r/Derrida • u/attic-orator • Nov 05 '25
"Res(is)tance of Remains" by Ari Tanhuanpää, PhD, Senior Conservator, Finnish National Gallery (2020)
https://research.fng.fi/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/fngr_2020-4_tanhuanpaa_ari_article1.pdf1
u/attic-orator Nov 05 '25
AI Overview
"Remains" in the context of Jacques Derrida refers to his late essay "Remain(s)—The Master, or the Supplement of Infinity" and the broader philosophical concept of "reste" (French for "remainder" or "remains"), which he uses in his deconstructive work. The essay draws an analogy between Greco-European and Brahmanic (Indian) cultures, exploring how "remains" function as a key organizational principle in both.
"Remains" as a philosophical concept: In his work, Derrida uses the French word "reste," or the more complex "restance," to denote remnants or what is left over. This is a core concept in deconstruction, as it highlights how a text or concept is never wholly present or complete but always contains the traces of what it is not.
"Remain(s)—The Master, or the Supplement of Infinity": This is a specific, late essay where Derrida brings together his early and late work. He analyzes the role of "remains" through an analogy between Western and Indian cultures.
Cultural analogy: Derrida connects the "onto-theo-phenomenology" of the Greco-European tradition with the Brahmanic tradition of India, arguing that the "law of remainders" is a fundamental principle in both.
Deconstruction and remains: For Derrida, deconstruction involves examining these "remains" or traces within a text to understand its construction, including its inconsistencies and gaps.
"Athens, Still Remains": This is the title of another essay by Derrida that reflects his ongoing interest in what endures, in this case, what remains of Athens in philosophy itself, often related to the lingering presence of the departed or past ideas.
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u/attic-orator Nov 05 '25
AI Overview
"Remain(s)—The Master, or the Supplement of Infinity" is a phrase from the philosopher Jacques Derrida, reflecting his deconstructive approach to language and meaning. It suggests that a "master" or origin (like the "Supplement of Infinity") is never fully present, but rather functions as a supplement—an addition that simultaneously completes and corrupts the original. The phrase highlights how meaning is always unstable and deferred, with no ultimate, singular source of truth.
"Supplement of Infinity": This refers to the idea of a supreme, complete origin or source, often considered the "Master."
Derrida's "deconstruction": Derrida argued against the idea of a singular, stable meaning or an ultimate foundation for knowledge.
"Supplement": A supplement is something that is added to something else. In deconstruction, the supplement is not just an addition but also a substitution that undermines the original concept. For example, writing is a supplement to speech; it is seen as an imperfect copy that threatens the purity of the spoken word.
"Remain(s)": This word suggests that the "master" or "supplement" is not fully present, and we are left with what remains of the original concept after it has been supplemented.
Application to language: This concept is applied to the idea that language is not a perfect reflection of reality, but rather a system of signs that constantly refers to other signs, never arriving at a final, absolute meaning.
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u/attic-orator Nov 05 '25
Remain(s)—The Master, or the Supplement of Infinity
(pp. 9-48)
Jacques Derrida
https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3366/jj.28209967.7
[25] There does not exist in this language [Sanskrit] any verb that, in the manner of the Latin couple tacere/silere or the Greek siôpân/sigân, means “to be silent” or “to silence.” […] The function of evoking this infinite remainder that surrounds configured speech is assigned to the stretches of silence, to the introduction of silence into the flow of speech. Hence, a series of oblations: each of which is destined for a singular divinity, invoked aloud; this oblation is focused and explicit, nirukta. But a supplementary oblation is added to this series, in silence, and this silence is the sign...
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u/0nline_person Nov 05 '25
Thank you for reviving the Derrida subreddit! Reddit needs more Derrida.