I've noticed that some people really love to overcomplicate things to seem intellectually superior. For instance, say I somehow dropped a pile of clothes on the ground. They'd then ask me: "When would I stop being a pile? If I keep taking away one article at a time, when would it no longer be a heap?" I'm asking if there's there a word for this needlessly philosophical behavior? Thanks!
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"When would I stop being a pile" = "When would it [the pile] stop being a pile"? – Sven Yargs Jul 08 '16 at 04:45
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1Maybe you’re looking for *pretentious* but I’d call it interesting critical thinking that helps you understand these terms (pile and heap) more clearly. – Jim Jul 08 '16 at 05:05
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The example you give is a little odd. Is there a reason you've used both 'heap' and 'pile'? – dwjohnston Jul 08 '16 at 05:37
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Related: What is a negative word to describe people that love showing off their knowledge?. – Edwin Ashworth Jul 08 '16 at 08:52
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1You could say such people are *overanalytical* (often shortened to just *anal!* :) – FumbleFingers Jul 08 '16 at 13:03
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The "when-is-a-pile-not-a-pile" question is the famous Paradox of Sorites (sorites being the Greek word for "pile").
Bringing up the paradox (or whatever other obscure issue) on any excuse might be "overintellectualizing" or just "snooty".
Michael Lorton
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single word:
philosophize
to speculate or theorize, usually in a superficial or imprecise manner.
pedantic
1. ostentatious in one's learning. 2. overly concerned with minute details or formalisms, especially in teaching.
hairsplitting
- characterized by [the making of unnecessarily fine distinctions].
nitpicking
- to be excessively concerned with or critical of inconsequential details.
overthink
to spend more time thinking about something than is necessary or productive
idioms:
make a song and dance about nothing
cambridge dictionary definition:
UK informal: to make something seem more important than it really is so that everyone notices it:
similar: much ado about nothing
make a mountain out of a molehill
an idiom referring to over-reactive, histrionic behaviour where a person makes too much of a minor issue
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2I think "make a mountain out of a molehill" is especially appropriate in the context of OP's example. It does raise the question, though, of when exactly a molehill becomes a mountain. – No More Secrets Jul 08 '16 at 16:51
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@No More Secrets ~ good point, I didn't think of that secondary double entendre – Jul 08 '16 at 17:00
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It sounds like you're looking for pretentious:
attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed.
"a pretentious literary device"
synonyms: affected, ostentatious, showy; overambitious, pompous, artificial, inflated, overblown, high-sounding, flowery, grandiose, elaborate, extravagant, flamboyant, ornate, grandiloquent, magniloquent, sophomoric;
informal: flashy, highfalutin, fancy-pants, la-di-da, pseudo
"Clytemnestra is a pretentious name for a dog"
You might also consider obfuscate:
render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible.
"the spelling changes will deform some familiar words and obfuscate their etymological origins"
synonyms: obscure, confuse, make unclear, blur, muddle, complicate, overcomplicate, muddy, cloud, befog
"mere rationalizations to obfuscate rather than clarify the real issue"
bewilder (someone).
"it is more likely to obfuscate people than enlighten them"
synonyms: bewilder, mystify, puzzle, perplex, confuse, baffle, confound, bemuse, befuddle, nonplus; informalflummox
"her work became more and more obfuscated by mathematics and jargon"
Kevin Workman
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