French Literature Reviews - 2026
B. Guillette, La terreur du langage. La philosophie de Slavoj Zizek
Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas
Benoît Guillette
La terreur du langage. La philosophie de Slavoj Zizek
L'Harmattan
ISBN : 978-2-343-22469-5
28,00 €
288 p.
OVERVIEW
For nearly 40 years, Slavoj Žižek has advanced the thesis that language serves primarily a negative and abstract function rather than a positive and concrete one. Its positive function emerges only through a typically Hegelian double negation. More precisely, rather than acting merely as tools for communication, words function like knives or viruses that torture and carve up our bodies and all other matter. This cutting edge initially divides reality into three domains: the imaginary, the symbolic, and the real. Language uses our bodies far more than we can ever use language: once language enters the picture, we quickly lose control over our initial intentions amid the sheer volume of our sensory experiences. It is only after being traumatized by this dissection that human beings can ultimately find common ground.
Benoît Guillette is a philosopher, economist, and sociologist at the Université du Québec à Montréal. A specialist in the thought of Slavoj Žižek, his work has been published in the electronic journal International Journal of Žižek Studies, among other venues.
The study engages with long-standing debates within contemporary philosophy and cultural theory concerning the ontological status of language and its relationship to human subjectivity. Benoît Guillette is a philosopher, economist, and sociologist at the Université du Québec à Montréal, and a specialist in the thought of Slavoj Žižek whose work has been published in the electronic journal International Journal of Žižek Studies.
Readers interested in contemporary philosophy and European intellectual history may find this volume relevant to their pursuits. For nearly 40 years, Slavoj Žižek has advanced the thesis that language serves primarily a negative and abstract function rather than a positive and concrete one, dividing reality into three domains: the imaginary, the symbolic, and the real.