I enjoyed reading that Frances, and certainly something which rings true for me.
The sorts of Sophist scribbles you describe are very well described as the DUnces in Alexander Popes Dunciad. They are also called out frequently by Daniel Defoe this book of his is currently on my reading list.
https://archive.org/details/systemofmagic00defo/page/2/mode/2up
I have linked to here from my latest Vlog on these questions,

I leave your pages as ever in a calmer frame of mind than I arrived, so thank you,
Roger