Derrida, Badiou and the formal imperative

In this path-breaking study Christopher Norrisproposes a transformed understanding of the much-exaggerated differencesbetween analytic and continental philosophy.

While keeping the analytictradition squarely in view his book focuses on the work of Jacques Derrida andAlain Badiou, two of the most original and significant figures in the recent historyof ideas. 'Norris argues that these thinkers have decisivelyreconfigured the terrain of contemporary philosophy and, between them, pointeda way beyond some of those seemingly intractable issues that have polariseddebate on both sides of the notional rift between the analytic and continentaltraditions.

In particular his book sets out to show - against the receivedanalytic wisdom - that continental philosophy has its own analytic resourcesand is capable of bringing some much-needed fresh insight to bear on problemsin philosophy of language, logic and mathematics.

Norris provides not only aunique comparative account of Derrida's and Badiou's work but also a remarkablywide-ranging assessment of their joint contribution to philosophy's current -if widely resisted - potential for self-transformation.