eaaay
eiae: aei.v.iy a.ea aas saa| .aie e|sea:. iy, eaee assee.ai.ve|y
aa|eaec,eme:,esaia:sipassively asame:ee:|esse|ea:meme:y.i a
iaeass.v.iy. aaesi.eaae:e,as. aiaeeaseeimeme:y, aai. sas
s.ve|yaa|eaeceaa|ei:aasie:mec|ae|,seiesea|,.aieiaeee::e
seac.a,aei.v.iy.ia. s.siaeeaae.iyie::eaei.vai.eaiaai|e|ea,se:.,
.aa||yieeve:yaamaa|e. a,asasea|.a,|e.a,.~eee:c. a,| y, iaea.iae
:.i.a,ceaeaeeisai:aasie:mai.eaeiiaee:.,.aa|meceei|e.a,ei
iae meaa.a, si:aeia:e, ,e. ,. ,] .ia.a iae ,eemei:.ea| sae:e ei se|i
ev.ceaee, eiiae,eemei:.ea|si:aeia:ea.ea .s ai. aiee:cs . ii |e
eemessec.meaiec, seiesea|.naiiae:eace:eaama|e.ise|iev.ceai
a,a. a, eaa:eaei.vaieiaese|iev.ceaee.t
1ae:e .s a c.si.aei.ea, iaea, |eieea ass.ve|y aace:siaac.a, iae
ex:ess.eaaacma|.a,.ise|iev.ceai|y:eaei.vai.a,.ismeaa.a,.nai
iae:ea|seex.siess.|.|.i.eseia|.aceiaei.v.iy,aia.a|.a,.aie:msei
This is a transformation of which one is consci ous a being i n i tself patterned afer
[what is passi vel y awakened].
t But this is by no means necessary or even factuall y normal . Even without this he can
understand; he can concur " as a matter of course" in the validity of what is understood
wi thout any acti vity of his own. In this case he comports hi msl f purel y passivel y and
recepti vel y.
165
The Orgin of Geometry
ia.a,siaaiaave |eeaia|ea ame:e|y :eeei.ve|y, ass.ve|y, a.ea
cea|s .ia s.,a.aeai.eas ea|y ass.ve|y aace:sieec aac ia|ea eve:,
.iaeaiaayeiiaese|iev.ceaeeeie:.,.aa|aei.v.iy.rass.v.iy.a,eae:a|
.siae:ea|meiia.a,siaaia:e|eaacie,eiae:aacme|i.aieeaeaaeiae:
assee.ai.ve|y, ae:e a||meaa.a,iaaia:.ses .s aiie,eiae:ass. ve|y.
waaieiieaaaeasae:e .siaaiameaa.a,a:. sesa.ea.saa:eai|y
ess.||easaaa. iy-. . e. ,eaaaa:eai|y|emacese|iev.ceaeeia:ea,a
aess.||e:eaei.vai.ea-ae:easiaeaiiemiaiaeiaa|:eaei.vai.eaeaa
:eaei.vaieea|yiae.ac.v.caa|mem|e:seiiaeeem|.aai.ea, a.|eiae
.aieai.eaieaa.iyiaem.aieaae| e, .asieacei|e.a,a|a||ec, eemesie
aeia.a,. iaai . s, iae eai.e va|.c.iy .s cesi:eyec ia:ea,a iae e:.,.aa|
eease.easaesseiaa||.iy.
ii.seasyiesee iaai evea .a ,e:c.aa:y}aamaa|.ie, aac a:sieia||.a
eve:y.ac.v.caa||.iei:emea.|caeecaiemaia:.iy,iaee:.,.aa||y.aia.
i.ve| .iea.eae:eaies.ise:.,.aa||yse|iev.ceaisi:aeia:esia:ea,aae
i.v.i.eseaiae|as.seiseaseexe:.eaeeve:ya.e|| yaac.a.ae:eas.a,
measa:eia||sv.ei.mieiaeseduction oflanguage. C:eaie:aac,:eaie:
se,meais eiia.s|.ie |ase .aie a |.ac eiia||.a,aac :eac.a, iaai . s
cem.aaieca:e|y|y assee.ai.ea,aaceriea eaea,a, .a:eseeiieiae
va|.c.i. es a::.vec ai .a ia.s ay, .i .s c.sae.aiec |y sa|seaeai
exe:.eaee .
Neeae .|| say iaai .aiae sae:eiaai.aie:esis as ae:e-iaaiei
se.eaee, eiia.a|.a,c.:eeieciea:ciae aiia.ameaieii:aias aac iae
ave.caaeeeiia|seaeec-eae .s e|v.eas|y,:eai|yeeaee:aeci:emiae
sia:iieaiasieieiaei:ee|ayeiassee.ai.veeeasi:aei.eas . iav.e
eiiaeaaave.ca||e sec.meaiai.ea eimeaia|:ecaeis .aiaeie:m ei
e:s.si.a,| .a,a.si.eaea.s.i.eas,a.eaeaa|eia|eaaa,a.aaia:si
me:e|yass.ve|yaac|eia|eaeve:|yaayeaee|se,saeaeeas::aei.eas
:ema.a a eeasiaaicaa,e:. 1a.scaa,e:. s ave.cec .ieae aeime:e|y
eeav.aeeseaese|iexesiiaeieiaaiiaea:i.ea|a:eeasi:aei.eaeaa|e
:eaei.vaiec |ai assa:eseaese|ii:emiae sia:i , arie: iae seaev.ceai
:.ma|esia|| .sameai, ei.iseaae.iyie|e:eaei.vaiecaaceaca:.a,|y
ma.aia.aec. 1a. seeea:saeaeaeaasav.eieiaeaa.vee.iyei| .a
,a.si.eex:ess.eaaacieseea:.a,, |ymeaaseiiaemesia.asia|.a,
ie:mai.eaeiiae:e|evaaie:cs, :ees.i.eas, aaceem|exesei:ee
s.i.eas , iae:esa|isa.eaa:eie|eaa.veea||yex:essec1a. smasi|e
ceae|yiae .ac.v.caa|se.eai.si , aacaeiea|y|yiae .aveaie:|ai|y
eve:y se.eai.siasamem|e:eiiae se.eai.aeeemmaa.iyaue:aeaas
ia|eaeve:i:emiaeeiae:saai.sie|eia|eaeve:.1a. s|e|ea,s, iaea,
ie iae a:i.ea|a:s eiiae se.eai.ae i:ac.i.ea .ia.a iae eeaeseac.a,
eemmaa. iy eise.eai.sis as a eemmaa.iy ei|ae|ec,e | . v.a, .a iae
aa.iyeiaeemmea:eseas.|.|.iy.iaaeee:c.iaiaeesseaeeeise.eaee,
166
Edmund Husserl
iaea. .is iaaei.eaa:.es a.aia.a iae eeasiaaie|a. . iae e:seaa| ee
ia.aiy.iaaieve:yia.a,iaeyai.aie se.eai.ieasse:i.e?saas |eea sa.c
eaeeaacie:a| | . iaai.i siaacsiasi . ie:eve:.ceai.ea||y:eeaia||e
.ia se|iev.ceaee aac asa||e ie: ia:iae: iaee:ei.ea| e: :aei.ea|
eacs-as .aca|.ia||y :eaei.vaia||e .ia iae .ceai.iy ei .is aeiaa|
eaa. a,
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iae |as.s eiiaese a|:eacy aiia.aec. iaai iae ae eaes se:ve as iae
ieaacai.eaie:si. | | eiae:s. eie-.aiaeaa.iyeia:ea,ai.ve:eeesei
i:aasie::eceaa.a,
| aiaeiaa||y. ease:e|.te:ai.eaeiase.eaee|.se,eeei:y.aai
aas|eeeeeiiaee|a.aaciaeeaae.iyie::eaei.vai.ea:waeaeve:y
:esea:eae:e:ss ea a.s a:i eiiae |a.|c.a,. aai eiiae veeai.eaa|
.aie::ai.easaaci.eeaiie::esi .a.eaeaaaei|eeve:|eesecae:e:
waea ae:eia:asieiae aeiaa|eeai.aaai.eaeie:s. asiaei:si:aa
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:e.sesaacaeiaa||y:eaei.vaieiaeae|eiam,:

|ise. as..eaeeis
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.s eiiae esseaeeeiiae :esa|iseieaea sia,e aeiea|yiaai iae.:.cea|
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s.aee eaa.a, .s ,:eaacec aea eaa.a,. iae ea:|.e: eaam,

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ee:ia.a esieai 1aasae |a. |c.a,||ees. ia. aiae eaia| si:aeia:e . s
se|i same.eai . aac aeae. iaea. eaa |e .ec.aie| y :eaei.vaiec |y
.ise|i}

1a.s .s esee.a||yi:ae eise.eaees a.ea . | .se,eeei:y. aaveiae.:

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a.

eae: aac
e:e. cea| .i.esaia. ,ae:|eve|sa:e:ecaeec |i.sa.iec.ae:eai.aiae
seea||eccese:.i.ve se.eaees. ae:eiaeiaee:ei.ea|.aie:esi. e|ass.iy
.a,aaccese:.|. a,.:ea.as.ia.aiaesae:eeisease .aia.i.ea.a.ea
ie: .i :e:eseais se|iev.ceaee ue:e. ai |easi. a,eae:a| . eve:y ae
:ees.i.eaeaa|y. ise|i|eeasaec.a ie:se|iev. ceaee
ue. |y eeai:asi . .s a se.eaee| .se,eeei:yess||e: Je. as
sysieai.e. eac|ess|y,:e.a, si:ai.iec si:aeia:eei.eaai.e

ea

.i
a.aia.a. ise:.,.aa|eaa.a,ia| aessia:ea,a|. v. a,:eaei.vaia|.|iy.i.is
At frst, of course, i t is a matter of a frm direction of the wi l l , which the scientist
establishes i n hi mself, aimed at the certain capacity for reactivation. If the goal of reac
tivatability can be onl y relatively fulflled, then the cla
.
i m whih
.
stems fro the n
sciousness of being able to acquire something also has Its relatvlt ; and thI S relatIVIty
also makes itself noticeable and is driven out. Ultimatel y, obJectIve, absolutely frm
knowledge of truth is an infnite idea.
167
The Origin of Geometr
ee,a.i.veia.as.a,.ssaesecie:ecaeeseeia.a,ae.iaeai|e.a,
ae|e ie :eaei.vaieiae:ev.eas|eve|s eisae| ec,e |aesie iaei:si:
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aac ass.ve|y aace:sieec. . s ai i:si e:e|y :eee.vec .ia a ass.ve
e,ea:i.e.ai.ea.iaseaaasva|.c.aac.aia.sie: .i. sa|:eacyea:
eaa.a, r:eia.sec.si.a,a. saiaeeea| . a:aac.e:iaaiaei.v.iy
ei es|.eai.a, ea: eaa.a, wae:eas .a .is i:si ie: .i as a
si:a.,aiie:a:c|y va|.c eaa.a,. iasea a as aa.ia:y aac aac.i
ie:eai.aiec-eeae:eie|y seas. a,. a si:a.,aiie:a:c|y va| . c cee| a:a
i.ve seaieaee~ae aai .a .ise|i .s va,ae aac aac.ae:eai.aiec . s
aei. ve| yes|.eaiecCeas.ce:.ie:esa| e. i|eay. aa.eaeaace:
siaac. aea sae:ie.a||y:eac.a,iae aesae:. aac s.|y :eee.ve
iaeaes . ae:eiae:e .saass.veias.a,eve:eieai.eva|.c.iysaea
iaaiaai.s:eacsi:a.,aiay|eeeesea:e.a.ea
nai.i.sseeia.a,see.a|.aseaave sa. c. ieaave iae. aieai.eaie
es|.eaie .ieea,a,e.aiaeaei.v.iya.eaa:i.ea|aiesaaiaas|eea:eac
,e:aa.aie:esi.a,seaieaeei:e.i .esi:aei.a,eae|yeae..asea:ai.ea
i:e aai aas |eea va,ae| y. ass.ve|y :eee.vecas a aa.iy. iae e|e
eaiseieaa. a,. iaas|:.a,.a,iaeieia|va|.c.iyieaei.vee:ie:aaee
.a a ae ay ea iae |as.s eiiae .ac.v.caa| va|. c.i.es waai as a
ass.veeaa.a,aiie:aaasae|eeeeeaeeeasi:aeiecia:ea,aae
i.ve:ecaei.ea 1a. saei.v.iy. iaea. .saeea|.a:se:ieise|iev.ceaee .
iae si:aeia:ea:.s. a,eaiei.i.s.aiae eceeiaav.a,|eea e:.,.aa||y
:ecaeec ~ac .a eeaaeei.ea .ia ia. s se|iev.ceaee . iee. iae:e .s
eeaaa|.zai.ea 1ae es|.eaiec]ac,eai |eeees aa . cea| e|]eei
eaa||eei|e.a,assecea|i.sia. se|]eeiese|as.ve|yiaai.seaai|y
|e,.eaea.iseasseiseaieaeese:]ac,eais ~aciaasiaedomain of
logic . saa.ve:sa||yces.,aaiec.ia. s. saa. ve:sa||yiaesae:eei|e.a,ie
a.ea |e,.e e:ia.as .aseia: as .i .s iae iaee:y ei iae seaieaees e:
:ees.i.eas}.a,eae:a|
1a:ea,aia. saei. v. iy. ae.ia:iae:aei. v.i.es|eeeeess. ||e-se|i
Verdeutlichung, i . e. , maki ng explicit.
168
Edmund H usserl
ev.ceaieeasi:aei.easeiae]ac,meaisea iae |as.seiiaesea|:eacy
va|.cie:as . 1a.s . siaeeea||a:ieaia:eei|e,.ea|ia.a|. a,aacei.is
a:e|y|e,.ea|se|i ev.ceaees . ~|| ia.s :ema.as. aiaeieveaaea] ac,
meaisa:e i:aasie:mec .aie assami.eas, ae:e, . asieac eiea:se|ves
asse:i.a,e:]ac,.a,,eia.a|ea:se|ves.aieiaees.i.eaeiasse:i.a,e:
]ac,.a,.
ue:eesaa||eeaeeai:aieeaiaeseaieaeesei| aa,aa,easiaeyeeme
ieasass.ve|yaaca:eme:e|y:eee.vec. iaia.seeaaeei.ea.imasia|se
|eaeieciaaiseaieaees,. veiaemse|ves.aeease. easaessas:e:ecae
i.vei:aasie:mai.easeiaae:.,.aa|meaa. a,:ecaeeceaieiaaaeiaa| ,
e:.,.aa|aei.v.iy . iaai. s, .aiaemse|vesiaey:eie:iesaeaa,eaes.s . i a
iaesae:eei|e,.ea|se|i ev.ceaee,cecaei.ea,e:.aie:eaee. aiemsei
eeaseaeaee, |ays aeeasiaaiaacesseai.a|:e|e. Oaiaeeiae:aaac,
eaemasia|seia|eaeieeiiaeeeasi:aei.veaei.v.i.esiaaiee:aie. ia
,eemei:.ea| .cea| .i.esa.ea aave|eea ex|.eaiec|ai aei|:ea,aiie
e:.,.aa| se|iev.ceaee. ,O:.,.aa| se|iev.ceaee masi aei b eeaiasec
.iaiaese|iev. ceaeeei ax.ems .ie:ax.emsa:e. a:.ae.|ea|:eacy
iae:esa|iseie:.,.aa|meaa.a,eeasi:aei.eaaaca|aysaaveia. s|e
a.aciaem. ,
Neaaia|eaiiaeess.|.| .iyeieem|eieaac,eaa.ae:eaei.vai.ea
.aia| | e:.,.aa|.iy, ia:ea,a,e.a,|ae|ieiae :.ma|se|iev.ceaees, .a
iaeeaseei,eemei:yaaciaeseea||eccecaei.vese.eaees,seea||ec,
a|iaea,aiaey|yaemeaasme:e| ycecaee, :ue:eiaeiaacameaia||a,
.ia aaeeac.i.eaa||y,eae:a|se|iev.aeaee, .s . .iiae :em.seseaaae
iaa||y|e:eaei.vaiec|ae|ieiaemesie:.,.aa|se|iev.ceaee,iaeaiae.:
se|iev.ceai eeaseaeaees eaa |e a|se ~eee:c.a,|y . iaea:s iaai,
|e,.aa.a,.iaiae:.ma|se|iev. ceaees , iaee:.,.aa|,eaa.aeaessmasi
:ea,aie.ise|iia:ea,aiaeeaa.aei|e,.ea|.aie:eaee, aemaiie:ae
|ea,.i. s ueeve:,.ieeeas.ce:iaee|v.easaa.iaceeiiae.ac.v.caa|
aac evea iae see. a| eaae.iy iei:aasie:m iae|e,.ea|eaa. aseieea
ia:.es, i:a| y. aiaeaa.iyeieaeaeeem|.sameai,.aiee:.,.aa||y,eaa. ae
eaa. aseise|iev.ceaee,eaei.eeiaaiiie,a|eve}| aeeaia. as.ia.a
.ise|iaa. cea|.zai.ea. aame|y,iae:emeva|ei| .m.isi:emea:eaae.iy,
.aaee:ia.a sease. is.aaa.i.zai.ea. 1aeeea|.a: se:i eise|iev.ceaee
|e|ea,.a,i esaea.cea|.zai.eas.||eeaee:aas | aie:.
1aesea:e, iaea, iae ,eae:a| esseai.a|.as.,ais a.eae|ae.caieiae
ae|emeiaec.ea|ceve|emeaieiiae cecaei.ve se.eaeesaac. ia.i
iaemaaae:ei|e.a,a.ea. sesai.a|ieiaem.
1aesese.eaeesa:eaeiaaaceccea:eacymace.aiaeie:meicee
ameaiecseaieaees ,iaey.ave|vea| .ve| y, :ecaei. ve|yacvaae.a,ie:
mai.eaeimeaa.a,, a.eaa|aysaasiaeceeameaiec,asasec.meaiei
ea:|.e::ecaei.ea, ai.iscsesa| .aiaai.icea|s.ia.i|e,.ea||y. nai
1 69
The Origin of Geometr
eai eiseaieaees.ia sec. meaiec s.,a.aeai.ea, |e,.ea| cea|.a, eaa
:ecaee ea|yeiae:seaieaeeseiiaesameeaa:aeie:. 1aaia||aeae
a. s.i.easex:essaaaeiaa|,eemei:.ea|i:aia.see:ia.aa:. e:. aace:
iae:esaes.i.eaiaaiiaeieaacai.easeiiaeaecaei.vesi:aeia:eaave
i:a|y|eea:ecaeecaace|]eei.aec. ae:.,.aa|seaev.ceaee ,. . e ,aave
|eeemeaa.ve:sa||yaeeess.||eaea.s.i.eas. ~eeai.aa.iyi:emeaee:
se
(
ieaaeae:,i:emeae i.me ieaaeiae:,masiaave |eeaeaa||eei
oem

eao.ec eai. ii .s e|ea: iaai iae meiaec ei:ecae.a, e:.,.aa|

.cea|.i.eseaieiaai.s:ese.eai.aea||y,. vea.aiaeea|ia:a|e:|cmasi
aave|eea:.iieaceaaacaxec.aa:m seaieaees:.e:ieiae ex. s
ieaee ei ,eemei:y. ia:iae:me:e, iae eaae.iy ie: i:aas|ai.a, iaese
seaieaee i:em va

ae| .a,a.si.eaace:siaac.a, .aie iae e|a:.iy eiiae

:eaei.vai.eaeiiae.:se|iev.ceaimeaa.a,masiaave|eea, .a.is ea
ay, aaacecceaaaceve:eaa||eei|e.a,aaaceccea.

Oa|as| ea,asia.seeac.i.eaassai.saec, e:ea| yaeaiaeess.|.|

.iyei.isa|a||meaiase:ieei|yseea:ecie:a||i.me, eea|c,eemei:y
:ese:ve.is,ea
.ae,e:.,aa|meaa.a,asacecaei.vese. eaeeia:ea,a
eaiiae:e,:ess.eaei|e,.ea|eeasi:aei.eas . iaeiae:e:cs,ea| y.aia.s
ea

e eea|c eve:y ,eemeie: |e eaa||e ei|:.a,.a, ie mec.aie sea

ev.eaee iae m

aa.a, |ene |y eve:y seaieaee, aei me:e| y as . is

sec.meaiec ,|e,.ea|, seaieaeemeaa.a, |aias. is aeiaa| meaa.a, .is
i:aia meaa. a,. ~acseie:a||ei,eemei:y.

1ae:e,:esseicecaei.eaie||esiema||e,.ea|se|iev.ceaee, |ai
w. i|a

i iae aeiaa||y ceve|eeceaae.iy ie: :eaei.vai.a,iaee:.,.aa|

aei. v.i.eseeaia.aec.ia.a. isaacameaia|eeaeeis, . . e. .iaeaiiae
aai

ciae ae ei.is:ese.eai.aemaie:.a|s , ,eemei:yea|c

|eai:ac.i.eaemiyeimeaa.a,,c.ieea:se|vesc.caeiaaveia.s
eaae.iy,eeea|caeve:evea|aeaeiae:,eemei:yaace:eve:c.c
aavea,eaa.aemeaa.a,,eaeiaaieea|c:ea| | yb easaec.a.
uaie:iaaaie|y, aeeve:,ia.s. s ea:s.iaai.ea,aaciaaieiiaeae|e
mece:aa,e.
1ae :esaes.i.ea meai.eaeca|eveaas .aiaeiaeve:|eeaia|
a||ec. Heiae|. v. a,i:a.i.eaeiiaemeaa.a,ie:mai.eaeie|emeaia:y
eaeei
.saeiaa||yeao.eceaeaa|eseea.ae|emeaia:y,eemei:.ea|
asi:aei.eaaac .isiexi|ee|s, aaie aeiaa||y|ea:aiae:e .saeie
cea|.iaready-made eeaeeisaacseaieaees. aa:.,e:eas|ymeiaec.ea|
ay. xeace:.a,iae eeaeeis seas. ||y. aia.ia||e |ymeaas eic:aa
a,a:es. ssa|si.iaiecie:iaeaeiaa|:ecaei.eaeiiae:.ma|.cea|.i.es
~ac ie :esi . s ceae |saeeess-aei iae saeeess eiaeiaa| .as.,ai
e

xieacm,|eyeaciae|e,.ea|meiaec sease|iev.ceaee,|aiiae:ae
i.ea| saeeesseseia|.ec ,eemei:y, .is .mmease , iaea,a aei aace:
sieec, :aei.ea|aseia|aess. 1e ia.s emasiacc semeia.a, iaai.||
170
Edmund Husser
|eeeme v. s.||e ia:iae:ea .a iae i:eaimeaieia. sie:.ea| maiaemai.es.
aame| y. iaecaa,e:seiase.eai.ie| .ieiaai. seem|eie|y,. veaeve:ie
|e,.ea| aei.v.i. es 1aese caa,e:s | . e .a ee:ia.a :e,:ess. ve i:aasie:
mai.easeimeaa.a,iea.eaia.sse:ieise. eai.iei:eaimeaic:. veseae
nyexa.|.i.a,iaeesseai.a|:esaes.i.easaeaa.ea:esisiaea.s
ie:.ea|ess.|. |.iyeia,eaa.aei:ac.i.ea.i:aeie.ise:.,. as. eise.eaees
| . se ,eemei:y. e eaa aace:siaac ae saea se. eaees eaa v.ia||y
ceve|e ia:ea,aeai iae eeaia:. es aac si.|| aei |e ,eaa.ae 1ae . a
ae:.iaaee ei:ees.i.eas aac eiiae meiaecei|e,.ea||y eeasi:aei.a,
ae:ees.i.easaac.cea| .i.eseaaeeai.aae. iaeai.aie::ai.eai:em
eaee:.ecieiae aexi. a.|eiaeeaae.iyie::eaei.vai.a, iae:. ma|
|e,.aa.a,s. . e . iaesea:eeseimeaa. a,ie:eve:yia.a,iaaieemes|aie:.
aas aei |eeaaaacec cea .ia .i waai.s| aes.a, .s iaas:ee.se|y
aai aac ,.vea aac aac ie ,.ve meaa.a, ie a|| :ees.i.eas aac
iaee:.es, ameaa.a,a:.s.a,i:emiae:.ma|sea:eesa.eaeaa|emace
se|iev.ceaia,a.aaaca,a.a
Oieea:se, ,:ammai.ea||yeeae:eai:ees.i.easaac eeaeaieaai.eas
ei:ees.i.eas. ae maiie: ae iaey aavea:.sea aac aave aea.evec
va|.c.iy-vea .i. i. s ia:ea,a me:eassee.ai.ea-aae .a a|| e.:eam
siaaeesiae. :ea|e,.ea|meaa.a,.. e ,iae.:meaa.a,iaaieaa|emace
se|iev.ceaiia:ea,aex|.eai.ea. ia. seaaiaea|e. ceai.aeca,a.aaac
a,a.a as iae same :ees.i.ea. a.ea .s e.iae: |e,.ea||y eeae:eai e:
.aeeae:eai.ae:e.aiae|aiie:ease.ieaaaei|eexeeaiec.aiaeaa. iyei
aa aeiaa|]ac,meai i a:ees.i.easa.ea|e|ea,ie,eiae:.a eaece
ma.aaac.aiaececaei.vesysiemsiaaieaa|emaceeaieiiaeme
aavea:ea|mei. cea| .ceai.i.es . aacie:iaeseiae:eex.sieas.|yaace:
siaaca|| eess.|. | .i.es ei| asi.a, i:ac.i.eaa|.zai.ea nai :ees. i.eas.
| .seeiae:ea|ia:a|si:aeia:es . aea:eaiaeseeae.aiaeie:meii:ac.
i.ea.iaeye|a. m. seieseas. ie|esec.meaiai.easeiai:aiameaa.a,
iaaieaa |e mace e:.,.aa||y se|iev.ceai. ae:eas .i .s |y ae meaas
aeeessa:yiaaiiaey ,aeiaa||y}aavesaeaameaa.a,. as.aiaeeaseei
assee. ai.ve|yce:.vecia|s.aeai.eas 1aasiaeae| e:e,.veacecaei.ve
se.eaee,iaeieia|sysiemei:ees.i.eas.aiaeaa.iyeiiae.:va| .c.i.es.
.si:siea|yae| a. ma.eaeaa|e]asi.aecasaaex:ess.eaeiiaea||e,ec
i:aiameaa.a,ea| yia:ea,aiaeaeiaa|eaae.iyie::eaei.vai.ea
1a:ea,aia.ssiaieeiaaa.:seeaaaace:siaaciaeceee::easeaie:
iae cemaac.a.eaaass:eacia:ea,aeaiiaemece:ae:. ec aac aas
aaa||y |eea ,eae:a||y aceeiec. ie: a seea||ec e.sieme|e,.ea|
These work to the beneft of logical method, but they remove one further and further
from the origins and make one i nsensitive to the problem of origi n and thus to the actual
ontic and truth-meaning of all these sciences.
171
The Orgin ofGeomety
,:eaac.a, ei iae se.eaees. iaea,a e| a:.iy aas aeve: |eea aea. evec
a|eaiaaiiaemaeaacm.:ecse.eaeesa:eaeiaa||y|aes.a,

~s

ie:ia:iae:ceia.|seaiaea:eei.a,eiaae:.,. aa| | y,eaa.aei:ac.

i.ea, . e , eae a.ea .ave|vece:.,.aa| se|iev. ceaee ai .is aeiaa| i:si
|e,. aa.a,.eaeeaae.aiieess.||eaaceas. |yaace:siaaca||e:easeas
| aiaei:sie:a|eeee:ai.eaeiiae|e,.aa.a,,eemeie:s. iaeaeecas
aae:sia

ca||y|aes.a,ie:aaexaeiix.a,eicese:.i.easeiiae:ese.
eai.ie nma| maie:.a|aaceiiaeays.a a.ea. .a :e|ai.ea ie ia.s
maie:.a| . ,eemei:.ea|.cea|.i.esa:eseie,eiae:.iaiae| :siax.ema
i.e

:ees.i.eas ra:iae:. iae |e,.ea|sae:si:aeia:esc.c aei yei:.se

ea.,aiaaieaeeea|caei:eia:aa,a.aaaca,a.aieiaee:.,.aa|meaa
1 09: Oaiaeeiae:

aaac.iaeess.|.|.iyeiiae:aei.ea|a| .eai.eaeiiae
cenvec| as. a.eaasaeiaa||ye|v.eas.aeeaaeei.ea.iaiaee:.,.
a|cve|emeais

aace:siaaca||y|eca.es| y. .aiae:ea|mei:ax. s. ie
aaa|.iaa||y:aei.eecmeiaeceias.a,maiaemai.es. . iaeec|e.ie|:.a,
a|eaiaseia|ia.a,s 1a. smeiaeceea|caaia:a||y|eaaacecceaevea
.iaeai iae a|.|.iy ie: e:.,.aa| se|iev.ceaee 1aa s maiaemai.es
emi.ecei

eaa.a,.eea|c,eae:a||y:ea,aie. ise|i.eeasiaai|y|e.a
accec ie|?,.ea| | y, as eea|ciae meiaec.eseiieeaa.ea|a|.eai.eaea
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eameei

. ise|iama]e:mei.veie:iaeacvaaeemeaiaaca:ee.ai.eaei
iaese s..eaes 1aas

a|se .i .s aace:siaaca||e iaai iae |esi e:.,.aa|

i:aiameaaa,mace .ise|iie|i s |. ii|e. .aceec. iaai iae aeecie: iae
ee::eseac.a, :e,:ess.ve .aa.:y aac ie |e :eaaseaec He:e iaaa
ia.s . iaei:aeseaseeisaeaaa. aa.:yaacie|ec.seeve:ec
Oa::esa|is|asecea:.ae.|ea:eeia,eae:a|.iyiaaiexieacseve:a||
iae eea||
c ecaei.ve se.eaees aac evea .ac.eaies s.m.|a: :e||ems
aac

mvesi.,ai.e

ie:a||se.eaees re:a||eiiaemaaveiaeme|.|.iyei
sec!eaiec i:ac.i.asiaai a:e e:sec aea. a,a.a aac a,a.a. |yaa
aei. v.iy e
:eaea

, ae si:aeia:es eimeaa.a, aac aaac.a, iaem

ceax. si.

mia.say.iaeyexieaceaca:.a,|yia:ea,ai.me.s. aee
a

||aeaea.s.i.easa:e. aiansec.meaiecaac|eeemee:s.a,maie
:a| s ve:

e:e iae :e||ems. iae e|a:.iy.a, .avesi.,ai.eas. iae .a

s.,aiseinae.|ea:ehistorical. wesiaac.ia.aiaeae:.zeaeiaamaa
ev. | .zai.ea.aeeae.aa.eaeea:se|vesae|.ve wea:eeeasiaai|y.
.ia| yease. easeiia. sae:.zea,aacsee.aea||yasaieme:a|ae:.zea
. m|.ec 1 0 ea:,.vea:eseai ae:.zea 1e iae eae aamaae.v.| .zai.ea
ie:eee.-es

eacsesseai.a||yiaeeaeea|ia:a|e:|casiaesa::eaac.a,
|.iee:|c .ia .is ,eea| . a:} maaae:ei|e.a,. ia.s e:|c. ie: eve:y
What oes Hume
.
do but endeavor to i nquire back into the primal impressions of
developed Ideas and, I n genera, scientifc ideas?
1 72
Edmund Husserl
a. sie:.ea|e:.ecaace.v. |.zai.ea, aas. isa:i.ea|a:eai:esaac

.s:
e.se|y iae i:ac.i.ea. we siaac, iaea, .ia.a iae a.sienea| aenze m
a|eaeve:yia.a, .s a.sie:.ea| , eveaiaea,ae may |ae ve:y |. ii|e
a|eat.i. aaceaa.ieay. nai. i aas.isesseai.a|si:aeia:e

iaaieaa|e
:evea|ec ia:ea,a meiaec.ea|. aa.:y. 1a. s.aa.:y :es

en|es a||ie
ess.||esee.a|.zecaesi.eas, iaas .ae|aa.a,,ie:iae

s..aees, iae.
a.:.es|ae| .aie e:.,.aa.eaa:e eea||a:ie iaem m .:iaeeiie.:
a. sie:.ea|maaae:ei|e.a,. ue:eea:e|ec|ae|ieiaenma|matena|s
eiiae a:si ie:mai.ea eimeaa. a,, iae :.ma|:em.ses, se

te sea|,
a.ea| . e .a iae :ese.eai.ae ea|ia:a|e:|c. Oieea:se, ia.sea|ia:|
e:|c aas .a ia:a.is ea aesi.eas eie:.,. a, a.ea ai a:si:ema
aaas|ec.
Naia:a||y, :e||emseiia. sa:i.ea|a:se:i .mmec. ai| yaa|eaiae
ieia|:e||emeiiaeaa.ve:sa|a.sie:.e.iyeiiaeee::e|ai.v aaae:sei
|e.a, eiaamaa. iy aac iaeea|ta:a|?:|c aciaea nen s:aei:e
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a.eaa:eiam.|. a:ieea:eaa.|esea.ea|a. sie:.ea|s.iaai.ea.

i aiaea:si|aee, aai se:i eisi:aa,ee|si.aaey .s ia.s , se|m,ie

ia|e iae aesi. eaeitae e:.,.aei,eemet:y|ae|iesemeaac.seeve:
a||e1aa|esei,eemei:y,semeeaeaeievea|aeaie|e,eac:Ceemei:y
. sava.|a||eieas. a.is:ees.i.eas, .isiaee:. es. Oieea:semasiaac
e eaa aase: ie: ia.s |e,.ea| ec.aee ie iae | asiceia|| m ie:ms ei
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iaeme:eeeecieiaee:.,.aa|se|iev. ceaeea.eataeiaacameai
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.aia. seasesee.aea||yiaeiaee:yei,eemei:.ea||ae|ec,e:Ne eae
ea|c ia.a| ei i:ae.a, iae e.sieme|e,.ea| :e||em |ae| ie sea a
saesec 1aa|es. 1a. s .s a.ie sae:aaea. 1a :eseai|y va.|a||e
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a:si
asaease|iev.ceaie.a.ea,|aiaeve:iae|essasi:ae:ees.i.eas
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:eace:.a,iae:ees.i.easiaemse|vesse|iev.ceai.
Oa:aase:. sasie||es . Ce:ia.a|ytaea.sie:.ea||ae|c:eie:eaee
aasaeieeea::ecieaayeae,ee:ia.a|yiaee:yei|ae|ec,eaasaeve:
|eeaseeaasaeea| . a:|ya. sie:.ea|ias|. naiia. s. s:e
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syeae|e,.ea|ex|aaat.ea,|eieeae.iemee.ea|a ,eet.een,m,
.siaacameaia||ym.sia|ea, aa|esseaemacm. ss.||y||m.is,iaeasaa|
ay, iae eeaeeis ei a. sie:y, a. sie:.ea| ex|aaai.ea, aac
1 73
The Origin ofGeomet
,eaes.s . O::aiae:, aai.siaaceaia||ym.sia|ea.stae| . m. iai.ea
ia:ea,a a.ea :ee.se|y iae ceeesiaac mesi,eaa. ae:e||emsei
a. sie:ya:eeeaeea|ec.iieaeia.a|seve:ea:exes.i.eas,a.eaa:eei
eea:sesi.||:ea,a aac. |||aie:eiaeeess.iy| eac as .aie ae ceia
c.meas.easi , aai iaey ma|e e|v. eas . s :ee.se|y iaai aai e
|ae-aame|y,taatiae:eseai|yv. ia|ea|ia:a|eeaa,a:ai.ea ,eem
ei:y .s a i:ac.t.ea aac . s si. || ee.a, aaacec cea-. s aei |ae|
ec,e eeaee:a.a,aaexie:aa|eaasa| . iy a.eaeaeeisiaesaeeess.eaei
a. sie:.ea|eeaa,a:ai.eas, as.i.ie:e|ae|ec,e|asecea.acaei.ea,
iae:esaes.i.eaeiwa.eaea|cameaaiieaaa|sa:c.iyae:e ,:aiae:,
i eaace:siaac,eemei:ye:aay,.veaea|ta:a|iaei. sieb eease.easei
.is a. sie:.e.iy, a||e.i .m|.e.i|y. 1a. s, aeeve: , .s aei aa emiy
e|a. m,ie:a.ie,eae:a||y.i.si:aeie:eve:yiaei,.veaaace:iaeaeac
.a,eiea|ia:e, aeiae:.i. samaiie:eiiae|e|.esiea|ia:eeiaeees
s.i.ese:iaea.,aestea|ia:e, se. eaee, siaie. eaa:ea , eeeaem.ee:,aa.
zai.ea, eie. i , iaai eve:y si:a.,atie:a:c aace:siaac.a, ei .t as aa
exe:.eai. a|iaei.ave|vesiae eeeease. easaess taai. t. ssemeta. a,
eeasi:aeiecia:ea,aaamaaaei. v.iy.Nemaiie:aea. ccea,aemaiie:
aeme:e|y .m|.e.i|y ee.m|.ecta. s meaa.a,. s. tae:e|e|ea,sie.t
taese|iev. ceatess.|.|.tyeiex|.eai.ea, ei ma|.a,.tex|.e.t aac
e|a:.iy.a, .i. ve:y ex| .eai.ea aac eve:y i:aas.i.ea i:em ma|.a,
ex|.e.iiema|.a,se|iev. ceai,eveae:aas.aeasesae:eeaesies
maeaieeseeai . s aeia.a,eiae:iaaaa. sie:.ea| c.se|esa:e, . a.ise|i,
esseai.a|| y,.i. ssemeia.a,a.sie:.ea|, aacassaea.i|ea:s, .iaesseai.a|
aeeess.iy,taeae:.zeaei. isa. sie:y.ia. a. ise|i1a.s. seieea:sea|se
tesayiaaiiaeae|eeiiaeea|ia:a|:eseai,aace:sieecasaieia|.iy,
.m|. esiaeae|eeiiaeea|ia:a|asi.aaaaacete:m. aec|aisi:ae
ia:a||yceie:m.aec ,eae:a|.iy. 1e ai .ime:e :ee.se| y, . i.m| .es a
eeai.aa.iyeiasisa.ea.m|yeaeaaeiae:,eaea.a. ise|i|e.a,aasi
ea|ia:a|:eseai . ~acia.sae|eeeai.aa. iy .saunit eii:ac.i.eaa|.za
t.ea e ie iae :eseai, a.ea .s ea: :eseai ,a :eeess ei}
i:ac.i.eaa|. z.a,.ise|i. are.a,siai.ev.ia| .iy.1a. s . s, asaas|eeasa.c,
aaaaceie:m.aec,eae:a|.iy, |ai.iaas.a:.ae.|east:aeia:ea.eaeaa
|emaeame:e.ce|yex|.eaiec|y:eeeec.a,i:emiaese.ac.eat.eas ,
a si:aeta:ea.eaa|se,:eaacs, .m| .es, iaeess.|.|.i.esie:eve:y
sea:eaie:aacceie:m.aai.eaeieeae:eie,iaeiaa|siaieseiaaa.:s

Ha|.a,,eemei:yse|ie.ceai,iaea,aeiae:eae.se|ea:a|eaiia. s
e:aei ,.siaec.se|esa:eei. isa.sie:.ea|i:ac.t.ea.natta. s|ae|ec,e. . i
.t. saeite:ema.aemiyia||e:aac.ae:eat.aiec,eae:a| . ty. :ea.:estae
metaec.ea|:ecaei.ea,:eeeec.a,i:emiae:eseaiaacea::.eceatas
:esea:ea.aiae:eseai. eic.ae:eai.aiecse|iev. ceaeeseitaeiyec. s
eeve:eca|eve,. aseve:a|i:a,meata:y. avest.,ai.easeiaai|e|ea,s
iesaea|ae|ec,esae:ae. a||y, as.ie:e, .Ca::.eceaisysiemai.ea||y.
1 74
Edmund Husserl
saea se|iev.ceaees :esa|i .a aeia.a,eiae: aac aeia.a,| ess iaaa iae
aa.ve:sa| a :.e:. eia.sie:y .ia a|| .is a.,a|y a|aacaaieemeaeai
e|emeais.
weeaaa|sesayaeiaaia.sie:y.si:emiaesia:iaeia.a,eiae:iaaa
iaev.ia|mevemeaieiiaeeeex.sieaeeaaciae. aie:eav.a,eie:.,.aa|
ie:mai.easaacsec.meaiai.easeimeaa.a,
~ayia.a,iaai.ssaeaie|eaa.sie:.ea|iaei , e.iae:.aiae:eseai
ia:ea,aexe:.eaeee:|yaa. sie:.aaasaiaei.aiaeasi, aeeessa:.|y
aas.isinner structure ofmeaning; |aiesee.a||yiaemei.vai.eaa|.aie:
eeaaeei.eas esia||. saec a|eai.i.aie:ms eieve:ycay aace:siaac.a,
aave cee, ia:iae: aac ia:iae::eaea.a, . m|.eai.eas a.ea masi |e
.aie::e,aiec, c. se|esec ~|| me:e|y} iaeiaa| a. sie:y :ema. as .aeem
:eaeas.||e |eeaase, a|ays me:e|y c:a.a, .is eeae|as.eas aaive|y
aacsi:a.,aiieoa:c|yi:emiaeis, .iaeve:
_
a|esiaemai.eiae ,eae:a|
,:eaac eimeaa.a, aea a.ea a|| saea eeae|as.eas :esi, aas aeve:
.avesi.,aieciae. mmeasesi:aeia:a|a:.e:.a.ea.s:ee:ie. i Oa| y
iaec.se|esa:eeiiaeesseai.a||y,eae:a|si:aeia:e| y. a,.aea::eseai
aac iaea .a eve:y asi e:iaia:e a.sie:.ea| :eseai as saea , aac, .a
ieia| .iy,ea| yiaec.se|esa:eeiiaeeeae:eie,a.sie:.ea|i.me.aa.eae
| . ve ,.aa.eaea:ieia|aamaa.iy|.ves.a:eseeiie.isieia| ,esseai.a||y
,eae:a|si:aeia:e-ea|yia. sc.se|esa:eeaama|eess.||ea. sie:.ea|.a
a.:y [Historie] a.ea . s i:a|y aace:siaac.a,, .as.,aiia| , aac .a iae
,eaa.aeseasese.eai.ae 1a.s.siaeeeae:eie, a.sie:.ea|a:.e:.a.ea
eaeemasseseve:yia.a,iaaiex. sisasa.sie:.ea||eeem.a,aacaav. a,
|eeemee:ex.sis.a.isesseai.a||e.a,asi:ac.i.eaaacaaac.a,cea.
waaiaas|eeasa.cas:e|aiecieiaeieia|ie:m a.sie:.ea|:eseai.a
,eae:a| , a.sie:.ea|i.me,eae:a||y.naiiaea:i.ea|a:eeaa,a:ai.easei
ea|ia:e, a.ea aac iae.:|aee.ia.a .is eeae:eai a.sie:.ea||e.a,as
i:ac.i.ea aac as v.ia||y aaac.a, iaemse|ves cea, aave .ia.a ia.s
ieia|.iy ea|y :e|ai. ve|y se|i same. eai |e.a, .a i:ac.i.eaa|.iy, ea|y iae
|e.a, ei aease|i same.eai eemeaeais Ce::e| ai. ve|y, ae. aeeeaai
ea|caaveie|eia|eaeiiaesae] eeiseia.sie:.e.iy,iaee:seasae
e:eaie ea|ia:a| ie:mai.eas, iaaei.ea.a, .a ieia|.iy e:eai.ve e:seaa|
e. v.|.zai.ea
The superfcial structure of the exteral l y " " ready-made" men wi thi n the social
hi storical , essential structure of humanity, but also the deeper [structures] which disclose the
inner hi storicities of the persons taking part . [ "Structures" is Biemel 's interpolation. ]
t The hi storical world i s, t o be sure, frst pregiven as a social-hi storical world . But i t is
historical only through the i nner historici ty of the i ndi vidual s, who are i ndi vi dual s in thei r
i nner historicity, together wi th that of other communal i zed persons . Recall what was said
i n a few meager begi nni ng exposi ti ons about memories and the constant historicity to be
found i n them [pp. 1 62[ above] .
1 75
The Origin ofGeometry
i a:eseeiie,eemei:yeae:eee,a.zes, aeiaaieaavee.aieceai
iae a.cceaaessei. isiaacameaia|eeaeeis, a.eaaave|eeeme.aae
eess.||e, aac aave mace iaem aace:siaaca||e as saea .a a:si|as.e
eai|.aes, iaaiea| yiaeeease.eas| yseiias|ei,c.seeve:.a,}iaea. sie:.
ea|e:.,.aei,eemei:y,.ia.aiaeieia|:e||emeiiaea:.e:.eia.s
ie:.e.iy. a,eae:a|,eaa:ev.ceiaemeiaecie:a,eemei:ya.ea.si:ae
ie.ise:.,.asaacaiiaesamei.me.sie|eaace:sieec.aaaa.ve:sa|
a. sie:.ea|ay.aaciaesame.si:aeie:a| |se.eaees, ie:a. |eseay. ia
:.ae.| e, iaea,aa.sie:yeia.|eseay,aa.sie:yeiiaea:i.ea|a:se.
eaees.aiaesiy|eeiiaeasaa|iaeiaa|a. sie:y,eaaaeiaa||y:eace:aeia
.a,eiiae.:sa|]eeimaiie:eem:eaeas.||e re:a ,eaa.aea. sie:y ei
a.|eseay,a,eaa.aea. sie:yeiiaea:i.ea|a:se.eaees, .saeia. a,eiae:
iaaaiaei:ae.a,eiiaea. sie:.ea|meaa.a,si:aeia:es ,.vea.aiae :e
seai ,e:iae.:se|iev.ceaees, a|ea,iaeceeameaieceaa.aeia. sie:.ea|
|ae|:eie:eaees.aieiaea.cceac.eas.eaeiiae:. a|se|iev.ceaees
a.eaaace:|.eiaem veaiaeve:y:e||emae:eeaa|emaceaace:
siaaca||eea|yia:ea,a:eeea:seieiaea. sie:.ea|a:.e:.asiaeaa.ve:
sa|sea:eeeia||eeaee.va||e:e||emseiaace:siaac.a,. 1ae:e||em
ei,eaa.ae a.sie:.ea| ex|aaai.ea eemes ie,eiae: , .a iae ease eiiae
se.eaees , .iae. sieme|e,.ea|,:eaac.a,e:e|a:.| eai.ea
we masiexeeiyeiaseeeacaacve:ye.,aiye|]eei.ear:emiae
a.sie:.e. sma.ea:eva.|sexieas.ve|y .ac.ae:eaiie:ms ,iecay} i ex
eei| .ii|e:eeei.v.iyie:aceia.aa.:ya.ea,ees|eyeaciaeasaa|
iaeiaa|a.sie:y,asceesiaeeaeeai| .aec.aia. se:|,esee.a| | ys.aee .
asiaeex:ess.eaa:.e:. .ac.eaies, .i|ayse|a.mieasi:.ei|yaaeea
c.i.eaecaaci:a|yaec.ei.ese|iev. ceaeeexieac.a,|eyeaca||a. sie:.
ea|iaei.e.i.es . Oae. | | e|]eei aaiaaivei-,iesee|iec.s|ay, aacie
e|a. m ie aave c. s|ayec, a a.sie:.ea| a:.e:. , aa a|se|aie, sae:iem
e:a|va|.c.iy,aue:eaavee|ia.aecsaeaa|aacaaiiesi.meayie:iae
:e|ai.v.iyeieve:yia.a,a.sie:.ea|,eia| |a. sie:.ea||yceve|eece:|c
ae:eei.eas, :.,ai|ae| ie iaese eiiae :. m.i.ve i:.|es ve:y
ee|e, |a:,e e:sma|| , aas.is e:|c.aa.ea ,ie:iaai ee|e ,eve:y
ia.a, ais e||ie,eiae:, aeiae:.amyia.ea|ma,.ea|e:.a a:eeaa
:ai.eaa| ie:ms , aac .a a.ea eve:yia.a, eaa |e ex| a.aec e:ieei| y.
ve:yee|eaas. is| e,.eaac,aeee:c.a,| y, .iia.s|e,.e. sex|.eaiec
.a:ees.i.eas, .isa:.e:. .
ueeve:, |ei as eeas.ce:iaemeiaece|e,yeiesia||. sa.a,a. sie:.ea|
But what counts as primal self-evidence for the sciences is determined by an edu
cated person or a sphere of such persons who pose new questions, new historical ques
tions, questi ons concerni ng the i nner depth-dimension as well as those concering an
external hi storicity in the social-hi storical worl d.
1 76
Edmund Husserl
iaeis.a,eae:a|. iaas .ae|ac.a,iaai eiiae iaeis sae:i.a,iaee|]ee
i.ea, aac|eiasceia. s.a:e,a:cieaaisaeameiaece|e,y:esa
eses Deesaeiiae aace:ia|.a, eia aamaa. si.e se.eaeeeiae . i
:ea||y as eeaia.a a :esaes. i.ea ia|ea ie: ,:aaiec. a va|.c.iy
,:eaacaeve:e|se:vec. aeve:maceiaemai.e.eiasi:.ei|yaaassa.|a||e
,iyeen se|iev. ceaee. .iaeaia.ea a.sie:.ea| .aa.:y ea|c |e a
meaa.a,|esseaie::. se:~||aesi.ea.a,aaccemeasi:ai.a,a.ea. s . a
iaeasaa|seasea.sie:.ea|:esaesesa. sie:y [Geschichte] asiaeaa.
ve:sa|ae:.zeaeiaesi.ea.a,. aetex|.e.i|y. |aisi.||as a ae:.zeaei
.m|.e.i ee:ta|a|y. a.ea. .a s.te ei a|| va,ae |ae|eaac. aceie:
m.aaey. .siae:esaes.t. eaeia||ceie:m. aa|.|.ty.e:eia||. aieai.ea
iesee|aacieesia|| . sacete:m. aeciaeis.
waai. sa. sie:.ea||y:.ma:y. a.ise|t. sea::eseai. we a|aysa|
:eacy |aeeiea::eseaie:|c aac iaaie|. ve.a .i. a|ays sa:
:eaacec |y aa eea|y eac|ess ae:.zea eiaa|aea aeiaa|.i. es . 1a. s
|ae.a,.asae:.zeaee:ia.aiy.. s aeisemeia.a,|ea:aec. aei|ae|ec,e
a.eaaseaeeaeiaa|aacaasme:e| ysaa||ae|ie|eeemea:ieiiae
|ae|,:eaac,iaeae:.zeaee:ia.aiyaacie|ea|:eacyiae:e.ae:ce:ie|e
eaa||e ei|e.a, | a.c eaiiaemai.ea| | y, .i . s a|:eacy :esaesec .a
e:ce:iaaieeaasee|ie|aeaaieceaei|ae. ~||aei|ae.a,
eeaee:astae aa|aea e:| c. a.ea yeiex.sis . aacvaaeeie:asas
e:|c. asiaeae:.zeaeia||aesi.easeiiae:eseaiaaciaas a|sea||
aesi.eas a.ea a:e see.ea||y a.sie:.ea|. 1aese a:e iae aesi.eas
a.eaeeaeenmea. asiaeseaeaeiaace:eaie. aiae. :eemmaaa|.zec
eeex.sieaee. aiaee:|caaci:aasie:miaeeeasiaaiea|ia:a|iaeeeiiae
e:|c. De e aei |ae ia:iae:-e aave a|:eacy aac eeeas.ea ie
sea|eiia.s-iaaiia. sa.sie:.ea|:eseaiaas.isa. sie:.ea|asis|ea.ac
. i. iaai. iaasceve|eeceaieiiaem.iaaia.sie:.ea|asi. saeeai.aa.iy
eiasisa.ea:eeeeci:emeaeaaeiae:.eaea. asaasi:eseai.|e.a,
ai:ac.i.ea:ecae.a,i:ac.i.eaeaiei. ise|i:Deeaei|aeiaaiiae
:eseaiaaciaeae|eeia. sie:.ea|i.me. m|.ec. a. i. siaaieiaa. sie:.
ea||yeeae:eaiaacaa.ece.v.| .zai.ea. eeae:eaiia:ea,a. is,eae:ai.ve
|eacaaceeasiaai eemmaaa| .zai.ea . aea|i.vai.a, aai aasa|:eacy
|eeaea|i.vaiec |eie:e. aeiae:.a eeee:at.ve e:| e: .a :ee.:eea|
. aie:aei.ea.eie. :Deesa||ia.saeiaaaeaaeeaaa.ve:sa||ae.a,ei
taeae:.zea. aa . m|.e.i |ae.a,taaieaa|e maceex|.e.isysiemai
.ea|| y.a. isesseai.a|si:aeia:e:i s aeiiae:esa|t.a,,:eai:e||emae:e
taeae:.zeaiea:ca.eaa||aesi.easteac.aactaas taeae:.zeaa.ea
.s:esaesec.aa||eiiaem:~eee:c.a,|y. eaeecaei:sieaie:.aie
seme|.aceie:.i.ea|c. seass. eaeiiaeiaeis seieai|ya.sie:.e.sm, .t. s
eaea,ataateveataee|a. meiiae.:iaetaa|aess:esaesestaea. ste:.
ea|a:.e:..iia. se|a.m.sieaaveameaa.a,
1 77
The Origin of Geomety
naiacea|ia:.sesa||iaesame. 1aeae:.zeaexes.i.eaiea.eae
:eea::ec masiaei|e,cea . ava,ae. sae:e.a|ia| |, . imasi.tse|t
a::. veai.tsease:ieise.eai.ec.se.|.ae.1aeseaieaees. aa.ea.i. s
ex:essecmasi|execaaceaa||eei|e.a,macese|iev. ceaia,a.a
aaca,a.a. 1a:ea,a aai meiaecce ee|ta.a a aa.ve:sa| aaca|se
xeca:.e:.eiiaea. sie:.ea|e:|ca.ea. sa|ayse:.,.aa||y,eaa. ae:
waeaeve:eeeas.ce:. i. weacea:se|ves. ia iaese|i ev.ceaiea
ae. iyie:ereet-ieia:aieiaeae:.zeaaacieeaet:aie.i. aaaexe
s.ie:yay. naiea| seaave .aac|aeiaaieaave. iaeeaae.iyei
eem|eiei:eecemiei:aasie:m. .aiaea,aiaacaaaiasy. ea:aamaa
a.sie:.ea| ex. sieaee aac aai .s iae:e exesec as .is |.iee:|c. ~ac
:ee.se|y.aia.saei.v.iyeii:eeva:.ai.ea. aac.a:aaa.a,ia:ea,aiae
eeaee. va||eess.|.|.i.esie:iae|.tee:|c.iae:ea:.ses. .iaaec.ei.e
se|iev.ceaee. aaesseat.a||y,eae:a|seieie|emeais,e.a,ia:ea,aa||
iaeva:.aais , aaceiia.seeaaeeav.aeeea:se|ves.iai:a|yaec.ei.e
ee:ia.aiy.1ae:e|yeaave:emeveceve:y|eacieiaeiaeiaa||yva| .c
a. sie:.ea|e:|caacaave:e,a:cecia.se:|c. ise|i,me:e|y}aseaeei
iaeeeaeeiaa|ess.|.|.t.es. 1a. si:eecem. aaciaec.:eet.eaeiea:,aze
aeataeaec.ei.ea||y. ava:.aai. :esa|is.aiae|aiie:a,a.aaaca,a.a-
.iaiaese|iev.ceaeeei|e.a,a||eie:eeaiiae. ava:.aaisi:aeia:eat
.||-asaai.s. ceai.ea| .aaieaa|emacese|iev.ceaiorgin aliter ai
aayi.me. eaa|exec.aaa. veea||aa,aa,easiaeesseaeeeeastaai|y
. m|.ec.ataere.a,.v.ia|ae:.zea
1a:ea,aia.smetaec.,e.a,|eyeaciaeie:ma|,eae:a|. i. eseexa.|
.iecea:|.e:. eeaaa|sema|eiaemai.eiaaiaec.ei.e,aseei}eiiae
:ese.eai.e e:|c iaai iae e:.,.aa| ieaace: ei,eemet:y aac ai a. s
c. sesa| . iaai a. ea mast aave se:vec as tae maie:.a| ie: a.s
.cea|.zai.eas.
Oeemei:yaaciaese. eaeesmesie|ese|y:e|aiecte. iaaveiece. ia
saeei. meaaciaesaaes. ,a:es. a|sesaaeseimet.ea. a|te:ai.easei
ceie:mai.ea. eie . . iaaia:e ess.||e.ia.asaeet.me. a:i.ea|a:|yas
measa:a||ema,a.iaces. ii. saee|ea:iaatevea.ie|aea| mest
aeia.a,a|eatiaea.sie:.ea| sa::eaac.a,e:|ceitae:si,eemete:s.
ta.smaea. see:ia.aasaa.ava:.aat. e sseai.a|si:aeia:e. taat. sasa
e:|ceiia.a,s ,.ae|ac. a,iaeaamaa|e.a,staemse|vesassa|]eets
ei ia.s e:|c, , taai a|| ia.a,s aeeessa:.|; aac ie aave a |ec.|y
eaa:aeie:-a|taea,a aei a|| ia.a,s eea|c |e me:e |ec.es. s.aee tae
aeeessa:.|yeeex. si.a,aamaa|e.a,sa:eaeiia.a|a||easme:e|ec. es
aac. | .|eeveaiaeea|ta:a|e|]eetsa.ea|e|ea,. tataemsi:aeta:a||y.
a:eaeiexaaasiec . aee:e:ea| |e.a,. waat. sa|see|ea:. aaceaa|e
seea:ecai|east.a. tsesseai.a|aae|easia:ea,aea:eia|a:.e:.ex|.ea
t.ea. . staattaesea:e |ec. esaacsai.eteme:a| saaesaac mate
1 78
Edmund H usserl
:.a| [stoiiche] aa|.t.es,ee|e:.a:mta.e.,at.aa:caess.ete. :e|atec
tetaem. ra:tae:. . t.se|ea:taat.a tae|.ieei:aet.ea|aeecsee:ta.a
a:t.ea|a:.zat.easeisaaesteeceataactaatateeaa.ea|:ax.sa|ays
a.mec at} tae:ecaet.eaeia:t.ea|a::eie::ec saaes aactae . m
:evemeateitaemaeee:c.a,teee:ta.ac.:eet.easei,:acaa|aess.
r.:stte|es.a,|eceati:emtaeta.a,saaesa:esa:iaees-me:ee:
|esssmeeta. me:ee:|esse:ieetsa:iaees .ec,es. me:ee:|ess:ea,a
e:ia.:|yevea .. aetae:e:cs. me:ee:|essa:e|. aes. aa,|es. me:e
e: | ess eneet e.ats . taea. a,a.a. amea, tae |. aes. ie: exam|e.
st:a.,at| .aesa:eesee.a||y:eie::ec.aacamea,taesa:iaeestaeevea
sa:iaees . ie:exam| e. ie: :aet.ea| a:eses |ea:cs| .m.tec|y evea
sa:iaees. st:a.,at |.aes. aac e. ats a:e :eie::ec. ae:easteta||y e:
a:t.a||yea:vec sa:iaeesa:e aaces.:a||eie:maay |.acsei:aet.ea|
.ate:ests. 1aas tae :ecaet.ea eieveasa:iaeesaac tae.:e:ieet.ea
,e| .sa.a,a|ays|ays.ts:e|e. a:ax. s. sea|se. aeasesae:e]ast
c.st:.|at.ea .s .ateacec. ue:e tae :ea,a est.mate ei ma,a. taces .s
t:aasiemec. atetaemeasa:emeateima,a. taces|yeeaat.a,taeeaa|
a:ts . ,ue:e. tee. :eeeec.a,i:em taeiaetaa| . aaesseat.a|ie:m|e
eemes:eee,a.za||eta:ea,aametaeceiva:.at.ea. Heasa:.a,|e|ea,s
te eve:y ea|ta:e. va:y.a,ea|y aeee:c.a, te sta,esi:em:.m.t.vete
a.,ae:e:ieet.eas. weeaa a|ays:esaese sememeasa:.a,teea
a.ae. aetae: ei a |ee: e: a.,ae: tye. .a tae esseat.a| ie:a:c
ceve|emeateiea|ta:e. ,as e|| as} tae,:etaeisaeaateeaa.ae.
taasa|se .ae|ac.a,tae a:teices.ie:|a. |c.a,s.eisa:vey.a,ae|cs.
ataays. ete . saea a teeaa.ae .s a|ays a|:eacy tae:e. a|:eacy
a|aacaat| yceve|eecaac:e,.veatetaea.|eseae:aec.caetyet
|ae,eemet:y|ataesaea| c|e eeaee. va||e as .ts.aveate:. ~sa
a.|eseae::eeeec.a,i:emtae:aet.ea| . a.tesa::eaac.a,e:|c,ei
tae:eem. tae e.ty. tae|aacseae. ete . aac teme:a||y tae e:|c ei
e:.ec.ea|eeea::eaees . cay.meata.ete tetaetaee:et.ea|e:|cv.e
aace:|c|ae|ec,e . aeaastae a.te|y|aeaaacaa|aeasaees
aact.mesasia. tee|emeats.ta.ataeae:.zeaeiaaeea.aaa.ty nat
.tata.saeceesaetyetaave,eemet:.ea|saee. mataemat.ea|t.me.
aacaateve:e|se.s te |eeemeaaeve| s.:.taa|:ecaeteateitaese
a.te e|emeats a.ea se:ve as mate:.a| . aac .ta a.s maa.ie|c ia.te
saaes.atae.:saeet.meaeceesaetyetaave,eemet:.ea|saaes . tae
ae:eaem.esaaes. ,a.ssaaes. as}ie:mat.easceve|eeceatei:ax. s
aactaea,atei.a te:msei,:acaa|},e:ieet.ea. e|ea:|y se:ve ea|y as
`' Bi emei ' s interpolation.
"I have reverted to the original version of this sentence as given in the critica ap
paratus; I can make no sense of the emended version given in the text . "-D. Carr.
1 79
The Origin ofGeomety
|ases

ie:aae se:tei:ax.seateia.eas.m.|a:|yaamecaeeea
st:aet|eas,:e.
it .sev.ceat .aacvaaee taat ta.sae se:teieeast:aet.ea.|||ea
:ecaet

a:.s.a,

eateia .cea|.z.a,. s.:.taa|aet . eaeeia:eta.a|

a,. a.eaaas

.tsmatena|s.ataeces.,aatec,eae:a|:e,.veaseita. s
aeta
.
|aamaa.tyaacaamaasa::eaac.a,e:|caace:eates.cea|e|
,eets eateitaem.
Netae:e||emea|c|etec.seeve:.ta:ea,a:eeea:seteaat. s
esseat.a|

te a.ste:y [Historie], tae a. ste:.ea| e:.,.aa| meaa.a, a.ea

aeeessan| as|| te ,.ve aac c.c ,.ve te tae ae|e |eeem.a, ei
,eemet:y.tse:s.sta,t:atameaa.a,
it.s

ei:tea|a:. me:taaeeaete|:.a,.ateieeasaacesta||.satae
ie||ea,as.,at. Oa|y .itae aec.et.ea||y ,eae:a| eeateat. .ava:.aat
ta:ea,a

eata||e

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s

aaes

.sta|

eaate aeeeaat.atae.cea| .zat.eaeaaaa .cea|eeast:ae

t. eaanea.eaeaa|eaace:steecie:a| |iata:et. meaac|ya||eem.a,
,eae:at.eas ei mea aac taas|e eaa||e ei|e.a, aaacec cea aac
:e

:ecaeec.tatae. ceat.ea|.ate:sa|] eet.vemeaa.a,1a.seeac.t.ea.s

va|.cia:|eyeac,eemet:yie:a||s. :.taa|st:aeta:esa.eaa:ete|e
aaeeac.t.eaa||yaac,eae:a||yeaa||eei|e.a,aaacecceawe:etae
t.a|.

a,et.v

.tyeiase.eat.stte.at:ecaeesemeta.a,t.me|eaac.a
a. staa|a,.. . e. . semeta.a,|eaacteaat.sme:e|yiaetaa|a|eata.s
:eseat 0: semeta.a,va|.cie: a. mas ame:e|yiaetaa| t:ac.t.ea. a.s
ee

ast:aet.aea|c| . |e.seaaveae:e|yt.me|eaaceat.emeaa.a,.
ta.smeaaa,ea|c|eaace:staaca||eea|y|ytaeseea aesaa:ec
taesmeme:e|yiaetaa|:esaes.t.easeiaace:staac.a,

it.s a,ea

e:a|eeav.et.ea taat ,eemet:y. .ta a|| .ts t:atas. .sva|.c

w.taaaeeac.t.e

aeceae:a|.tyie:a||mea.a||t.mes. a||ee| es. aacaet

me:e| yie:

||a. stene||y

iaetaa|eaes|atie:a||eeaee.va||eeaes 1ae
:esaes.t.eas einae. |e ie:ta.s eeav.et.ea aave aeve: |eea ex
|e:ec|eeaasetaeyaaveaeve:|eease:.eas| ymacea:e||e nat.t
aas

a|se|eeeee|ea:teastaateve:yesta|| .sameateiaa. ste:.ea|iaet

a.e |ayse|a.mteaaeeac.t.eaece|]eet. v. ty|. |e.se:esa,,esesta.s
. avanaate:a|se|atea:.e:.
?a| y,ta:ea,? taec.se|esa:eeita.sa:.e:. } eaatae:e|eaaa:.e:.
s.. eae

e exteac, |eyeac a|| a.ste:.ea| iaet.e.t.es. a|| a.ste:.ea| sa:

:eaca, e:|cs. ee|es. t.es. e.v.| .zat.eas . ea| y.a ta.say eaaa
s..eaeeasaetera veritas a,ea:Oa| yeata.siaacameat.s|asectae
sea:eceaae.t ei.aa.:.a,|aesi:emtaeteme:a:. | yce,| etecse| i
e.ceaeeeias..eaeetetae ,:.a| se|iev.ceaees

-; Bi emel ' s interpolation.

180
Edmund Husserl
Deeaetstaacae:e|eie:etae,:eataac:eieaac:e||emae:.zea
ei:easea, tae same :easea taatiaaet. eas . aeve:y maa, taeanimal
rationale, aematte:ae:.m.t.veae. s:
1a. s. saettae|aeeteeaet:ate.atetaesecetastaemse|ves .
i aaay ease, eeaaae:eee,a.ze i:ema||ta.staata. ste:.e. sm,
a.ea .saes te e|a:.iy tae a.ste:.ea| e: e. steme|e,.ea| esseaee ei
mataemat.esi:emtaestaace.ateitaema,.ea|e. :eamstaaeese:etae:
maaae:seiae:eet.eaeiat.me|eaace. v. |. zat.ea, .s m. sta|ea.a
:.ae.|e. re: :emaat.e s.:.ts tae myta.ea|ma,.ea| e|emeats eitae
a.ste:.ea|aac:ea.ste:.ea|aseetseimataemat.esmay|ea:t.ea|a:|y
att:aet. ve. |at te e| .a, te ta. s me:e| y a. ste:.ea|| y iaetaa| aseet ei
mataemat.es. s:ee.se|yte|eseeaese|itease:tei:emaat.e. smaacte
eve:|ee|tae,eaa. ae:e||em,tae.ate:aa|a.ste:.ea|:e||em,taee.s
teme|e,.ea|:e||em. ~|se, eae s ,azee|v.eas|yeaaaettaea|eeeme
i:eete:eee,a.zetaatiaet.e.t. eseieve:ytye,. ae|ac.a,taese.ave|vec
.a tae a.ste:.e.st}e|]eet.ea, aavea :eet .atae esseat.a| st:aeta:eei
aat. s,eae:a||yaamaa,ta:ea,aa.eaate|ee|e,.ea|:easea:aaa.a,
ta:ea,aeata||a. ste:.e.tyaaaeaaees.tse|i.w.tata. s.s:evea|ecasetei
:e||ems. a.tsea:.,at:e|atectetaeteta|.tyeia.ste:yaactetaeia||
meaa.a,a.eaa|t.mate|y,. ves.t. tsaa.ty.
iitae asaa|iaetaa|stacyeia. ste:y.a,eae:a|,aac.aa:t.ea|a:tae
a.ste:ya.ea. amest:eeeatt.mes aasaea.evect:aeaa.ve:sa|extea
s.eaeve:a||aamaa.ty, .steaaveaaymeaa.a,ata|| , saeaameaa.a,
eaaea|y|e,:eaacecaeaaateeaaae:eea||.ate:aa|a.ste:y,aac
assaeaaeataeieaacat.easeitaeaa.ve:sa|a. ste:.ea|a:.e:. .saeaa
meaa. a,aeeessa:.|y|eacsia:tae:tetae. ac.eateca.,aestaest.eaeia
aa.ve:sa|te|ee|e,yei:easea.
ii, arte:taeseexes.t.eas, a.eaaave.||am.aatecve:y ,eae:a|aac
maays.cec:e||emae:.zeas , e| ayceataeie||e.a,assemeta. a,
eem|ete|yseea:ec,aame| y, taat taeaamaasa::eaac.a,e:|c.stae
sametecayaaca|ays, aactaas a| se. a:eseetteaat.s:e|evaatte
:.ma|esta||. sameataac| ast.a,t:ac.t.ea,taeaeeaasae.aseve:a|
stes, ea|y. a aa ex|e:ate:y ay, .a eeaaeet.ea . ta ea:ea sa:
:eaac.a,e:|c,aatsaea|c|eeeas.ce:ec.ame:eceta.|ie:tae:e|
|em ei tae .cea| .z.a, :. ma| esta||sameat ei tae meaa.a,st:aeta:e
,eemet:y
Coda
contrapunctus and translation
[ ]
In the Erste Untersuchung of The Trial Joseph K. "thought he re
marked that the si lent Exami ning Magi strate, wi th a look to someone in
the crowd, just gave a sign rein Zeichen] . " K. cal l s it .. 'a secret si gn' "
( "ein geheimes Zeichen" ) , but because he has interrupted the si gn be
fore any response , because he has intervened "prematurel y, " punctu
ated the scene vorzeitig, untimel y, wi th his suspicion and wi th his "be
trayal " before the si lent Examining Magistrate , the "meani ng of the
si gn, " its Bedeutung, cannot be known. Joseph K. "abandons quite de
liberately" learni ng the secret si gn' s signifcance with hi s betrayal and
punctuation. Yet the punctuation begi ns with accepting responsi bi l ity
for the sign. In the interrupti on, K. " 'empowers' " ( "ermachtige" ) the
Exami ni ng Magi strate to speak with words , not wi th secret signs (Franz
Kafka, Der Prozej [Frankfurt am Mai n: Fi scher, 1 979] : 42; The Trial,
trans . Wi l l a and Edwi n Muir [New York: Schocken, 1 974] : 44).
Accepting the responsibi l i ty of the secret sign , wi thout response , in
order to empower with words-the rhythm of the interruption.
How am I to punctuate my reading of thi s text I transl ated over el even
years ago? Wi l l any punctuation be timely or in rhythm? Or is punctua
tion always vorzeitig? Can the responsibi l i ty for such a punctuation be
intentional ly assumed and the meaning abandoned in favor of another
meani ng?
My responsibil ity i s the responsibi l ity of the transl ator.
[ ]
Thi s frst extended publication of Derrida ( 1 962) i ncl udes hi s transla
tion of Husserl ' s Origin of Geometr. In one sense, I would say Derrida
has del iberatel y abandoned any other transl ations . Yet in another sense,
I would say Derrida has never fni shed transl ating; he continues to trans
late, cl ai mi ng that "the question of deconstruction is also through and
through the question of transl ati on" (Derrida, "Letter to a Japanese
Friend, " trans . Davi d Wood and Andrew Benjami n, i n Derrida and
184
John P. Leavey
"Dijerance, " ed. David Wood and Robert Berasconi [Evanston:
Northwester University Press , 1 988] : 1 ) or frequently using transl ation
as the lever for intervening in a textual fel d, as he states, for exampl e,
concering his use of transl ation in reading Heidegger on the hand:
I am doing so for two reasons. On the one hand, in order not to eface the
constraints or the chances of the idiom in which I myselwork, teach, read,
or write . . . . On the other hand, I thought that Heidegger' s text could be
still more accessible, could gain some supplementar readability by reach
ing us through a third ear; the explication (Auseinandersetzung) with one
tongue extra can refne our translation C
U
bersetzung) of the text that is
called " original. " . . . one can write on the typewriter, as I have done,
with three hands among three tongues. ( "Geschlecht I: Heidegger's
Hand, " trans. John P. Leavey, Jr. , in Deconstruction and Philosophy: The
Texts of Jacques Derrida, ed. John Sallis [Chicago: University of Chicago
Press, 1 987J: 1 96n)
In Derrida's translation of Husserl ' s text, L' origine de la geometrie
(2nd ed. [Paris: Presses universitaires de France, 1 974]), there is a note
concering the transl ator' s task. It reads: "We have strived to preserve in
our transl ation the very spontaneous rhythm of Husserl ' s phrasing, even
when it is greatly marked by the incompletion of the sketch. For reasons
of cl arity, however, we have had to modify on two or three occasions the
original text' s punctuation . . . " (p. 1 73n). This note, which occurs i n
that strange space between the title and the body of the text, that strange
space of the transl ator, states an almost traditional desire of the transla
tor, the desire for fdel ity, for matching the original and the transl ation
not simply in sense, but also in rhythm. The rhythm of the phrasing i s
connected with punctuation, which required some infdelity in favor of
clarity, in favor of, then, the fdelity of sense. This transl ator' s dilemma
i s also the reader' s.
How is one to punctuate a text? a corpus? here, now, Derrida's text?
his corpus? Have I intercepted too early, in an untimely way, a secret
sign? Am I l ike Joseph K. then to accept responsibility for this untimely
designation and empower another signifcance-for example, that this
"frst" piece is to be read as the germ of al l the rest of Derrida's work? or
that it is to be read as a youthful work without much interest for reading
the mature Derrida, for reading the true signifcance of the text? or that it
is to be read as more philosophical than the later, more l iterary texts? or
that this is a preambul atory text, preambulatory to deconstruction?
The punctuation of a corpus raises many difculties . First, the desig
nation "corpus" i s often understood as an attempt to unify a group of
texts signed by an author, movement, or time period. As of 1 988 the
185
Coda
corpus of Derrida is de facto incomplete, which would disrupt any move
to unity. Second, unl ike certain readers (for example, phenomenol ogi
cal , hermeneutic , dialogic, or new critical) that claim just the opposite
and close the corpus in any act of reading, a transl ator argues that a
corpus remains incomplete, marked by transl ation as in need of transla
tion, even upon the death of the author, the more common closure of a
corpus . In other words , transl ation marks the incompletion of any
corpus and concentrates the problems of reading. The transl ator wants to
punctuate for clarity, for reasons of cl arity, and wants to take respon
sibility, deliberately, for the punctuation that punctuates too early or too
late, because the del ay of cl arity to itself is precisely rhythm, punctua
tion, counterpoint.
Derrida himself has punctuated this text and his corpus at least three
times . The frst is the 1 967 punctuation of Positions ( see pp. 7-9 above).
A second is the 1 982 punctuation of Joyce, of "Joyce' s ghost . . . al
ways coming on board" in the corpus . In this punctuation, Derrida says,
"at the very centre" of the Introduction t o The Origin ojGeometr, there
is the comparison of Husserl and Joyce, "two great model s" or "para
digms" on the "rel ationship between l anguage and history" that "try to
recapture a pure historicity. "
To do this, Husserl proposes to render language [langageJ as transparent
as possible, univocal, limited to what, by being transmittable or able to be
placed in tradition, thereby constitutes the only condition of a possible his
toricity. From this point of view it is necessar that some minimal read
ability, an element of univocity, an analyzable equivocit resist the Joycean
overload and condensationfor a reading to begin to take place, and the
work's legacy . . . . The other great paradigm would be the Joyce of Fin
negans Wake. He repeats and mobilizes and babelizes the asymptotic total
ity of the equivocal. He makes this both his theme and his operation. He
tries to make outcrop, with the greatest possible synchrony, at great speed,
the greatest power of the meanings buried in each syllabic fragment, sub
jecting each atom of writing to fssion in order to overload the unconscious
with the whole memory of man . . . . This generalized equivocality of writ
ing does not translate one language into another on the basis of common
cores of sense . . . ; it talks several languages at once, parasitizing
them . . . , (Ulysse gramophone: deux mots pour Joyce [Paris: Galilee,
1 987J: 27-28; "Two Words for Joyce, " trans. Geof Bennington, in Post
structuralist Joyce: Essays from the French, ed. Derek Attridge and Daniel
Ferrer [Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1 984J: 149 [modiedJ)
The third punctuation is Derrida's 1 980 thesis "defense" : "The Time
of a Thesi s: Punctuations" (in Philosophy in France Today, ed. Al an
186
John P. Leavey
Montefore [Cambridge: Cambridge Universi ty Press, 1 983] ) . In rela
tion to the thesi s sur travaux, Derrida punctuates into three periods: ( 1 )
from 1 968 to 1 974 the thesi s was neglected as other works were pub
l i shed; (2) from 1 974 to sometime in 1 979-80, he thought , "rightly or
wrongly, that it was neither consistent nor desirable to be a candidate for
any new academic title or responsibi l ity" (p. 48) ; (3) during 1 980 and af
ter, the thesis sur travaux i s accepted and the position of Directeur i s
taken at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales. Prior to the
punctuation of the thesi s , other punctuations abound. From 1 963 to
1 968 , after the Introduction to The Origin of Geometr, after the frst
thesis on "The ideal i ty of the l iterary object" (Jean Hyppol i te directed),
and after the Memoire on "the problem of genesi s in the phenomenol
ogy of Husserl " (Maurice de Gandi l l ac "watched over this work" as the
"entire examination committee" [p+ 39]) , there i s the working out of "a
sort of strategic device . . . an unclosed, unenclosable, not whol l y for
mal i zable ensemble of rules for readi ng, interpretation and writi ng" (p.
40) .
Derrida punctuates the Introduction to The Origin of Geometr du
al l y. He states in his thesi s defense:
Naturally, all of the problems worked on in the Introduction to The Origin
of Geometry have continued to organize the work I have subsequently at
tempted in connection with philosophical, literary and even non-discursive
corpora, most notably that of pictorial works: I am thinking, for example,
of the historicity of ideal objects, of tradition, of inheritance, offliation or
of wills and testaments, of archives, libraries, books, of writing and living
speech, of the relationships between semiotics and linguistics, of the ques
tion of truth and of undecidability, of the irreducible otherness that divides
the sel-identity of the living present, of the necessity for new analyses con
cerning non-mathematical idealities. (Pp. 39-0)
But this punctuation of the corpus (a punctuation sets up a rhythm of
work and organi zation to the corpus , to the movement of the body of
work) is punctuated again, contrapunctus . In di scussing later texts
(those after 1 974), Derrida says: "I should have liked i n thi s respect to
have been able to shape both my di scourse and my practice, as one says,
t o ft the premises of my earl ier undertakings. In fact , if not i n principle,
this was not al ways easy, not always possibl e, at times indeed very bur
densome in a number of ways" (p. 49). Whi le the Introduction to The
Origin oJGeometr provided the organization for the subsequent work,
this punctuation marks itself as di srupted in fact if not in principle, with
the burden of its rhythm not always possible: thi s thesis defense, which
187
Coda
as desire "delights in being without defence, " which i s desi gnated as a
captatio, that i s, a quest or the disrupted question, thi s thesi s defense
"has been also as i mpoveri shed as a punctuation mark, rather, I should
say, an apostrophe in an unfni shed text" (p. 50).
How to punctuate now? Should I, as a transl ator, alter just a few occa
sions for clarity, for the sake of the rhythm? As one way of punctuating
thi s text, of punctuating the transl ation of thi s piece, I want to read the
responsibi l ity of translation for Husserl by reading a note with two sig
ni fcant punctuati ons of Derrida, those of translation and l i terature, the
frst being, as we have seen, the "question" of thi s corpus and the sec
ond, as Derrida points out i n his punctuations , being his " most constant
interest" ( "my most constant interest , coming even before my philo
sophical interest I should say, if thi s i s possible, has been directed to
wards l iterature , towards that writing which i s called l iterary" [ "Time
of a Thesi s , " p. 37]) . . .
[ ]
In The Origin oJGeometry, in the passage distinguishing geometrical
existence from psychic exi stence, Husserl states that "from i ts primal
establ i shment" geometrical exi stence is "objectively there for 'every
one' [objektiv Dasezendem Jur 'jedermann' ] ' ' ' is "an existence [Da
sein] which i s pecul iarly supertemporal [eigenartig uberzeitliches] and
which-of thi s we are certain-is accessible [zugingliches] to all
men. " The objectivity of this exi stence i s "an ' ideal ' objecti vity, " which
i s "proper to a whole class of spiritual products of the cul tural worl d
[geistigen Erzeugnissen der Kulturwelt] , to which not only al l scienti fc
constructions and the sciences themselves belong but also, for example,
the constructions of fine l i terature [die Gebilde der schonen Litera
fur] . " Husserl goes on to diferentiate thi s objectivity from that of tool s
or architecture, which, whil e they "have repeatabil ity in many l i ke ex
empl ars [gleichen Exemplaren] , " do not have the identical sameness of
ideal objectivity, whi ch transl ation guarantees: "The Pythagorean theo
rem, all of geometry, exi sts only once, no matter how often or even in
what language it may be expressed. It is identical l y the same in the ' orig
inal l anguage' [ ' originalen Sprache' ] of Eucl i d and i n all ' transl ations'
[ ' Ubersetzungen' ] ; and withi n each l anguage i t i s again the same, no
matter how many times i t has been sensibly uttered, from the original
expression and writing-down to the innumerable oral utterances or writ
ten and other documentations" (p. 1 60 above; Husserl , Die Krisis der
europiischen WissenschaJten und die transzendenfale Phinomeno-
188
John P. Leavey
logie, ed. WaIter Bi emel , vol . 6 of Husserliana: Edmund Husserl: Ges
ammelte Werke [The Hague: Nijhof, 1 954] : 367-68). D'Amico, in
"Husser! on the Foundational Structures of Natural and Cultural Sci
ences , " states that the diference i s that between the signifer and the sig
nifed: "In this context HusserI makes the di stinction between the ' sensi
ble uterance' or means of expression (signifer) and the meaning of
what I S asserted or said (signifed). The ideal object i s at the level of the
signifed as a thematic assertion or meaning. The signifer would be the
historically contingent vehicle for the signifed (for example, a certain
written or spoken language or set of signs and symbol s). The signifer
can be replaced with no loss of ideal ity or meaning since that aspect of
the sign i s fundamentally arbitrar. Ideality means, on the contrary, that
the object sufers no l oss of original self-evidence" (Philosophy and
Phenomenological Research 42 [ 1 98 1 -82] : 1 0).
But insofar as geometry i s a problem of tradition, there arises the
question of the diference between the repeatabil ity of the same and the
l ike, in D'Amico's terms , "between ideality and the corruption of cul
tural transmission, " or in more general terms , of the "authenticity" of
the repetition (p. 1 0), which i s the cri si s of the European sciences . In a
note added by Husser! to Fink' s typescript of Husserl 's text, a note with a
number of mi sreadings and appended to the sentence that ends "con
structions of fne l iterature, " a response is begun by means of transla
tion, which is responsible for the diference or authenticity of the repeti
tion. The translation by David Carr reads (p. 1 60n above):
But the broadest concept of literature encompasses them all [the scientifc
constructions, the sciences themselves, and the constructions of literature J;
that is, i t belongs to their objective being that they be linguistically ex
pressed and can be expressed again and again; or, more precisely, they
have their objectivity, their existence-for-everone, only as signication, as
the meaning of speech. [D'Amico mistakenly modifes this to read: " 'or
more precisely, they only have meaning and signifcance from the speech of
objectivity (Reden die ObjektiviHit), as they have existencejor-everone' "
( '"Husserl, " p. J J ). Husserl writes (Krisis, p. 368n): "nur als Bedeutung,
SInn von Reden die Objektivitat , das Fir-jedermann-Dasein zu haben" :
only as meaning, as the sense of speech does it belong to their objective be
ing to have objectivity, existencejor-everone. J This is true in a peculiar
fashion in the case of the objective sciences:for them the diierence between
the original language of the work and its translation into other languages
does not remove its identical accessibility or change it into an inauthentic,
indirect accessibilit.
189
Goa
In this translation, the l ast l i ne seems i n l ine with Husserl ' s text. In the
objective sciences, the diference between the original and the transl a
tion does not remove access to the identical sense of the original expres
sion, the transl ation does not make the accessibility inauthentic (un
eigentlichen) or indirect (indirekten). D'Amico notes that the "use of
' inauthentic' in the above quote suggests the problem raised about the
di stortion or l oss that haunts the replication of cultural forms" ( "Hus
ser! , " p. 1 1 ).
Derrida, however, fol lows Husserl ' s text and transl ates the l ast line in
j ust the opposite sense: "ou plutot la rend seulement indirecte, non ex
presse" (L' origine, p. 1 79n). That i s, in the objective sciences (die ob
jektiven Wissenschaften, a narrower category than literature in general),
the transl ation diference does not remove access to the identical sense
of the original expression, rather it renders the access only indirect, in
di stinct, inauthentic, improper (bzw. nur zu einer uneigentlichen, indi
rekten macht [Krisis, 368n] ).
Husser! seems of two mi nds here: translatability guarantees the same
sense in geometry (the Pythagorean theorem is "identically the same" in
the original language and al l "translations") and yet the diference be
tween transl ation and original renders the accessibility to that identical
sameness (ideal object), indirect, inauthentic, improper, indi stinct. The
counterpoint of these two minds i s the double bind of history for Hus
ser! , as we shal l see.
Derrida highl ights this note in the Introduction:
In an important note, Husserl specifes that "the broadest concept of litera
ture" ( 1 60) comprises all idealformations, since, in order to be such, they
must always be capable of being expressible in discourse and translatable,
directly or not, from one language into another. In other words, idealfor
mations are rooted only in language in general, not in the factuality of lan
guages and their particular linguistic incarnations. (P. 66; my emphasis)
"Directly or not" establi shes the l imits of transl atabil ity of ideal forma
tions (or constructions, in Carr's transl ation) in "the broadest concept of
l iterature. " Derrida remarks the translatabi lity of ideal formations as
"rooted only in language in general . " What are the l i mits of ideality' s
rootedness in language in general? In distingui shing the ideal formations
of geometrical objectivity (the most ideal of ideal formations, that i s, a
free ideali ty), Derrida argues that geometrical ideal objecti vity is "abso
lute and without any kind of l imit. Its ideal ity . . . i s no l onger only that
of the expressi on or intentional content; it is that of the object itsel Al l
190
John P. Leavey
adherence to any real contingency is removed. The possibi lity of trans
lation, which is identical with that of tradition, is opened ad infnitum
. . - " (p. 72 above). In other words , the ideal ity of ideal formations
opens upon infnite transl ation; its rootedness in language is in no de
facto language, but in language in general ; in language, but not lan
guages ; in langage, but not langues. Thi s is the double bind of the Babel
scene: "in one stroke" ideality "commands and forbids" transl ation "by
showing and hiding . . . the l i mi t" ( "Des tours de Babel , " trans . Joseph
Graham, in Diference in Translation, ed. Joseph F. Graham [Ithaca:
Cornell University Press, 1 985] : 204), the l imit between language and
languages . Derrida notes that the factual ity of free ideality is the "cru
cial difculty of all [Husserl ' s] phi losophy of hi story. " Free ideal ities ,
although free of al l contingency, occur in hi story, and this occurrence
means that " free idealities are also factual and worldl y. " Thus the cru
cial question i s, "what is the sense of this last factual ity?" (p. 72n
above). In other words , for the transl ator, what i s the sense of l anguages
in Babel ' s double bind?
The double bind of Babel is curiousl y echoed in the two occurrences
ofthe tower of Babel in Derri da' s Introducti on, the frst in the discussion
of the asymmetrical transcendental paral l el s of Joyce and Husserl on
equivocity and univocity, the second concerning the infnities of Hus
serl o Both occurrences, however, while arguing in opposite directions
on the tower (one for its destruction, the other for its building), do so for
the sake of univocity. In the frst instance, the tower of Babel is to be de
stroyed in order to fx meaning. Husserl ' s text reminds Derrida of Leib
niz's statement: " ' i t depends upon us to fx their meanings, at least in
any scholarly language, and to agree to destroy this tower of Babel ' " (p.
l O I n above). In the second, in a citation from Husserl ' s "Cri si s of Euro
pean Humanity and Phi losophy, " mathematics i s compared to the tower
of Babylon (Babel) as the infnite task to be completed: " ' Math
ematics-the idea of the infnite, of infnite tasks-is l ike a Babylonian
tower: although unfni shed, it remains a task ful l of sense, opened onto
the infi nite. Thi s infnity has for its correlate the new man of infnite
ends' " (p. 1 28 above). In these two occurrences, uni vocity i s possible
(and so impossible, contrapunctus) only this-side-of or beyond (before
or after the end of) Babel (see pp. 1 03-4 above for a discussi on of the
impossible " l imiting cases" of absol ute univocity); this-side-of or be
yond the double bind of Babel -transl ate, do not transl ate; thi s-side-of
or beyond languages; this-side-of or beyond, in HusserI 's terms , the
"seduction oj language [Verfiihrung der Sprache] " (p. 1 65 above;
Krisis, p. 372) ; this-side-of or beyond translation, which, in the Ver-
191
Coda
fuhrung of language, i s al so Uberjuhrung,
.
the evr transmitte and
transmissible (tradier and tradierbar) capaCIty to bnng to the cl ant ?f
reactivation in assuming responsibil ity for sense (p. 1 69 above; Knsl
.
s,
pp. 375-76); this-side-of or beyond hi story; this-s de-of or
.
beyond wnt
ing, counterpoint, punctuation, the rhythm of the mterruptIOn.
.
If absolute univocity (the ideal) is the impossible double bmd for
Husserl , how does he work with hi story? D' Amico ends his essay on
HusserI by recalling Marx' s argument against Hegel :
the manner by which we come to know and thus advance fro

imm

diat

and naive knowledge to that ofrefective self-understandmg lS not ldentlcal
to the way in which the object (as real object, rather than object ofkn

wl
edge) came about historically and materially. History does not recap

tulate
the methodology ofknowledge. Philosophy is, however, pushed to thls ob
vious error because any contingency or materiality threatens the suprem
acy ofthe ideal. ( "Husserl, " p. 20)
He goes on to concl ude that Husserl 's "efort to save te theortica atti
tude involves [him] in the perennial oppositions of reahty
.
and Ideal Ity
.
or
necessity and contingency. In each case, while his anal YSI S shows an m
separable connection, Husserl onl y ' values' ideal ity; and thus the mate
rial , the diferent , and the contingent are denied or removed from te d?
main of knowledge" (p. 22). D' Amico punctuates Husserl ' s valuaton m
quotation marks and highl ights the evaluaton. Yet in c?unterpo
.
mt to
thi s punctuation, there is a counterpunctuatIOn. Husserl I
.
nvokes Ideal
ity, but that ideality i s al ways caught in Babel ' s double bmd, such that
the material the diferent, and the contingent are removed from the do
main of kno
'
wledge (ideality) only insofar as they are the conditions of
possibil ity of that ideal ity and thus empower the domain of knowledg.
In other words , Babel , as the "primordial Diference of the absolut <n
gin, " as "the beyond or the this-side which gives sense to al l empincal
genius and al l factual profusion, " punctuates the transcendenta
.
l as the
double bind of thought , the double bind of "the strange processIOn of a
' Ruckrage' " (p. 1 53 above) . Or perhaps , untime
.
ly, te tanscendental
i s the punctuati on, the punctuation of the double bmd, m hI story .
[ ]
Coda: Have I abandoned prematurely meaning in favor of the signa
ture? As my responsibil ity i s the transl ator' s, i s the signature to be trans
lated? Can it be? From deja to da to j' accepte, signatures punctuate
1 92
John P. Leavey
Derrida's COrpUS . In the Introduction, one such signature is the signature
of horizon, a "decisive" notion: "Horizon is the always-already-there
[Ie toujours-deja-la] of a future which keeps the indetermination of its
infnite openness intact . . . . a horizon is always virtually present in ev
ery experience; for it is at once the unity and the incompletion for that
experience-the anticipated unity in every incompletion" (p. 1 1 7
above; L' origine, p. 1 23). Always already there, on the horizon, punctu
ated, the signature of a corpus incomplete .
John P. Leavey, Jr.
September 1 988
Index ofPassages
Cited from Husserl
[Page numbers refer to the present book. ]
Cartesian Meditations
3: 3 3 , 39
4: 79, 1 42
7: 95
23 : 1 45
29: 29
37: 29, 47, 96
38: 29, 96
39: 1 52
4 1 : 1 36
48-49: 86-87
52: 86
6 1 : 87, 1 26
The Crisis ofEuropean Sciences and
Transcendental Phenomenology
7: 95 , 1 46
8: 1 27, 1 29, 1 30
9: 1 27
9a : 35, 1 22 , 1 24, 1 26, 1 30, 1 33 , 1 34
9b : 34-35, 36-37
9c : 1 26
,: 98, 1 26
9h : 35, 36, 57, 1 1 8, 1 1 9, 1 26 , 1 30
91 : 3 5 , 5 1
1 5 : 95
2 1 : 3 3
33-39: 1 1 9
33 : 1 1 9
34b : 85
34e : 1 1 9
34f: 1 20
36: 1 1 9, 1 20, 1 22, 1 33
37: 1 1 9
7 1 : 1 30
Appendi x I : . ' Phi losophy and the Cri si sof
European Humanity" (Abhandlung
C in Krisis, the German edition) : 36,
80, 84-85, 1 1 0, 1 1 5 , 1 27, 1 28-29, 1 46
Appendix I I (Abhandlung A in Krisis) :
1 27, 1 33
Appendix IV (73-Schl usswort i n
Krisis) : 95, 1 36, 142 , 1 46
Appendix V (Bei lage I I in Krisis) : 1 33
Appendix I X (Bei lage XXVI I I i n Krisis) :
1 1 6
" Fi nk' s Appendi x on the Problem of the
' Unconscious' : 93
Die Krisis der europiischen
Wissenschaften und die
tranzendentale Phinomenologie
Bei lage XI I I : 1 49
Bei lage XXV: 1 1 6
Bei l age XXVI : 1 1 5
Beilage XXVI I : 42 , 1 1 5
Experience and Judgment
I : 47
I O: 1 1 8, 1 33
1 4: 1 20, 1 32
23 : 1 00
38: 83 , 87
63 : 7 1
64: 7 1
64c: 73 , 1 48
65: 72, 91 , 98
Erste Philosophie ( 1 923124) , Vol . I
Bei lage VI I : 1 27
Formal and Transcendental Logic
I ntroduction: 3 1 , 32, 33, 38-39, 52
1 -5: 79
I : 69
2: 68, 88
5: 68 , 75
6: 4 1
194
Index ofPassages Cited from Husser!
Formal and Transcendental Logic
( continued)
9: 53
1 6: 55, 99, 1 39
1 7: 55
3 1 : 53 , 54
59: 62
62 : 67
71 : 32
73 : 79
74: 1 35
96c: 1 33
1 00: 63
1 02: 39, 47
Conclusion: 87, 1 26, 1 27 , 1 33
Appendi x I I : 55, 99
2b : 96
2c : 93
The Idea ofPhenomenology
Lecture I [po 23 of German] : 1 49
Ideas I
I ntroduction: 1 42
I : 43 , 47
7: 44, 54
8: 32
9: 32, 1 27
1 0: 32
I I : 48
1 4: 48
1 5 : 48
1 7: 32
24: 62
25: 32, 43 , 95, 1 08
44: 1 47
49: 95 , 96
56: 43
58: 1 47
59: 68
60: 1 2 1
70: 45 , 1 27 , 1 33
72: 33, 53 , 56, 1 22
73 : 3 3 , 1 02
74: 33, 1 23 , 1 33 , 1 34 , 1 35
75 : 33, 1 24
76: 64
79: 1 47
8 1 : 96, 1 20
83 : 1 06, 1 36
88: 66, 96
90: 7 1
97f. : 6
1 43 : 1 39
1 49: 1 22 , 1 35
Logical Investigations
Foreword to 2nd Ed. : 7 1
Prologomena
6: 92
59: 73
60: 1 02
67: 47
70: 53
I ntroduction to Vol . II of German Ed.
2: 78-79
3: 79
5: 70
First I nvestigation
1 -5: 92
I I : 70, 73 , 74
1 2 : 7 1
1 8: 44, 1 33
20: 98
26: 82, 1 00
3 1 : 48
32: 59
Fourth I nvestigation: 80
I nvestigations 1 -5: 7 1
The Origin of Geometry: passim
The Phenomenology of Internal
Time-Consciousne ss
2: 47
36: 82
Concering the Concept ofNl mber ( 1 887)
p. 37: 28
"Die Frage nach dem Ursprung der
Geometrie al s intentional-hi stori sches
Probl em. " Ed. E. Fink
p. 207: 48
p. 208: 48
p. 2 1 0: 89
p. 2 1 5 : 55
"Grundlegende Untersuchungen zum
Phanomeno\ogischen Ursprung der
i
I
|
1
195
Index ofPassages Cited from Hussert
Raumli chkei t der Natur" ( May 1 934)
pp. 307, 308, 309, 3 1 5, 3 1 7, 3 1 8: 83-85
"Phi l osophy as Rigorous Science": 33 , 43 ,
47, 48, 58-59, 1 01 , 1 03 , I I I , 1 5 1
Letter of March I I , 1 935, to Levy- Bruhl :
I I I , 1 1 4
Letter of November 1 6, 1 930: 1 45
Unpubl i shed Transcripts
C 2 I I : S, 7: 1 49
C 2 I I I , 1 932, pp. 8-9: 1 48
C 6, August 1 930, p. 5: 87
C 8 I I , October 29, p. 3: 1 2 1
C 1 3/ 1 5 I I , 1 934, p. 9 : 80
E I I I 4, p. 60: . 1 46, 1 47
F 1 24, p. 68: 1 48
K I I I , p. 1 06: 1 47

1
Index
Absolute 1 7, 58, 86, 1 09, 1 1 6, 1 36-37,
1 43-44, 1 46n, 1 47-50. 1 52-53
of intentional hi storicity 1 7, 1 42
Act
primally i nstituting act ( Urstiftung) 45n,
48, 49, 1 27, 1 28, 1 45 , 1 60 (primal
establi shment) , 1 65 , 1 80
Aesthetics
transcendental aestheti cs 87n, 1 26, 1 26n
"again and again" (toujours encore,
Immer-wieder) 1 34n, 1 35-36, 1 35n
Algebrization 1 27n
Al l i son, David B. I n, 3n-4n, 2 1
Alter ego 87n, 98, 1 06, 1 2 1 , 1 40n
Alterity 1 7 , 86, 1 53
"and so forth" (et ainsi de suite, und so
weiter) 1 35 , 1 35n
Anexactitude 1 22-23
Anni hi lation (of sense) 93 , 93n, 95 , 96
apeiron 1 7 , 48, 1 5 1 n
a priori, Apriori 62, 8 1 , 1 09- 1 3 , 1 1 6- 1 20,
1 1 9n, 1 28-3 1 , 1 52n, 1 74-77, 1 79, 1 80
of hi story 1 5, 1 09, 1 74
contingent 4 1 n
arche 6 , 1 1 9
Ari stotle 30, 1 29, 1 38, 1 46n
Arithmetization 1 26, 1 26n-27n
Attitude
eidetic 1 1 4
natural 69n
phenomenological 1 48
theoretical 55n, 1 27, 1 32
Authentici ty 74, 1 47, 1 53
Axi oms: axiomati cs 33n, 52-55 , 56, 68n,
1 08, 1 29, 1 68, 1 7 1
Bachelard, Gaston 60, 9 1 , 1 33
Bachelard, Suzanne 3 1 n, 53n, 55n, 69n,
80n, 1 06n, 1 30n, 1 35 n
Bass, Al an 1 8n
Bei ng 1 7, 46, 48n, 93 , 96, 1 04, 1 07, 1 1 8,
1 22 , 1 36n, 1 38n, 1 45 , 1 45n, 1 47-53 ,
1 7 1
of the book 9 1
of the mathematical object 27
Objecti ve 84n, 1 60n
speaking 1 49, 1 64
Bergsoni sm 94
Biemel , Walter 27n, 1 1 6, 1 1 6n
Berger, Gaston 69n, 1 36n
Body
Korper 84n, 85 , 88, 94, 97-98, 1 22-24,
1 27, 1 60, 1 77
Leib 84n, 88, 97-98
Bol zano 1 1 9
Book 1 -3 , 90-9 1 , 9 1 n
Brunschi vcg 30
Cairns, Dorion 1 3n, 20-2 1 , 33n
Calcul us 8 1
Carr, David I On
Cavai l l es, Jean 53n, 1 42n, 1 43 , 1 43n, 1 44
Clarifi cation; clarity 55n, 74 , 1 25 , 1 27n,
1 35n, 1 63 , 1 7 1 , 1 72, 1 73 , 1 75
cog ito 33n
Communi cation 82, 83n, 87, 90, 1 0 1 , 1 1 0,
1 64
Communi ty 93 , 1 1 0, 1 1 4-1 5 , 1 62 , 1 63-64
i nstitutive 87
transcendental 1 1 4, 1 47n
Consciousness 7, 1 0, 1 1 , 1 8-20, 27, 42 , 57,
63 , 68, 68n, 8 1 , 8 1 n, 93n, 95 , 96, 1 09,
1 35-3 8, 1 36n, 1 38n, 1 40, 1 43-44,
1 49-5 1 , 1 53 , 1 59, 1 6{, 1 62 , 1 63 , 1 64,
1 65 , 1 68
constituting 67
di vine 1 47
exemplary 27, 1 1 2
factual 4 1 , 1 47
i ndi vidual 1 5 , 57, 85 , 93
self-consciousness 9
transcendental 8, 1 9, 96, 1 46, 1 47n
as Or-Region 64, 96, 1 38n
of origin 38
of fel l ow humanity 79
of hi storicity 1 05
198
Index
Consti tution 1 3 , 25 , 27n, 28, 32-33, 46, 62 ,
63 , 64, 7 1 n, 77-79, 77n, 79n, 86, 86n,
87n, 88, 89. 94, 98, 1 06, 1 1 7, 1 1 8,
1 1 8n. 1 20, 1 20n, 1 2 1 , 1 2 1 n. 1 24, 1 25 ,
1 35, 1 40n, 1 4 1 , 1 43-44, 1 4S, 1 45n,
1 46n, 1 47. 1 48
Copernicani sm 84n. 85 , 85n
Corporeality ( corporeite, Leihlichkeit) 84n ,
88. 89n. 94. 97-98. 1 22. 1 23 . 1 77
(bodi l y character)
Cri si s 33. 80n. 87. 92n
textual 5
Cul ture 57-59. 75 . 76, 8 1 . 82. 1 0 1 -03 . 1 05 .
I I I . 1 1 2 . 1 1 5 . 1 2 1 . 1 22 . 1 73 . 1 74
Eu ropean I 1 5
pre scientifc 1 07. 1 26
sci enti fc 84n
Dasein 1 38n
Death 1 37
of sense 93-94
transcendental sense of 88. 94
Deconstruction 1 -3 , 3n-4n. 6. 1 8
Deduct i vity 33n. 53-56
Defni teness (defnitude) 53-54
De lure 37n. 46. 1 05, 1 37, 1 53
Delay (retard) 1 7. 1 52-53
Descartes 33n. 44n. 45n, 1 24. 1 25 n
De-sedi mentation 50. 1 1 9
Dialect i c 4. 6, 1 2. 1 6. 86. 86n. 1 43-44, 1 52
of protention and retenti on 58
Diaphanei ty 50. 1 06, 1 38
Diferance 3 . 4n. 5 , 6. 9. 1 8-20
Diference 2. 4n. 5. 6. 1 7-1 8 . 1 9. 1 1 3-1 4.
1 22 . 1 53
Di lthey. Wi lhelm 57. 63n. 1 09
Di sappearance of truth 93-98
Discourse 97. 1 1 6. 1 49, I S2-53
phenomenological 50n. 69n
phi l osophical 1 38n. 1 50. 1 52n
transcendental 68. 77n
Di ssemi nation 3. 3n. 4. 5
Dokumentierung 72 . 78. 1 60. 1 6 1 . 1 62 . 1 64,
1 68
doxa 1 1 9
Earth 1 4-1 5 . 8 1 . 83 . 83n-85n. 85
Ego 6 1 , 7 1 n. 86, 86n-87n. 1 44n. 1 47. 1 67
phenomenologi zi ng 82
ego 29, 6 1 , 63 . 87n, 96-97. 98. 1 20-2 1 ,
1 38n. 1 45
Eidetic 67-68. 68n. 1 2 1 , 1 23 . 1 25n. 1 35
of hi story 1 1 2. 1 2 1
eidos 29. 4S . 47-49. 58, 80. 1 42n. 1 44
European 29, 57. 1 1 4-1 5
geometrical 44
ego 6 1 . 97
of hi storicity 1 1 5
Ei nstei n. Albert 84n-85n
Embodi ment (incorporation,
Verkorperung) 9 1 n. 92 , 1 60
l i ngui sti c 90n
sensible 89. 89n. 90n. 1 6 1
Embree. Lester E. 2 1
Empathy (Einjihlung) 1 1 I n. 1 1 4. 1 62 , 1 63
empeiria 1 49
Empi ri ci sm 42, 59. 62 . 93 . 95n. 1 08 . 1 20.
l S I . 1 52n
Entelechy 1 48. 1 48n
epekeina tes ousias 1 44
episteme 1 1 9
Epi stemologism 1 08
epoche 88. 1 1 9-20
Equi voci ty 1 00-04. l OOn
Erasure (rature) 1 -2 . I n. 5 . 1 8 . 20
Error 73-74
Essence 47, 48. 80. 1 07, 1 1 5-1 6. 1 23 . 1 3 1 ,
1 34n. 1 35 . 1 42 . 1 42n. 1 47, 1 65 . 1 66.
1 80
irreal 1 35
non-fi cti ve irreali ty of 48
Essence-of-the-frst-time (Erstmaligkeit)
1 1 , 48. 48n. 62
Essentiality 1 49
Ethi cs 1 36n
Eucl i d 54n. 72, 1 28-29. 1 58, 1 60
Evidence 1 3n. 47. 56. 62 , 63n. 64, 73 n, 87,
96, 99. 99n. 1 00. 1 04. 1 06. 1 1 3 , 1 1 7.
1 35n. 1 37-4 1 . 1 42n. 1 58, 1 59. 1 60.
1 64. 1 66. 1 67. 1 68 . 1 70, 1 73 . 1 75. 1 76
primordial (originaire) 54-55 , 62 , 1 08 ,
1 63 (origi nal sel f-evi dence) , 1 68 , 1 69.
1 7 1 , 1 72
Exacti tude 25, 1 0 1 -02 , 1 02n, 1 1 8 , 1 1 8n.
1 23 , 1 3 1 . 1 36
geometrical 33n. 1 06
Exi stence 48, 49. 66. 67n. 87, 95 . I I I . 1 1 3 .
1 1 5 , 1 58, 1 60, 1 62 , 1 64
Exi stent 66n. 67. 67n, 8 1 . 82 , 1 38n, 1 44.
1 60 (enti ty)
Exi stent ial thesi s ( these d' existence,
Daseinsthesis) 44, 96
\
1
Experience. l i ved ( \CI I , Erlehnis ) 29, 33n.
35 . 4 1 . 49, 63n. 65 , 66n. 68 . 72 . 1 1 0.
1 1 2 . 1 1 3 . 1 1 7, 1 25n, 1 36, 1 37. 1 39. 1 40
Expli cation ( elucidation, Verdelltlic/wng)
55n, 61 . 98. 1 67. 1 73 , 1 77
Expression 69n. 70-72 . 77. 79, 79n. 1 00.
l OOn. 1 02 . 1 33n, 1 64
Exteriority 92n
corporeal 94
Fact : Factual i ty (jait, jacticite) 26. 37n.
38. 40, 42-44, 43n. 46-49. 46n. 50n,
56. 59, 63 , 64. 66. 70, 70n. 72n. 74.
84n. 86. 88, 9 1 . 91 n. 92 , 94, 96. 1 05 .
1 06, 1 1 0-1 3 . 1 1 6. 1 22 , 1 23 . 1 25n,
1 27n, 1 28, 1 32 . 1 37. 1 38n, 1 47-5 1 .
1 5 I n-52n. 1 73 , 1 74. 1 75 , 1 76, 1 79 1 80
i nsti tuti ng 46
.
Feuerbach, Ludwig 69n
Fichte, Johann G. 45n, 1 36n
Fiction 3. 5. 45. 64. 95 . 96, 1 25n
Fictional i ze 3
Fi ni tude (fnite, fnitude) 37, 45n. 82.
1 05-06. 1 1 5 , 1 27. 1 30. 1 32, 1 38, 1 38n.
1 4 1 , 1 68
Fi nk. Eugen 25n. 27n. 42n . 55n. 69n-70n
75n. 77n. 89. 90. 1 4 1 n, 1 57n
.
First t i me. eidetic fund of 48-S0
Forgetfulness (oublij 33. 36n. 46n , 52. 87.
93 . 93n, 94. 98. l OS , 1 1 9
Form 5-6. 55n. 83n, 87n . 1 1 0. 1 23 . 1 26.
1 37, 1 43 . 1 44n. 1 45n. 1 48 . 1 53 . 1 58 .
1 74
corporeal 94
cul tural 1 08
ideal 89n
of hi storicity 97
Foucaul t . Michel 7n. 8. 8n
Freud I n
Gadamer. Hans-Georg l I n
Gali leo 35-37. 35n. 36n, 1 24n. 1 29n, 1 57.
1 58n
Gaze (regard) 64. 78. 83 , 1 57. 1 77. 1 80
Genesi s 28 . 47n. 57, 62 . 63 . 65 . 84n, 1 08 .
1 32 . 1 43 . 1 73
psychological 28. 29
transcendental 28
of geometry 46
Geneticism 26
199
Index
Geni ti vity 1 42-43
Geography 1 23 , 1 25
Geology 1 4, 83
Geometry I I , 1 4, 1 5 . 25. 27, 32. 32n. 33n.
34-41 , 35n. 44, 47-53 , 56, 58, 60-62 ,
64-66, 72-73 , 8 1 . 83 , 95 , 97, 1 02n,
1 05-08, 1 1 7- 1 8 , 1 2 1 -23 , 1 24n-25n,
1 25-30. 1 26n, l 27n, 1 30n, 1 32 , 1 33n,
1 35 , 1 46, 1 57, 1 59, 1 60, 1 66 , 1 68, 1 72 ,
1 73 . 1 75 . 1 77, 1 78, 1 80
God 45n. 1 47-8, 1 47n, 1 48n
Godel 53 , 54
Ground, grounding (t"ondement , folld(/ tioll ,
sol) 26, 33n, 37n, 44-46. 45n, 52 ,
54-55 , 58. 61 , 64, 8 1 , 83 , 84n, 85 , 87,
87n , 97, 99, 1 04, 1 09. 1 1 0. 1 1 9, 1 20,
1 2 1 . 1 25n, 1 3 3 , 1 33n, 1 38n , 1 43 , 1 49.
1 50, 1 5 1 . 1 73 , 1 74. 1 75, 1 80
Hal l ucinat ion 44-46, 45n
Hegel , G. W. F. 45n, 57, 67n, 1 02
Heidegger, Mart i n I n, 4n, 5 . 8, I On- l i n,
69n, l O I n, 1 38n
Herbart. J . F. 72
Herder. J . G. 70n
Hi storici sm 26. 44, 46n, 1 03 , 1 03n. 1 09- 1 0.
1 75-76, 1 80
Hi stori ci ty (Geschichtlichkeit) 8, 1 0-1 8 ,
26-29, 28n. 34, 42 . 44, 46. 48, 49. 50n,
59. 6 1 , 63-64, 66, 89, 93 . 97, 1 0 L
1 03-04. 1 07 , 1 08, 1 1 0, 1 1 2-1 8. 1 1 5n,
1 20, 1 30, 1 32 . 1 40, 1 4 1 . 1 42n, 1 45 ,
1 45n, 1 49-53 . 1 72 , 1 73 . 1 74. 1 74n,
1 75n. 1 80
i ntent ional 1 42
i ntrinsic 94-95 , 95n. 97. 1 3 1
transcendental 75. 87, 1 2 1 , 1 4 1 . 1 42, 1 48
Hi story 1 0, 1 4. 27, 29. 29n, 30, 34. 35 , 36n.
38. 39. 42-47. 43n. 49-52 , 50n. 59,
6 1 -66, 63n. 69. 69n. 70. 76, 82 , 90. 93 .
95-97. 95n. 99. 1 01 . 1 02. 1 04. 1 05 ,
1 08-1 2 . 1 1 5- 1 8, 1 1 6n, 1 20, 1 3 1 . 1 32 ,
1 37 , 1 4 1 , 1 42 . 1 44-46. 1 48-53 .
1 72-73 . 1 74. 1 75 . 1 79. 1 80
external 95 . 95n. 1 08
i nfnite 1 06. 1 35
i ntent ional 34. 98. 1 09
i nternal 1 05 . 1 09. 1 25 . 1 80
natural 57
phenomenological 28, 1 4 1
real (reale) 87
200
Index
Hi story (continued)
real (reel/e) 59, 95, 1 09
transcendental 41 n. 1 2 1 n, 1 47
Horizon 1 5 , 1 6, 26, 34, 53 , 55, 55n. 56, 60,
79. 80-83 , 84n, 85, 94, 1 02 , 1 04-1 0,
1 1 4-1 6, 1 25n, 1 27. 1 32, 1 34n, 1 35,
1 38, 1 40, 1 42n, 1 45, 1 48, 1 49, 1 59,
1 6 1 , 1 62 , 1 7 1 -72, 1 73. 1 76, 1 77, 1 78,
1 80
H ors-/ivre 2
Hume, David 1 7 1 n
Hyppolite, Jean 88, 88n, 1 03n
Idea ( i n t he Kantian sense) 1 0, 1 6-1 7 , 1 04,
l OS , 1 34n, 1 35-2, 1 36n, 1 38n, 1 42n,
1 44, 1 46n, 1 47n
European 1 1 4-1 5
I dealism 96, 1 38n, 1 47
transcendental 29, 70n, 78, 1 38n, 1 47,
I SO
Ideality 1 0, 1 3 , 1 4, 27n, 5 1 , 55, 59, 59n, 61 ,
66n-67n, 7 1 , 73 , 75 , 76, 86, 86n, 89,
89n, 90, 90n, 9 I n, 92 , 92n, 95 , 97, 98n,
l OOn, 1 04, 1 04n, 1 06, 1 1 7-1 8, 1 24-26,
1 25n, 1 3 1 , 1 33, 1 33n, 1 34, 1 4 1 ,
1 48-49, 1 6 1 , 1 62 , 1 66, 1 69, 1 70, 1 7 1
bound 7 1 -73 , 72n, 76, 89n, 94, 1 02, 1 3 1 ,
1 32
cultural 42n, 94
free 1 4, 7 1 -72, 72n, 89n, 94
l i ngui stic 70n-7 I n, 74-76, 78, 1 03
sensible 1 24, 1 25, 1 33
I dealization 25 , 36, 44n, 67n, 84n, 1 06, 1 1 8 ,
1 27n, 1 28, 1 3 1 , 1 32-35, 1 33n, 1 35n,
1 37, 1 68, 1 77, 1 79, 1 80
imaginat i ve-sensible 1 25
mathematical 1 6, 1 35, 1 41
substructi ve 1 33, 1 33n
Ideation 1 34n, 1 35, 1 35n
I dentity 47, 67, 67n, 7 1 , 73 , 81 , 85 , 86, 87n,
89n, 90, 90n-9 I n, 1 04, 1 43 , 1 44, 1 5 3 ,
1 63 , 1 66, 1 70
lmaginatio 44n
I magination; i maginary 3n, 1 6, 46, 7 1 n,
I I I , 1 1 3 , 1 24, 1 24n- 1 25n, 1 26, 1 33 ,
1 33n, 1 3 5, 1 45
Incarnation ( Verleiblichung) 6, 76, 89,
89n, 90, 1 1 5 , 1 5 1 , 1 6 1 (embodiment)
hi storical 77
I ndefni teness 1 37
I nducti vity 1 24n
I nexact itude 1 23
Infi nite 45n. 1 28, 1 3 1 , 1 34, 1 39n, 1 40, 1 42 ,
1 48, 1 50
I nfni tization 1 6, 1 1 6, 1 27-30, 1 30n, 1 68
creati ve 1 6, 1 28-30
formali zing 37, 1 28
I nfnity 1 28-30, 1 37, 1 39, 1 40, 1 47-48, 1 53,
1 78
Ingarden, Roman 27n
Intel/ectio 44n, 1 33n
I ntellectuali sm 1 24
I ntemporality see Timel essness
Intention: intentionality 1 3 , 1 5- 1 7, 64, 88,
89n, 97-98, 1 04, 1 06, 1 1 6, 1 24, 1 30,
1 34, 1 35 , 1 39, 1 40, 1 40n, 1 46, 1 46n,
1 50, 1 63
transcendental 94
intentional content 70, 7 1 n, 72
I nterconnection 26, 56, 59, 60, 63n, 65 , 66,
73 , 89n, 95, 96, 97, 1 04, 1 05, 1 30,
1 34n, 1 42, 1 63 (chain) , 1 74
I nteriority l O I n, 1 08, 1 42
I ntersubjective ; intersubjecti vity 1 5 , 25 ,
33, 64-65 , 76, 79, 79n, 8 1 n, 86, 86n,
87n, 93 , 1 1 8, 1 26, 1 4 1 , 1 52 , 1 63 , 1 79
I ntrasubjecti vi ty 1 5 , 76, 1 63
I ntuition 62, 67n, 1 06, 1 07, 1 1 4, 1 1 8 , 1 23 ,
1 34n, 1 35 , 1 35n, 1 38, 1 39, 1 40, 1 40n,
1 42 , 1 44
eidetic 30, 38, 1 1 2
geometrical 43
originally presentive 1 00
recepti ve 40, 7 1
of an essence ( Wesensschau) 1 35
I nvariant , historical I I I , 1 1 3 , 1 1 6, 1 1 8,
1 22 , 1 34, 1 34n, 1 77 , 1 79
I rrationalism 1 52n
I rreality 1 44
I rresponsbi l i ty 52
Joyce, James 1 02-04, 1 03n
Kant : Kanti ani sm 39-42, 45n, 70n, 72 ,
1 1 7 , 1 24n-25n, 1 36n, 1 38n, 1 40, 1 40n,
1 4 1 , 1 46n
Kinematics 1 30n
Kofman, Sarah 5
201
Index
Language (/angage+ langlle) 1 0, 1 2 , 1 4-1 5 .
26. 59, 66-72 , 68n, 70n, 75 , 76, 77n,
78-82 , 85 , 87, 89, 89n, 9 1 , 92 ,
1 00n-0 I n, 1 01 -03 , 1 04, 1 04n, 1 1 0,
1 1 2 , 1 1 8, 1 22 , 1 22n, l 27n, 1 47, 1 48,
1 49, 1 5 1 , 1 60, 1 60n, 1 6 1 -62 , 1 65 .
1 67
transcendental 69n, 77, 77n
Leibni z, G. W. 1 00n-0 I n
Levi nas, Emmanuel 1 36n
Levy-Bruhl , Luci en I I I , 1 1 4
Life 3 1 n. 69n, 77, 86n, 1 1 5n, 1 23 , 1 45n,
1 57, 1 6 1 , 1 65 , 1 70
Life-world (monde de la ie. Lebenswelt)
1 6, 25, 3 1 , 60, 1 1 3 , 1 1 8-20, 1 1 8n,
1 1 9n, l 22n, 1 33n, 1 7 1 , 1 77
Li vi ng Present 1 0-1 2 , 1 5-1 7 , 57, 84n, 86,
87n, 1 09. 1 09n, 1 1 0, 1 36-37. 1 43 , 1 44,
1 48, 1 48n, 1 50, 1 52-53
Logic 32, 32n, 33 , 33n, 35n, 38n . 68n, 73 ,
78 , 79n, l OI n, 1 1 9, 1 1 9n, 1 43 , 1 46n,
1 67-68, 1 69, 1 70, 1 7 1 , 1 75
of diferance 5-7, 9, 1 8-20
pure logical grammar 80
Logi ci sm 78
Logocentri ci sm 2
Logos 69n, 1 41 , 1 46-8, 1 47n, 1 49
Mallarme , Stephane 67n
Material i sm, dialectical 46n
Mathemati cs 1 3n, 33n, 37, 39, 53 , 54. 56.
83n, 84n, 94, 98, 1 24, 1 27, l 27n, 1 30n,
1 3 1 , 1 36, 1 4 \ , 1 59. 1 70. 1 7 1 , 1 80
Greek 1 28-30, 1 30n
Meaning (vollioir-dire) 3n, 6. See Sense .
Memory 86n, 1 02 , 1 64. 1 67
rational 60
Merleau-Ponty, Maurice 77 , 1 1 1 -1 3 , I I I n ,
1 1 3n, 1 1 6
Metaphysical ; metaphysi cs I , I n. 2 , 4n,
6-8, 20, 6 1 , 1 47, 1 50
of hi story 1 03n
Method 38, 84n, 1 07, 1 09. 1 1 3 , 1 1 4, 1 1 8.
1 25n, 1 49, 1 49n, 1 52 , 1 57 , 1 69, 1 70n,
1 7 1 , 1 75 , 1 77
Mi sunderstanding 8 1 -82
Morphological types 1 26
pure 1 24
vague 89n, 1 23 , 1 27
Mul ti pl i ci ty 53. 54. 54n. 56, 1 1 2 , 1 24. 1 52
de Mural t, Andre 67-68
Myth 59. 1 44. 1 45
Name 67n. 80, 82 . 1 33n. 1 62
Nature 33n. 46n. 72n. 8 1 , 84n . 86n, 1 2 1 .
1 26. 1 47
Neutral i zation 29. 5 1 , 65, 67. 67n. 9 1 n.
1 1 9. 1 29
Ni etzsche. Friedrich I n. 4n
Noema 47. 66n-67n. 7 1 n. 1 35n. 1 42 , 1 44
Nonbei ng I SO
Nonhi stori ci ty (Geschichtlosigkeit) 1 1 4-1 5
Nonhi story 1 32 . 1 50
Nonphi l osophy 93 . 1 5 I
Nonworl dl i ness 1 49
Norm: normat i vity 43n, 44. 49. SOn. 52 . 59.
59n. 63 . 73 . 80. 1 09, 1 43
Normality 80, 80n, 1 62 . 1 64n
Novel 1 44
Object 27n, 64. 66, 67, 7 1 n. 72. 77. 8 1 -83 .
87. 94 , 1 m. 1 04, 1 20. 1 22, 1 23 . 1 35 .
1 39. 1 40, 1 42-45 . 1 62 . 1 77
absolute 63 . 1 04
common 78
geometrical 48. 75 , 1 04 . 1 3 5 , 1 6 1
ideal 1 0-1 2 . 25-26. 29. 40. 44. 45 , 47 .
62-6, 66. 77. 78. 85. 9 1 n. 92 , 1 03 .
1 1 8 . 1 20, 1 35 . 1 64
mathematical 27, 27n
real (real) 66, 67. 7 1 n, 75 . 1 61
of recepti vi ty 7 1 . 7 1 n
Objecti fcation (objectil'ation) 87. 98. 1 1 8 .
1 45
Objecti vati on (representation) 84n
Objecti vi sm 26, 83 . 84n, 85n, 98. 143
Objecti vity (objectivite, Objektivitdt)
1 3-1 4. 1 5 , 2 1 . 32 , 32n-33n, 34, 41 . 63 ,
63n. 64. 66, 67. 70, 7 1 n, 72 , 75 , 76. 79.
86n. 87. 88, 89, 93 , 94, 97. l OOn , 1 04n .
1 1 7- 1 8, 1 20, 1 2 1 , 1 39, 1 44, 1 60, 1 61 ,
1 63 , 1 79
objecti vi ty (objectite. Gegenstiindlichkeit)
I I , 2 1 , 26. 32 . 32n-33n, 40. 6. 67,
7 1 n, 73 , 75 . 76, 87, 88. 90, 94, 99. 99n.
1 1 7-1 8 , 1 2 1 , 1 30n, 1 3 1 , 1 3 l n , 1 32 .
1 43 , 1 61 (i deal object) , 1 63 . 1 67, 1 79
of understanding 7 \ , 7 1 n , 73n
cultural 90n-9 1 n
202
Index
Old names, science of (paleonymy) 1 8-20
Omnitemporality 39, 7 1 n, 73 , 73n, 74 , 77n,
1 4 1 , 1 48-49
Ontology 3 , 6, 1 7, 1 40n, 1 50-5 1 , 1 5 1 n,
1 52n
formal 32n, 68n
material 3 1
Onto-theo-Iogy 2, 4
Origin 3n, 5, 7, 9-1 2 , 1 6, 3 1 , 34, 35n, 37,
39, 46-47, 48, 49, 53 , 55 , 62 , 63 n, 68n,
69n, 75 , 76, 84n, 1 0 1 , 1 05 , 1 07, 1 1 7,
1 25 , 1 25n, 1 28 , 1 32 . 1 34. 1 34n. 1 41 ,
1 46, 1 49. 1 50, 1 5 1 , 1 6 1 , 1 70, 1 75
of geometry 36-37, 48. 79. 1 08, 1 1 7, 1 25 .
1 26, 1 3 1 , 1 58, 1 72 , 1 75
absolute 1 7-1 8, 86, 86n, 1 37. 1 52-53
phenomenological 38, 47n, 69n, 79
sense of 35, 35n, 38, 49, 1 07, 1 27n, 1 3 1 .
1 79 (original meaning)
Ought-to-be 1 36n. 1 45
Ownness 86n-87n
Passage 1 1 9, 1 49
Passage to the l i mit 25 . 1 06. 1 27, 1 27n,
1 34-35
Passi vi ty 87, 99, 99n, 1 00, l OOn, 1 02, 1 43 ,
1 63-65 , 1 67
Perception 9, 27, 44n, 46, 49, 67n, 7 1 n, 83 ,
84n, 87n, 9 1 , 1 2 1 n, 1 24
pre scienti fc 1 20
Phenomenality 27, 1 44, 1 48
Phenomenology 8, 9, 1 7, 20, 27, 29n, 30,
30n, 35, 43n, 4
5
. 45n, 47, 50, 5 1 , 52 ,
67n, 73n, 8 1 n, 83 , 86, 93 , 96n, 97,
l OOn, 1 06, 1 08 , I I I , I l l n, 1 1 2 , 1 1 4,
1 1 5 , 1 20, 1 25n, 1 38-4 1 , 1 38n, 1 40n,
1 43 , 1 49-52 , 1 49n, 1 5 1 n, 1 52n
of hi storicity 5 1 , 69
of hi story 49, 1 27n
of reading 99n
of the spi ri t 1 03
of the written thing 90
transcendental 6, 7, 42 , 48 , 68n, I I I n,
1 47
Phil osophy 9, I I , 1 7, 25 , 26, 29, 3 1 , 33n,
37, 38 , 49, 55n, 57, 86n, 93 , 97, 99,
l OOn. 1 0 1 , 1 02 , 1 09, 1 1 2 , 1 1 3n, 1 1 5 ,
1 1 6n, 1 27, 1 27n, 1 28 , 1 29, 1 32 , 1 38n,
1 4 1 , 1 42n, 1 46, 1 46n, 1 50, 1 52-53 ,
1 57, 1 75
of hi story 65 , 72n, 93 , 1 03
of language 77, 10 I n
cri tical 1 1 7
transcendental 80
physis 84n
Plato; Platonism 42, 45 , 45n, 48n, 59, 62 ,
94, 1 07, 1 27, 1 27n. 1 29, 1 42n, 1 44
Pl urivocity 1 00-0 I
Polysemy 4, 5
"Positi vi sm, true" 1 45
Preface 3 , 1 49
Prepredi cati ve experience 29
Presence 7, 9, 1 35 , 1 37, 1 39
Present 57-58, 60, 86, 86n, 1 09, 1 1 0, 1 37,
1 43 , 1 53 , 1 73, 1 74, 1 76, 1 79
hi storic 1 5 , 58, 1 09, 1 09n, 1 1 0, 1 74, 1 76
Pretemporality ( Vorzeit) 82
Primi ti veness, cul tural 8 1
Primordial in Itself 1 09. 1 76 (what i s
hi storically primary i n i tself)
Primordiality (originarite) 37, 58, 78, 86,
1 06
"Princi ple of all princi pl es" 1 0, 1 4, 1 6, 62 ,
99n, 1 37-38
Production 40, 40n, 46n, 56-57, 58, 6,
7 1 n, 78, 86n, 1 06, 1 63 , 1 78
Profundity 26, 1 0 1 , l O i n, 1 20, 1 58 (depths)
Project 58, 78, 1 04, 1 1 5 , 1 1 6, 1 27, 1 37, 1 43 ,
1 44, 1 59
theoretical 1 36n
Protention 1 2 , 58, 1 06, 1 35-37, 1 43
Protogeometer (primally instituting
geometer) 4 1 , 42 , 85 , 87, 1 00, 1 20,
1 32 , 1 62 , 1 77
Protohi story 42
Protoideality I 1 7 , 1 1 8
Protoprimordiality (archi-originaritej 85
Prototemporality (proto-temporalite) 82
Psychologism 69n, 78, 1 45
Psychology 30n, 73 , 1 2 1
Pythagorean theorem 72 , 1 60
Ranke, L. von 1 1 0, 1 76
Rational i sm 5 1 . 1 46n
Rationality 1 29, 1 45 , 1 46
Reactivation 1 2-1 3 , 26, 28 , 5 1 , 55n, 68n,
69n, 72n, 80n, 98, 99-1 00, 99n, 1 04,
1 05-06, 1 1 8, 1 64-67, 1 69, 1 70
Reali sm 78
203
Index
Reality 46n , 7 1 n, 72n, 73 , 89n, 9 1 n, 94, 1 44,
1 49
natural 48n, 59, 62 , 7 1
Reason 1 6-1 7 , 29, 30, 45n, 1 36n, 1 39, 1 40,
1 4 1 , 1 42n, 1 44-46, 1 45n, 1 80
events of 60
teleol ogy of 29, 36n, 1 3 1 , 1 80
hi storic 29
Recollection 85, 86n, 1 02n, 1 1 5, 1 63
Reduction 1 7, 1 9-20, 26, 37n, 38 , 42, 45n,
46n, 48, 49, 50, 5 1 , 56, 59, 65 , 70n, 75 ,
76-77, 8 1 , 83 , 86, 9 1 n , 95 , 97, 1 02 ,
1 05 , 1 1 3-1 4. 1 1 8-20, 1 28 , 1 29, 1 32 ,
1 38n, 1 40n, 1 47, 1 49, 1 52-53 , 1 52n
eidetic 4 1 , 46, 47, 68, 1 38n
ei detic-transcendental 95 , 96
hi storical 1 2 . 47
iterati ve 47-48
phenomenological 1 6, 68, 69n
reactivati ng 47. 50
transcendental 1 5 , 46, 68, 69, 92, 1 2 1 ,
1 3 2 , 1 38n, 1 49n
Regression 69. 70. 96, 1 25
Relation wi th an object 1 39, 1 40n, 1 42
Relati vi sm 1 1 0, I l l , I l l n , 1 1 2 , 1 1 4
Relati vity 84n-85n, 1 04, 1 3 1 , 1 75
Representation 67n
Responsi bi l i ty ( Verantt'ortung) I I , 1 2 , 3 1 ,
36n, 52 , 60, 80n, 97- 1 00, 1 20, 1 4 1 ,
1 42 , 1 49, 1 65
co-responsi bi l ity 6 1 , 63n, 1 00
Retenti on 1 2 , 57-58, 78, 85, 86n, 93 , 1 06,
1 37. 1 43 , 1 63
Return I nqui ry (question en retollr,
Riickfrage) 1 2 , 20, 49, 50-52 , 55n,
1 07, 1 53 , 1 57-59 ( i nqu ire back) , 1 7 1
(regressi ve i nqui ry) , 1 72 , 1 79
" Return to the thi ngs themsel ves" 1 45
Ricoeur, Paul 2 . 9n, 1 28, 1 37, 1 39-40, 1 40n
Romanti ci sm 38, 1 03n, 1 80
Sameness 25, 67, 67n, 70, 73 , 8 1 , 85, 86,
1 01 , 1 63
Sartre, Jean-Paul 1 25n, 1 36
Science 7, I I , 25-27, 3 1 -34, 33n, 38-39,
38n-39n, 45n, 49, 52, 53 , 54, 56-58,
60, 66, 68n, 72n, 73 , 74-75 , 78n, 79,
79n, 82 , 83 , 84n, 85 , 92n, 97, 98, 1 01 ,
l O i n, 1 02 , 1 02n, 1 04-1 \ , 1 1 8 , 1 1 8n,
1 1 9, 1 2 1 -23, 1 23n, 1 28, 1 29, 1 3 1 , 1 42,
1 57 , 1 59, 1 60, 1 60n, 1 6 1 , 1 65 , 1 66, 1 70,
1 7 1 , 1 72, 1 75 , 1 77, 1 79
nomological 53 , 54n, 55 , 55n
Sedimentation 1 2 . 36, 36n, 48, 50, 55 , 56,
57, 59, 78, 84n, 96, 97, 98-99, 99n,
1 00, 1 05 , 1 09, 1 1 8n, 1 43 , 1 45 , 1 64,
1 65 , 1 68-69, 1 70, 1 7 I
sense-sedi mentation 59, 1 09, 1 43 , 1 74
( sedi mentations of meaning)
Self 1 46-47, 1 46n, 1 47n
Sense (sens, Sinn) 9, 1 0, I I , 1 3-1 5 , 1 3n,
1 7, 26, 27, 3 1 , 34, 37n, 39n, 43 , 46-47,
46n, 49. 50, 5 1 n, 52 , 53n, 55, 63 , 63n,
6, 69n, 73 , 74, 78 , 83 . 85-86, 87, 88 ,
89, 89n, 9 I n, 92 , 92n, 93 , 93n, 94, 95n,
96, 97-1 00, 99n, l OOn, 1 02, 1 04-07,
1 07-1 0, 1 1 2-1 6, 1 1 8, 1 1 8n, 1 1 9, 1 22 ,
1 25 . 1 25n, 1 26, 1 26n, 1 27n, 1 30-32,
1 30n, 1 37, 1 38n, 1 40, 1 42-53 , 1 46n,
1 52n, 1 57 (meani ng) , 1 58, 1 59, 1 60n,
1 66, 1 67, 1 69, 1 70, 1 7 1 , 1 74, 1 76,
1 80
sense-content 7 1 , 72, 73n, 90, 1 1 0
sense-formation (Sinnbildung) 1 5 , 55 ,
55n, 62 , 1 09, 1 43 , 1 59 (formation of
meani ng) . 1 68 (meani ng-construc
tion), 1 69, 1 72 , 1 74, 1 80 (meani ng
structure)
sense-uni ty 52, 54, 56
of being (seils d' etre, Seinssinn,
being-sense) 30, 72n, 89, 90, 94, 1 59
(ontic meani ng), 1 66, 1 70n, 1 79
of geometry 37, 52, 64, 66, 1 25
i nsti tuting 37, 44, 1 05
phenomenal 27
phenomenological 95 , 1 37, 1 44n, 1 50
teleological 1 3 1
Sense-i nvestigation (prise de conscience ,
Besinnung) I I , l i n, 1 2 , 3 1 -33 , 3 1 n,
52 , 99, 1 05 , 1 1 6, 1 4 1 , 1 43 , 1 46, 1 49,
1 57 (sel f-refl ections)
Sensibi l i ty 1 24, 1 25n, 1 33 , 1 33n
Sign 89n, 92 , 92n, 94, 98n, 99, 99n, 1 64
custodial 94
graphic 89, 94, 1 64 ( written signs)
Signi fcation 46, 48, 48n, 57, 59, 63n, 64,
67n, 68, 7 1 n, 74n, 78, 82 , 92 , 92n, 93 ,
94, 95 , 99, l OOn, 1 0 1 , 1 1 4, 1 45 , 1 47,
1 50, 1 60n, 1 64, 1 65 , 1 69
subjecti ve-relati ve 1 1 9
204
Index
Signifcation (continued)
unity of 70, 7 1 n
Soci ality 2n, 1 1 4-1 5
Space; spatiality 6, 77n, 83 , 83n-85n, 85,
1 22-24, 1 26, 1 26n, 1 30n, 1 35-36
scriptural 89n
Space and ti me 1 34n
anexact 1 22
i deal 42
Spatiotemporality 70, 72n, 83n, 90, 92 ,
1 25 , 1 27 , 1 30n, 1 58, 1 77
scriptural 87
Speech (parole) 67, 77, 78n-79n, 87, 9 1 ,
92 , 97. 1 04n, 1 4 1 , 1 49, 1 52
Spirit , objecti ve 63n
State of af airs (Sachverhalt) 74, 74n, 75 ,
76, 1 6 1 , 1 73
Stei ner, George l i n
Structurali sm I , 5 , 8n
Subject 2n, 8, 42 , 88, 1 42 , 1 43, 1 44, 1 60,
1 63 . 1 74, 1 77
of writing 2n
egological 63n
l ogical 63n
monadic 93
psychological 63n
real (reel) 87
speaki ng 67, 76, 77, 78, 80, 87, 88
theoretical 1 36n
Subjecti vi ty 46n, 6 1 . 63 , 67, 7 1 , 78, 82, 87,
88, 92 , 1 36n, 1 43-44, 1 45n, 1 48
communal 60
ego logical 60
factual 70, 75
hi storico-transcendental 1 42 , 1 47 , 1 48
psychological 77
total 6 1
transcendental 1 4, 75 , 82, 83 , 87, 88 ,
1 42 , 1 45 , 1 45n, 1 46, 1 46n, 1 47 , 1 52
Substruct ion 1 24, 1 3 3 , 1 33n
Subsumpti on, phenomenological 48, 1 1 4,
1 59
Supplement ; supplementarity 3 n, 8 , 1 0,
1 8-20
Supratemporality 58, 7 1 n, 77n, 1 4 1 ,
1 48-49, 1 48n, 1 60, 1 75
Suspension (Ausschaltung) 43 , 43n, 96,
96n, 1 2 1
Symbol ; symbolic 74, 74n , 92n, 1 40n
Synthesi s 99, 99n, 1 02 , 1 07, 1 59
Task, i nfi nite 78; 1 1 5 , 1 27, 1 28, 1 29, 1 30n,
1 36 , 1 36n, 1 37, 1 40
Telecommuni cat ion 50
Telos ; teleology 20, 45n , 64, 72n, 74, 80,
94, 1 04, 1 1 7, 1 1 9 , 1 3 1 , 1 37 . 1 40, 1 42 ,
1 44, 1 45 , 1 47, 1 49, 1 5 1 , 1 53
Temporality 60. 7 1 n , 77n, 83 n, 84n, 86n .
87n, 1 20n, 1 41 , 1 48. 1 48n, 1 49
primordial (primordiale) 29, 58, 1 2 1 ,
1 2 1 n, 1 36, 1 37
Temporalization 1 6, 86, 89, 1 37 , 1 43 , 1 50
Text 1 -2 . 65 . 88, 1 03
real (reel) text of hi storic experience 76
Thales 39, 1 08, 1 72
Thing 9, 32n, 4 1 , 1 22-23 , 1 26 , 1 27, 1 35n,
1 38, 1 61 , 1 62 , 1 63 , 1 77
belonging to Nature 32 , 33n, 1 39
designated 67
transcendent 1 39
Thinghood (choseile, Dinglichkeit) 3 2n,
1 22
Thi nki ng, pure 1 6, 1 7, 1 9, 1 32 . 1 34, 1 34n,
1 53 , 1 79
Time 6, 87n, 1 23 , 1 37 , 1 48, 1 52
phenomenalization of 1 37
Time-consci ousness, i nternal 1 2 , 57
Ti melessness 7 1 n, 73 , 77n, 1 48-49
lode Ii 49
topos ouranios 1 2 , 1 4, 48 , 48n, 75
Trace 6, 95
Tradi ti on; tradi tionality 1 0, 1 2 , 1 7 , 36n, 49,
50, 52 , 53n, 55n, 56, 57, 59, 63n, 66,
78 , 82 . 87 , 90, 1 02-03 , 1 06-1 2 , 1 1 5 ,
1 1 7-1 8 , 1 3 1 , 1 49, 1 50, 1 58, 1 59 , 1 65 ,
1 69 , 1 70, 1 7 1 , 1 72 , 1 73 , 1 74 , 1 80
of truth 5 1 , 59, 1 45
Transcendence; transcendental 1 0, 1 4,
1 5- 1 8, 1 9-20 , 29, 37n, 50n, 68n, 76,
77, 77n, 80, 82, 83 , 84n, 88 , 96, 1 1 7 ,
1 20, 1 2 1 , 1 36, 1 46n, 1 47, 1 47n, 1 49,
1 53
Translation; translatabi lity 1 4 , 7 1 , 7 1 n, 72 ,
8 1 , 82 , 1 0 1 -03 , 1 60, 1 60n, 1 69
Transphenomenal i ty 1 36
Tri vial i ty 57
Truth 5 , 1 1 , 38 , 39, 4 1 , 44, 45n , 46, 46n, 5 1 ,
58-60, 6 1 , 63n , 72n, 73n, 78, 79, 85n,
87, 90, 92 , 93 , 94, 96, 97, 98., 1 03 , 1 04,
l OS , 1 07 , 1 09, 1 1 0, 1 1 2 , 1 35 , 1 46n,
1 47, 1 48 , 1 6 1 , 1 65 , 1 66n, 1 79
205
Index
truth-i ntention 74, 78
truth- sense 56, 92 , 95, 97, 1 69
(truth-meani ng) , 1 70, 1 70n, 1 79
truths in themsel ves 1 1 9 , 1 20, 1 25n
geometrical 35, 66, 74, 74n, 75 , 76-77 ,
96, 1 05 , 1 34, 1 69
Unconscious 93 , 93n
Undecidabl es 5-6, 5n, 1 8 , 20, 53 , 53n , 56
Understandi ng 1 6, 5 1 n, 1 24, 1 75
Uni vocity 68n, 1 00, l OOn, 1 02-05 , 1 02n,
1 26, 1 65 , 1 77
Valery , Paul 67n
Val i di ty 59, 59n, 60, 63 , 68n, 72n, 73 , 73n,
75 . 1 59, 1 6 1 , l 64n, 1 65 , 1 66, 1 70,
1 75
Van Breda, H. L. 88n
Variation, imaginary 1 2 , 30, 47, 96,
1 1 1 -1 4, 1 23-24, 1 26, 1 27 , 1 77, 1 78,
1 79
Veritas aeterna 95 , 1 79
Voice (voix) 7
We
precultural 8 1
transcendental 6 1 , 1 45
WeltansclwlIlInR 57-59, 1 03n, 1 09
Wrd (mot) 67, 68n, 75 , 89, 89n, 98, 1 02 ,
1 04, 1 49, 1 6 1 , 1 65
World 26, 3 1 , 52 , 79, 8 1 n, 82 , 83 , 84n. 92 ,
94, 95 , 96, 1 06, I I I , 1 1 3 , 1 1 8, 1 2 1 n,
1 22 , 1 26 , 1 29, 1 39, 1 46n, 1 47n, 1 62
communal 57
cul tural 56, 60. 70, 1 1 7, 1 20. 1 58. 1 60.
1 69, 1 7 1 , I 72
prepredi cati ve 1 20, 1 20n
pre sci enti fc 1 1 8. 1 20. 1 22 , 1 3 2 , 1 77
real (real) 44 , 45 , 46, 68n, 72n, 91 n, 92 ,
1 6 1
all the world ( Weltall) 95
Worl dl i ness 69, 92, 94, 1 49
Wri ti ng I , 2 , 5 , 6, 9, 1 0, 1 2 , 1 5 . 1 9, 87-93 ,
92n, 97, 1 02 , 1 04n, 1 1 8