Paleonymy of the Leap: Deconstruction Infinite Movement

This paper revisits the concept of the “leap” in Derrida’s philosophy as a paleonymic gesture that both inherits and intervenes in the metaphysical tradition. Whereas logocentric thinking conceives the leap as a movement toward an originary ground or a pure realm of presence, Derrida extends it as an infinite, prosthetic motion that never reaches its destination. Drawing on Derrida’s deconstructions, the paper examines how Derrida extends the metaphysical leap—an attempt to transcend contamination—into a deconstructive movement that embraces impurity and relationality. By analysing Derrida’s engagement with Descartes, Heidegger, Blanchot, and Nancy, this study argues that deconstruction itself can be understood as a “leap without ground,” one that endlessly re-leaps within the interplay of inside and outside, presence and absence.