This is an important new critical analysis of Derrida's theory of writing, based on close readings of key texts. It reveals a dimension of Derrida's thinking that has been neglected in favor of those "deconstructionist" cliches favored by much recent literary criticism. Christopher Johnson highlights the special character of Derrida's philosophy that comes from his contact with contemporary natural science and with systems theory. This study casts new light on an exacting set of intellectual issues facing philosophy and critical theory today.

Claude Levi-Strauss, the most celebrated of twentieth-century anthropologists, has influenced the entire field of the humanities and social sciences. Looking at the formative part of his career, Christopher Johnson examines his definitions of anthropology; theory of structuralism; ideas on modern and "primitive" civilizations; and autobiographical writing. This book explains Levi-Strauss' thought and explores the different intellectual contexts that influenced it.