Sophistry has long been philosophy's bad other, yet in many ways, its emphasis on words and performativity remain more important than philosophical Truth. This book celebrates an underground survival of the sophistical tradition in the work of work of psychoanalysis, and its determination to take seriously equivocations, jokes, and unfinishable projects of interpretation.
A witty, philosophically-informed, and openly polemical critique by Barbara Cassin of Google that looks at Google's claims to organize knowledge, and its alleged ethical basis. This critique goes to the heart of the assumed benefits to humanity of increasingly advanced internet technology.
Through a subtle reading of the writings of Homer, Virgil, and Hannah Arendt, Barbara Cassin produces an in-depth analysis, at once scholarly and personal, of nostalgia. Where does nostalgia come from? Where do we truly feel at home? Cassin explores the notion that nostalgia has less to do with place and more to do with language.
The book presents sophistics as a dynamic discourse that actively shapes meaning through language, challenging the traditional views of philosophy. It argues against the notion that sophistics is merely rhetoric, positioning it as a significant alternative to mainstream philosophical thought. By exploring a sophistic history of philosophy, it critically examines established narratives focused on ontology and absolute truth, inviting readers to reconsider the foundations of philosophical inquiry.