Slavoj Zizek. Materialism and Theology. 2007 2/8

[sama05]

@remittancegirl..... your missing something... 2+2= 4... not matter how says it... Arabic proverb.. listen to what is being said...not who is talking.... Thus your argument over Iran's social condition is irrelavant...



[remittancegirl]

Although he makes a lot of good points, I really have to wonder why he chooses to quote Ahmadinejad as having, somehow, a better hold on reason than either George Bush or the Pope. Not that I'm a great fan of either of them, but at least neither of them are presiding over a country that legally hangs 16-year olds for promiscuity.

[lajungesombre]

@remittancegirl he is nn engineer and teacher. so he is at least educated despite his political failings.

[berny256]

Theology is the rational and systematic study.... systematic? Todays theology isnt systematic at all. There are many theological views. Theology is "fides querens intellectum" - so theology is just thinking your faith. Theology is not a system nor a philosophy. It can use some philosophical, psihological, logical concepts, but it isnt exclusiv. Eugen Drewermann got suspended because of his exclusiv attitude - just depth psychology! Ratzingers theology is not the only one.

[msizer]

I agree with Zizek about how Ratzinger is basically scientifically illiterrate, but he seems to be suggesting that muslim doctrine is better than the christian. They're both just cultural constructs loaded with mythology and a wide range of practitioners from total nutters to nobel prize winners. I don't see how belief in god in any colour is rational period.

[grtrich555]

Are u kidding me? Zizek is an idiot who believes Ahamdininejad is the "correct" one? He believes in the phony PR quote of Ahamadi inviting Bush to "Logic, Peace Ahmadi spirtual advisor is Yazdi who is advocating the End of the World so Mehdi could come and strong believers toward a form of government advocated by the Talibans in Afghanistan!. These people rape, torture, no freedom of speech more jailed journalist than any country.. Completely Coked up fool u are Zizek! Retire you idiot!

[Alen2379]

why is he so nervous? look at this gestures, rapid hand movements and everything. something's not right. is he on drugs or something?

[siadbarrbar]

and you could give qualifications under Ahmajinedad's quote just as easily as the pope.

[GoldenBoughTrader]

I can tell if someone is spiritually aware at the moment the first words come out of their mouth. Self-realized persons are calm, clear, and mindful; not agitated and jumpy. You know instantly, at the moment they begin to speak, whether a person has sufficiently realized their metaphysics, or not. I do not get that impression from listening to Mr. Zizek, although I'm sure he is well qualified to speak in academic circles.

[RockleTim]

you sound like a douche.

[piwinter]

Well, just be happy YOU are soooo spiritually aware. You obviously know nothing about the subject at hand or the broader themes of philosophy, since you're focusing on some superficial reading of a persons "spirituality"; 'new age' crap basically....

[zernestro]

@GoldenBoughTrader as far as i'm concerned (not much though, but enough), it's hard to do hardly anything over the internet. i mean action. so i hope that at the moment you wrote your words,you knew that you will not be able to act about anything in anyway. so act in your local or temporal area.

Because the topic is about what he is saying, not his gesture... you wanna discuss that?

[gen6k]

his characterization resembles that of Adolf Hitler, hitler was injected with meth prior to his speeches. Lets hope that hes not leading us into the glorification of his group and the destruction of the opposition.

[zarahFO]

I'm not religious, but FINALLY we get some sensible response to the CRAP wheeled out to the masses by the likes of Richard Dawkins!

[plaidzinc]

@zarahFO Wow great argument. I liked the part where you defined and reasoned the "CRAP" Dawkins and co speak of. Bravo.

[Swede172]

@zarahFO

Dawkins is almost 100% right. So is Zizak. From their respective point of views.

We either or or? I like them both.

[layzeeejane]

Check out his sexy deep-v. He can wipe his nose all over me.

[ExMachine]

Oh dear

[slopydrunk]

just a simple battle of semantics

[Kchnk789]

no kidding. moreover, his addiction to political news seems to prevent him from recognizing that his argument is well over a thousand years old already. never heard of patristics or the Eastern Orthodox Church, apparently. he's a fish out of water here, and trying to mask his incompetence (as usual) with this collage (borage?) of unreleated references. train wreck of an argument. the shocking thing is that people are listening to him. give up your dabbling in theology, Slavoj, you have no idea!

[squeezetruck]

If you reject the reality of a universal signifier then all thought and speech are indeed just semantics.

[rebelfelix]

I'm loving this. True: this debate is far from reality. But it reminds me of the philosophy classes in my catholic high school =).

[chiefjusticebeans]

woah did you just compare the lectures in your pregnant mother producing catholic school to the caliber of professorship and academia at a fancy european graduate school? this debate isnt the only thing further from reality.

[schzx]

It's nice that zizek is an atheist but it seems totally contingent that he is because he's taking part in such a crazy discourse (continental philosophy?) that seems to be so disconnected from reality that reality doesn't affect what choices people make within that discourse. He could be religious and could offer an equally obscure and equally valid justification for that. Beginning to sound contintental myself... when it comes to atheism I much prefer dawkins, etc.

[eydos]

Well I love and practice "continental philosophy", here on the "continent" we see analythic philosophy as only a branch, a way of thinking also we see it as a narrowing and shallowing of philosophy as we know it: as the power of questioning and reasoning without theoretically setting up (or worst borrowing) methodology/mental inhibitions, that would breed iron clad systems the like which we see as clearly the oposite of opening up new ways of relation with and within ideas and experience.

[partofnopart]

be careful how you use 'we' in this context. I sincerely doubt that continental philosophers would agree with your confusing interpretation of the differences between the two branches of philosophy.

Although he is difficult to keep up with, it is ridiculous to claim zizek's analyses are crazy and not anchored in experience. Just take a moment to examine the incredibly wide range of sources from which he draws; especially the sociological material...of course this might involve learning...

[Kchnk789]

Why should any Subject who is not Zizek himself care about Zizek's "experience" and "learning" given the way he packages it? As usual, he's delivering a collage here, pure gibberish. Why is he citing Chesterton, for example, to illustrate his argument, and argument that has in fact been around in patrisitics for well over a thousand years? It's only because he is an established cult icon that Zizek's pastiche-theology is tolerated--not leastwise by the aetheists and communists who laud him most.

[brokennarcissist]

So one the one invisible thing, or the one thing we can't articulate is the metaphysical principle?

[WolYou]

A good analysis of the superstition of our cultures and how it renders itself completely delusional.

[mrfatd]

first of all, the word god does not signify ANYTHING

[code933k]

There is a historical-cultural load about that. And you can aknowledge its meaning in whichever dictionary you want. That´s enough to say it *must* mean something for any grouo of interest no matter if this meaning or sense is hostile to plain reason in some specific circumstances.

[tokotokotoko3]

So god is irrational? Which means he is not good or anything. He just does things random. Why believe in him? Why pray to him? This would for me be the first prove that there is no god.

And if you believe in that part of the bible, then most other versions of god (mainly the benevolent god) are wrong. You may end up in some kind of deism - but you can't be a believer in the Christian god (and neither in the Islamic god).

[thisisnothappening2]

problema-tee hee hee.

[RealityEngines]

The whole human story is the story of reason's struggle against superstition.

[thisisnothappening2]

nice name RealEngines

[1234javaad]

This is very good but Slavoj doesnt know that as well gods transcendence or otherness (Tanzih), Islam also stresses his similitude or immanance (Tashbih.

[danny123xvz]

The real problem of this talk is that there isn't the slightest piece of evidence for god, science may be based on axioms but that doesn't mean god exits.

[nontikor]

Great, it works now. Thanks a lot!

[nontikor]

This doesn't work :(

[egsvideo]

thank you for the comment. it was working before - 4400 viewers cant be wrong - but it seems to be that youtube messed it up. i contacted the tech department of youtube. thank you.

[toltec11arrival]

I was motivated for part 2 but it doesn't work.

[composerlafave]

Wow! A contemporary philosopher quoting Chesterton! I was into GKC decades ago, when he was thought of by philosophy professors as a washed-up, old-fashioned, irrelevant Catholic apologist.

[natural]

why quote Ahmadinejad? he contradicts himself when he says why do we need WMD when He is trying to make one

[Harpakhrad11]

Because he is NOT building a WMD.

[TheEqualiser00]

wmd is banned in islam. there is NO evidence for an iranian a-bomb programme, ever.

[Mike1977a1]

Yes they dont have one, but they might need one to contain the American corporate controlled military.

[dantesh88]

Pakistan?

[camipco]

His point is not to support Ahmadinejad, it's the observation that the Pope and Ahmadinejad are making exactly the same attack on each other.

[niallosullivan]

What's wrong with his nose?

[Harpakhrad11]

What do you mean?

[beautifulspam]

the constant sniffling. zizek seems to have permanent post nasal drip.

[imbalancingact]

re: post nasal drip

he does seem a bit 'jacked up'...

[sickuntodeath2]

He has Tourette's syndrome