Locke and Derrida

   John Locke essay Concerning Human Understanding, and Jacques Derrida’s Differance, both  consider the substance of a word, sign, and language. How words change and form between different sets of people effects the understanding of the word or languages understanding its self. Locke discusses how words, ideas and things although seem different all have to interact to form a language. Derrida discusses more of how words although visually appear different, actually represent a similar concept or idea. Many of the things Locke and Derrida speak on have made me consider what words represent and how they are changing in our society.

   In Derrida essay, Derrida “contends that thought and our perception of reality are governed by similar processes.” What Derrida means by this is that to process our reality we have to see  a representation or substance “that guarantees their truthfulness” (Derrrida278) Derrida believes this directly corresponds with with language. To have and understanding of language we have to have some substance that we understand as that subject of language. In other words we have to see a representation of a tree, to understand what a tree is. Locke would concur with Derrida that humans have to have and ideas of a “thing” to understand what that thing represents. Derrida would argue that “All ideas and all objects of thought and perception bear the trace of things , other moments, other “presences”.” (Derrida278). In other words, the understanding of something, originated from understanding other “presences”. While theorizing this idea, Derrida discusses the verb “to differ”. He uses the word “difference” and “differance” to explain his theory.  Although language differs and it also differs. In other words. When talking to someone about a tree. One person might differ to a specific tree in their grandmothers yard, where as the other person thinks of the tree they saw in the park last week. Though to each person these “are analytically different from one another but for practical purposes the same” (Derrida280)

   Locke would agree with Derrida that words signify differently amongst different people. Locke argues that words correspond to ideas and not things. Basically the same thing that Derrida is saying. “Ideas Locke says, are the signs of real things.” (Derrida 815) To this we could consider the ideas of different signs. There are natural signs, such as rain typically means that there is cold weather to come. There are also conventional signs, like a red in traffic generally means to stop. And then there are linguistic signs, or sounds that represent something; like the sound “moooo” typically we think of a cow. Locke basically believes that all of our personal experiences form our knowledge of something. For example, when Frank was a child he was attacked by a dog. Franks understanding or idea of dos is that they are dangerous. Thus this changes his understanding of what a dog is compared to someone else who had a different past experience with dogs. 

    While considering these two theories, one must think our the understanding of new words in todays society. The evolution of a new idea must come with a new word, or understanding of that idea. One example of this would be the word “selfie”. The invention of the word, had to first come with an idea. In this case, the idea was being able to take a picture of yourself on your phone while being able to see whats in the picture, instead of taking the picture blindly. But really this is my understanding of what a “selfie” is. The definition or idea of what a “selfie” is, is different for other people. While considering these two theorist idea of language, sign and significance one must think of their own thoughts or understanding of what these words are.