Language: From the Rigorous Delimitation of the Signifier to the Chaos of Terminological Use and the Ambiguity of the Signified

Abstract

Throughout its history, philosophy has been closely associated with the persistent endeavor to establish precise concepts as a fundamental stage of philosophical inquiry. Philosophers devoted considerable attention to formulating rigorous rules for defining terms, clarifying concepts, and producing treatises and lexicons devoted to definitions and terminological distinctions. In contrast, the postmodern era has represented not only a departure from systematic philosophy but also a rejection of the traditional concern for maintaining a stable relationship between the signifier and the signified. Instead, it has promoted the notion of floating signifiers and the complete emancipation of concepts from the logical constraints governing their definition. Since Arab societies in general, and Algeria in particular, are not isolated from the cultural transformations generated by globalization, advanced communication technologies, and translation, the conceptual confusion and the lack of a coherent intellectual vision that characterize much of contemporary Arab thought can be understood as consequences of the influence exerted by postmodern philosophy.