What is the definition of the term 'deconstruction' and what are some key principles and critiques of the philosophy?

Deconstruction is a theory of literary interpretation and philosophy that originated in the 1960s in France. It is associated with the work of philosopher Jacques Derrida and is primarily concerned with analyzing the ways in which language creates meaning.

At its core, deconstruction is a method of literary analysis that seeks to uncover the underlying assumptions and contradictions within a text. This involves examining the various binary oppositions that exist within a text (such as good/evil, male/female, reason/emotion) and showing how these oppositions are not fixed, but rather are constantly in flux and ultimately collapse into one another.

Some key principles of deconstruction include the idea that meaning is not fixed, but is rather constantly shifting and unstable, and that language itself is inherently unstable and fragmented. Critics of deconstruction argue that it can be overly focused on language at the expense of other aspects of culture, and that it can lead to a relativistic view of truth that undermines objective knowledge.