A superstitious belief is a belief that is factually wrong. Belief in blood libel and witches is factually wrong, because Jews do not in fact drink the blood of children and spell-casting witches do not in fact exist. Thus, their falsity is demonstrated not by appeal to some foundation in human being, but by appeal to the factual state of affairs.
----- Original Message ---- From: Ted Winslow <egwinslow at rogers.com>
Derrida's idea is based on rejecting the existence of a foundation in human being for this distinction between superstitious and prejudiced feeling, thinking, willing and acting, on the one hand, and "enlightened" feeling, thinking, etc., on the other. Apart from the fact that this claim is inconsistent with their being any basis for treating any ethical principle, such as "respect", as universally valid, the idea itself has absurd implications, e.g. we should "respect" belief in Jewish blood libel, "honour" murder, "witches", "rapture" Christianity etc,