On the metaphysics of exile

This essay analyses the experiential context of philosophies that place ‘exile’ at the centre of their understanding of human nature. Two examples from late antiquity are considered – Plotinus and ‘Gnosticism’ – before the discussion turns to Jacques Derrida. Derrida’s philosophy is often compared to negative theology, and Derrida himself has commented at length on this comparison. The paper shows that ‘deconstruction’ and ‘différance’ are not forms of negative theology but instead conform to the logic of ‘gnostic myth’ (of the Boehme-variant). Although there is some discussion in the literature of Derrida as a religious thinker, this is the only paper that places him in the literary field of Gnosticism.