Philosophy Now Forum

I'm about to start reading Zizek's book 'On Violence' as part of my PhD research and wondered if there's anyone who would be willing to read it alongside me, offering their thoughts on his claims. Let me know if you're interested.

Funny, just recently picked up a copy from my bookshelf where it has been collecting dust, I'd love to!

Great! I'm going to make a start on monday - I'll read the first chapter and post up my thoughts by the middle of the week.

Ok, keep your hair on. I have other things to do too!

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"A pessimistic thought, to be sure. But British philosopher Roger Scruton is rather optimistic about pessimism. Indeed, in The Uses of Pessimism he prescribes "a dose" of that very tendency as the tonic for the kind of utopian thinking indulged in by thinkers such as Badiou and Zizek. We should respond to their irrational exuberance and "unscrupulous optimism", he suggests, through respect for custom and tradition; the "we" of unruffled compromise and gradual mutuality."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/ar ... 5900609218

If you find yourself agreeing with Scruton it's generally a good idea to have a dose of something stronger than pessimism.

Hmm ... doesn't it look like I wrote my latest comment apropos of nothing, rather than responding to a possibly sarcastic post implying that I haven't posted anything up about the book yet! Curious ...

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Is Zizek a "utopian thinker" as Scruton allegedly contends? That is the question that I raised in my post. I thought that the question might be relevant to your Phd research.

Rortabend just dismissed the question as he dismissed Scruton. Rorty surely is no Socrates. I'll bet he's a professional academic (professional jealousy (a vice commonly found in the academy)?).**

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** Main Entry: jeal·ous
Pronunciation: \ˈje-ləs\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English jelous, from Anglo-French gelus, from Vulgar Latin *zelosus, from Late Latin zelus zeal — more at zeal
Date: 13th century

1 a : intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness b : disposed to suspect rivalry or unfaithfulness
2 : hostile toward a rival or one believed to enjoy an advantage
3 : vigilant in guarding a possession <new colonies were jealous of their new independence — Scott Buchanan>
— jeal·ous·ly adverb
— jeal·ous·ness noun

LONDON — “For centuries, we have been told that without religion we are no more than egotistic animals fighting for our share, our only morality that of a pack of wolves; only religion, it is said, can elevate us to a higher spiritual level. Today, when religion is emerging as the wellspring of murderous violence around the world, assurances that Christian or Muslim or Hindu fundamentalists are only abusing and perverting the noble spiritual messages of their creeds ring increasingly hollow. What about restoring the dignity of atheism, one of Europe's greatest legacies and perhaps our only chance for peace?”
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/13/opini ... .html?_r=1

“In short, fundamentalists have become no different than the "godless" Stalinist Communists, to whom everything was permitted, since they perceived themselves as direct instruments of their divinity, the Historical Necessity of Progress Toward Communism.” supra

But, Professor, the Soviet Union was officially an atheist state. As was China under Mao. And North Korea under the current guy. I think that I’m going to read some Zizek.

Meow! You even changed your signature. Bless.

I'm not a professional academic but if I were I would not be jealous of Scruton. I'd be jealous of people like Philip Kitcher and Simon Blackburn. Philosophers who do first rate work and are able to write for the general public as well.

Yes, Simon Blackburn is good, but he sometimes gets carried away by his own brilliance, like Nietzsche.
Is it possible to see his brilliant face on facebook ?

I like The Sound of Music movie because of the music. I guess I'm just a simpleton.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiTum8eQ51E

Zizek was interviewed this morning on Amy Goodman's DemocracyNow show.
http://www.democracynow.org/

His interview was during the last fifteen minutes of the show. You can move the pointer to his interview.

On the increasing European anti-immigrant sentiment, I think he said that he agrees that a nation needs a common set of values. Leftists in the U.S. contest that proposition claiming that it is contrary to multiculturalism.

On several occasions he said that public problems need to be analyzed on a more fundamental [read: philosophical] level.

Sometimes he is difficult to follow. But, he is well worth listening to.