▸ HEAD-TO-HEAD
DERRIDA VS LYOTARD
Derrida
1930–2004
What's true is what survives the test.
Lyotard
1924–1998
What's true is what survives the test.
▸ WHERE THEY SHARPLY DISAGREED
The three dimensions on which Derrida and Lyotard are farthest apart on Mull's 0–10 scale.
- Reverence for TraditionΔ 2 / 10Derrida: 4/10Lyotard: 2/10
somewhat (2/10): Derrida treats inherited tradition as a source of wisdom; Lyotard is readier to question it.
- Tragic VisionΔ 1 / 10Derrida: 5/10Lyotard: 6/10
somewhat (1/10): Lyotard sees tragedy and limit as central; Derrida doesn't make that the starting point.
- Trust in ExperienceΔ 1 / 10Derrida: 7/10Lyotard: 8/10
somewhat (1/10): Lyotard grounds knowing in lived experience; Derrida weights other sources of evidence more.
▸ WHERE THEY OVERLAPPED
Where the gap is smallest — both with meaningful presence on the dimension (not "neither cared").
- Practical Orientationgap 0 / 10Derrida: 5/10Lyotard: 5/10
Both register moderate practical orientation.
- Sovereign Selfgap 0 / 10Derrida: 6/10Lyotard: 6/10
Both register moderate sovereign self.
- Skeptical Reflexgap 0 / 10Derrida: 9/10Lyotard: 9/10
Both lean strongly into skeptical reflex.
▸ ALL 16 DIMENSIONS
The full vector comparison. Bars show their 0–10 scores side-by-side.
- Ascetic TendencyΔ 0
- Communal EmbeddednessΔ 1
- Embodied SensibilityΔ 1
- Mystical ReceptivityΔ 1
- Practical OrientationΔ 0
- Reverence for TraditionΔ 2
- Self as IllusionΔ 1
- Skeptical ReflexΔ 0
- Sovereign SelfΔ 0
- Theoretical DriveΔ 1
- Trust in ExperienceΔ 1
- Trust in ReasonΔ 0
- Tragic VisionΔ 1
- Universalist ImpulseΔ 1
- Vital AffirmationΔ 0
- Will to PowerΔ 0
◀ DERRIDALYOTARD ▶
▶ What to do next