David Lanius
University of Salzburg
The classical notion of bullshit requires that speakers make an assertion, are indifferent to its truth and seek to conceal their indifference. In this talk I examine “bald-faced bullshit,” a form of bullshit characterized by the speaker’s unconcealed indifference to the truth, which is, as I argue, a prevalent rhetorical strategy in authoritarian politics. The notion of bald-faced bullshit helps to better understand current authoritarian speech which uses bullshitting for evasion, attention-seeking, power projection, and the systematic paralysis of our epistemic institutions. Crucially, it also has a norm-erosive effect on public discourse by undermining the norms of assertion. By openly violating these norms, authoritarian figures systematically create social spaces where truthfulness is irrelevant, hindering informed decision-making and eroding the foundations of liberal democracy.
Time: September 5th, 16:15 – 17:45
Location: E.002
SOPhiA 2026 