Germs of Death : The Problem of Genesis in Jacques Derrida

An analysis of Derridas early work engaging Plato, Hegel, and the life sciences.

Germs of Death explores the idea of genesis, or dissemination, in the early work of Jacques Derrida. Looking at Derridas published and unpublished work from "Force and Signification" in 1963 to Glas in 1974, Mauro Senatore traces the development of Derridas understanding of genesis both linguistically and biologically, and argues that this topic is an overlooked thread that draws together Derridas readings of Plato and Hegel. Demonstrating how Derridas analysis liberates the understanding of genesis from Platonic and Hegelian presupposition, Senatore also highlights Derridas engagement with the biological thought of his day. Senatore also shows that the implications of Derridas insights extend into contemporary ethical and political questions relating to postgenomic conceptions of life.