Philosophical Dictionary

Slavoj Žižek is the Slovenian philosopher who explains Hegel with dirty jokes, Hollywood films and toilets. Behind the sniffing and the “and so on, and so on” there is one big idea: ideology is not what you believe, it is what you keep doing even when you know better. Here is Žižek in plain English: his life, Lacan for beginners, the big Other, the order to enjoy, Starbucks, Titanic, violence, his fights with Peterson and Chomsky, and where to start reading.

Existentialism says you show up first and figure out what you are for later. No manual, no factory settings, and no one to blame for your choices. Here is what Sartre, Kierkegaard, Beauvoir, Heidegger and Camus actually meant, why an existential crisis is part of the deal, where the whole thing started (with an apricot cocktail), and how existentialism differs from nihilism and absurdism.

In this article, we discuss identity and its relation to how we see ourselves. We tie identity in to subculture and the wearing of costumes on Halloween and other occasions.

In our latest article, we explain the philosophy of Georges Bataille, and its relation to the pornographic work of the Marquis de Sade. It's about to get poopy.

Shopping for someone who quotes Nietzsche at dinner? This Christmas gift guide for philosophers sorts shirts, mugs and framed canvas prints by budget and by philosopher, explains the joke behind each design and covers delivery, customs, sizing and returns. One warning first: think twice before buying them a book.

Today we discuss 20th century French writer Antonin Artaud and his idea of the Theatre of Cruelty. What is it and how is it employed in plays and movies?