Stanley Fish’s literary thought was heavily influenced by the work of Jacques Derrida and Richard Rorty. Fish's later work was more influenced by Derrida's ideas about the instability of language and Rorty's ideas about the contingency of language. These ideas contributed to Fish's emphasis on the role of interpretation in shaping meaning, and his belief that meaning is not fixed but is constantly being constructed and reconstructed through the process of interpretation. In particular, Fish was drawn to the idea that language is inherently unstable and that meaning is constructed through a process of interpretation that is always subject to change.
Fish's later work on literary theory was influenced by Derrida's ideas about the instability of language and the ways in which meaning is constructed through interpretation. Fish's work on literary interpretation emphasized the role of interpretation in shaping meaning, and he was drawn to Derrida's ideas about the ways in which language can be seen as a system of signs that are constantly in flux. In particular, Fish was interested in the idea that language is inherently unstable and that meaning is constructed through a process of interpretation that is always subject to change.
Fish's political philosophy was also influenced by the American philosopher Richard Rorty. Fish was iinvested in Rorty's ideas about the contingency of language and the importance of cultural diversity in shaping political discourse. Fish's work on legal theory emphasized the role of language in the legal system and the importance of interpretation in legal decision-making. Like Rorty, Fish believed that meaning is not fixed and that it is constantly being constructed and reconstructed through the process of interpretation.
See also: Stanley Fish's Reader-Response Theory Explained
Is There a Text in this Class?