The philosopher's gift

Argyrou, Vassos

Abstract

This article considers Derrida's critique of Mauss's The Gift and the philosopher's argument that the gift is impossible. In the spirit of the gift, the article engages Derrida in a potlatch-like manner and subjects his critique to the same sort of critical interrogation to which he subjects the gift. The key question raised is why Derrida should want to give this gift of knowledge, namely, that there is no gift. The article argues that despite, appearances, and the contradictions in his argument aside, Derrida's gift is the same as the anthropologist's gift. It is the gift of human unity and hence purity and innocence, which is (a) given only insofar as there are no giving agencies -'man', for instance, or the West.

Citation

Argyrou, V. (2007). The philosopher's gift. Critique of anthropology, 27(3), 301-318. https://doi.org/10.1177/0308275X07080358

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 30, 2007
• Online Publication Date: Jul 24, 2016
• Publication Date: 2007-09
• Journal: CRITIQUE OF ANTHROPOLOGY
• Print ISSN: 0308-275X
• Electronic ISSN: 1460-3721
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 27
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 301-318
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0308275X07080358
• Keywords: Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous); Anthropology
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/391258