"Artificial Ignorance, Erudite Incoherence": The Method of Slavoj Žižek?

Abstract

This article presents a rigorous critique of the methodological approach employed by the contemporary philosopher Slavoj Žižek. Drawing on John Locke’s critique of the "abuse of words" and "erudite gibberish," the author argues that Žižek’s work often relies on a "pseudo-philosophical" method characterized by incoherent digressions, the dressing up of subjective desires as scientific knowledge, and the use of arbitrary claims to self-confirm initial assumptions. Politis traces this approach back to ancient sophistry—what he terms the "childhood disease of philosophy"—and examines how Žižek utilizes popular culture and anecdotal evidence to mask a lack of logical consistency. By deconstructing specific examples of Žižek’s rhetoric, the paper highlights a broader trend in postmodern thought where linguistic complexity serves to obscure rather than reveal truth, ultimately questioning whether such a method can be considered "philosophical" in the Socratic sense.