Phallogocentrism
Encyclopedia
In critical theory
and deconstruction
, phallogocentrism or phallocentrism is a neologism coined by Jacques Derrida
to refer to the privileging of the masculine (phallus
) in the construction of meaning.
Derrida and others identified phonocentrism
, or the prioritizing of speech over writing, as an integral part of phallogocentrism. Derrida explored this idea in his essay "Plato's Pharmacy".
The phallogocentric argument is premised on the claim that modern Western culture has been, and continues to be, both culturally and intellectually subjugated by "logocentrism" and "phallocentrism." Logocentrism
is the term Derrida uses to refer to the philosophy of determinateness, while phallocentrism is the term he uses to describe the way logocentrism itself has been genderized by a "masculinist (phallic)" and "patriarchal" agenda. Hence, Derrida intentionally merges the two terms phallocentrism and logocentrism as “phallogocentrism.”
The French feminist thinkers of the school of écriture féminine
also share Derrida’s phallogocentric reading of ‘all of Western metaphysics.’ For example, Catherine Clément
and Hélène Cixous
in "The Newly Born Woman" (1975) decry the "dual, hierarchical oppositions" set up by the traditional phallogocentric philosophy of determinateness, wherein "death is always at work" as "the premise of woman's abasement," woman who has been "colonized" by phallogocentric thinking. According Cixous and Clément, the‘crumbling’of this way of thinking will take place through a Derridean-inspired, anti-phallo/logocentric philosophy of indeterminateness.
Wayne Borody, a professor of philosophy at Nipissing University, has criticised the concept of phallogocentrism as misrepresenting and oversimplifying the history of Western culture. In particular, he argues, it ignores the prevalence of ideas of indeterminateness in Western philosophy, religion, and science. According to Borody, the phallogocentric argument functions as a ‘meta-narrative’ that denounces all of modern Western culture as rigidly rationalistic and hegemonic—in much the same manner that New World colonialists denounced all native culture as "savage".
Critical theory
Critical theory is an examination and critique of society and culture, drawing from knowledge across the social sciences and humanities. The term has two different meanings with different origins and histories: one originating in sociology and the other in literary criticism...
and deconstruction
Deconstruction
Deconstruction is a term introduced by French philosopher Jacques Derrida in his 1967 book Of Grammatology. Although he carefully avoided defining the term directly, he sought to apply Martin Heidegger's concept of Destruktion or Abbau, to textual reading...
, phallogocentrism or phallocentrism is a neologism coined by Jacques Derrida
Jacques Derrida
Jacques Derrida was a French philosopher, born in French Algeria. He developed the critical theory known as deconstruction and his work has been labeled as post-structuralism and associated with postmodern philosophy...
to refer to the privileging of the masculine (phallus
Phallus
A phallus is an erect penis, a penis-shaped object such as a dildo, or a mimetic image of an erect penis. Any object that symbolically resembles a penis may also be referred to as a phallus; however, such objects are more often referred to as being phallic...
) in the construction of meaning.
Derrida and others identified phonocentrism
Phonocentrism
Phonocentrism is the belief that sounds and speech are inherently superior to, or more primary than, written language. Those who espouse phonocentric views maintain that spoken language is the primary and most fundamental method of communication whereas writing is merely a derived method of...
, or the prioritizing of speech over writing, as an integral part of phallogocentrism. Derrida explored this idea in his essay "Plato's Pharmacy".
Background
In contemporary literary and philosophical works concerned with gender, the term "phallogocentrism" is commonplace largely as a result of the writings of Jacques Derrida, the founder of the philosophy of deconstruction, which is considered by many academics to constitute an essential part of the discourse of modernity. One can refer to deconstruction as a philosophy of "indeterminateness" and its opposing philosophy, "determinateness." According to deconstruction, indeterminate knowledge is “aporetic”, i.e., based on contradictory facts or ideas (“aporias”) that make it impossible to determine matters of truth with any degree of certitude; determinate knowledge, on the other hand, is “apodictic”, i.e., based on facts or ideas that are considered to be “true,” from one perspective or another.The phallogocentric argument is premised on the claim that modern Western culture has been, and continues to be, both culturally and intellectually subjugated by "logocentrism" and "phallocentrism." Logocentrism
Logocentrism
Logocentrism is a term coined by German philosopher Ludwig Klages in the 1920s. It refers to the tradition of "Western" science and philosophy that situates the logos, ‘the word’ or the ‘act of speech’, as epistemologically superior in a system, or structure, in which we may only know, or be...
is the term Derrida uses to refer to the philosophy of determinateness, while phallocentrism is the term he uses to describe the way logocentrism itself has been genderized by a "masculinist (phallic)" and "patriarchal" agenda. Hence, Derrida intentionally merges the two terms phallocentrism and logocentrism as “phallogocentrism.”
The French feminist thinkers of the school of écriture féminine
Écriture féminine
Écriture féminine, literally "women's writing," more closely, the inscription of the female body and female difference in language and text, is a strain of feminist literary theory that originated in France in the early 1970s and included foundational theorists such as Hélène Cixous, Monique...
also share Derrida’s phallogocentric reading of ‘all of Western metaphysics.’ For example, Catherine Clément
Catherine Clément
Catherine Clément is a prominent French philosopher, novelist, feminist, and literary critic. She received a degree in philosophy from the prestigious Ecole Normale Supérieure, and studied under such luminaries as Claude Lévi-Strauss and Jacques Lacan, working in the fields of anthropology and...
and Hélène Cixous
Hélène Cixous
Hélène Cixous is a professor, French feminist writer, poet, playwright, philosopher, literary critic and rhetorician. She holds honorary degrees from Queen's University and the University of Alberta in Canada; University College Dublin in Ireland; the University of York and University College...
in "The Newly Born Woman" (1975) decry the "dual, hierarchical oppositions" set up by the traditional phallogocentric philosophy of determinateness, wherein "death is always at work" as "the premise of woman's abasement," woman who has been "colonized" by phallogocentric thinking. According Cixous and Clément, the‘crumbling’of this way of thinking will take place through a Derridean-inspired, anti-phallo/logocentric philosophy of indeterminateness.
Wayne Borody, a professor of philosophy at Nipissing University, has criticised the concept of phallogocentrism as misrepresenting and oversimplifying the history of Western culture. In particular, he argues, it ignores the prevalence of ideas of indeterminateness in Western philosophy, religion, and science. According to Borody, the phallogocentric argument functions as a ‘meta-narrative’ that denounces all of modern Western culture as rigidly rationalistic and hegemonic—in much the same manner that New World colonialists denounced all native culture as "savage".