http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/lacan/ Jacques Lacan First published Tue Apr 2, 2013 Jacques Lacan April 13, 1!01 to "epte#ber !, 1!

$1% &as a #a'or fi(ure in )arisian intellectual life for #uch of the t&entieth centur*. "o#eti#es referred to as +the French Freud,, he is an i#portant fi(ure in the histor* of ps*choanal*sis. -is teachin(s and &ritin(s e.plore the si(nificance of Freud/s disco0er* of the unconscious both &ithin the theor* and practice of anal*sis itself as &ell as in connection &ith a &ide ran(e of other disciplines. )articularl* for those interested in the philosophical di#ensions of Freudian thou(ht, Lacan/s oeu0re is in0aluable. 10er the course of the past fift*2plus *ears, Lacanian ideas ha0e beco#e central to the 0arious receptions of thin(s ps*choanal*tic in 3ontinental philosophical circles especiall*. 1. -istorical 10er0ie& 2. Funda#ental 3oncepts 2.1 4e(ister Theor* 2.2 The 5irror "ta(e, the 6(o, and the "ub'ect 2.3 1therness, the 1edipus 3o#ple., and "e.uation 2.7 The Libidinal 6cono#* 8iblio(raph* A. )ri#ar* "ources 8. "econdar* Literature on Lacan in 6n(lish Acade#ic Tools 1ther 9nternet 4esources 4elated 6ntries 1. -istorical 10er0ie& 5edicall* trained as a ps*chiatrist, Lacan/s first te.ts started appearin( in the late 1!20s durin( the course of his ps*chiatric studies%, &ith his publishin( acti0it* reall* ta:in( off in the subsequent decade. The 1!30s see se0eral earl* Lacanian #ilestones: the publication, in 1!32, of his doctoral thesis in ps*chiatr*, ;e la ps*chose parano<aque dans ses rapports a0ec la personnalit= 1n )aranoid )s*chosis in its 4elations &ith the )ersonalit*%> collaborations &ith the "urrealist and ;adaist artistic #o0e#ents in &hose #idsts he circulated as a fa#iliar fello& tra0eler> entr* into anal*tic trainin(, includin( a didactic anal*sis &ith 4udolph Lo&enstein> attendance at Ale.andre ?o'@0e/s reno&ned se#inars on A.B.F. -e(el/s )heno#enolo(* of "pirit> the first presentation of the no&2fa#ous theor* of the +#irror sta(e, at the 9nternational )s*choanal*tic Association 9)A% conference at 5arienbad in 1!3C a presentation truncated b* Freud/s friend and bio(rapher, then2 9)A )resident 6rnest Jones%> and, the appearance, in the 6nc*clop=die franDaise in 1!3$, of a substantial essa* on a siEable s&athe of anal*tic topics entitled Les co#ple.es fa#iliau. dans la for#ation de l/indi0idu: 6ssai d/anal*se d/une fonction en ps*cholo(ie +The Fa#il* 3o#ple.es in the For#ation of the 9ndi0idual: Atte#pt at an Anal*sis of a Function in )s*cholo(*,%. This crucial period of Lacan/s de0elop#ent, as the i##ediatel* precedin( alread* indicates, &as #ar:ed b* the collision of interests and influences related to ps*choanal*sis, ps*chiatr*, philosoph*, art, and literature, a#on( other areas. 5ore specificall*, the robustl* interdisciplinar* co#bination that ca#e to(ether for Lacan at this ti#e of Freudian anal*sis, -e(elian dialectics, ?o'@0ian peda(o(*, and different e.periences of +#adness, fro# nu#erous perspecti0es indelibl* colors and per#anentl* inflects the entire rest of Lacan/s intellectual itinerar*. Fnsurprisin(l*, the "econd Borld Bar &as, for Lacan and, of course, for histor* (enerall*%, a

period of disruption and uphea0al. -is ps*choanal*tic acti0ities &ere interrupted, includin( his trainin( anal*sis Lo&enstein and Lacan did not concur about &hether this anal*sis &as &ell and trul* co#pleted, &ith Lacan decidin( it &as o0er and, so#e&hat contro0ersiall*, ne0er returnin( to Lo&enstein/s couch%. The Bar pro0ided Lacan &ith an e.posure to #ilitar* ps*chiatr* in both France and 6n(land, &ith his fi0e2&ee: 0isit to the latter acquaintin( hi# &ith aspects of the 8ritish ps*choanal*tic &orld features of this 0isit are recounted in +8ritish )s*chiatr* and the Bar, G1!7HI%. A handful of i#portant te.ts &ere co#posed durin( and after the Bar, all of &hich e0entuall* (ot reprinted in Lacan/s #a(nu# opus, 1!CC/s Jcrits: +Lo(ical Ti#e and the Assertion of Anticipated 3ertaint*: A Ke& "ophis#, 1!7L%> +)resentation on )s*chical 3ausalit*, 1!7C%> +A((ressi0eness in )s*choanal*sis, 1!7$%> and +The 5irror "ta(e as For#ati0e of the 9 Function as 4e0ealed in )s*choanal*tic 6.perience, deli0ered in 1!7! at the 9)A conference in MurichN &hereas the 1!3C 0ersion fro# 5arienbad is lost, this 0ersion is the sur0i0in( one #ade canonical throu(h its inclusion in Jcrits%. The ne.t decade &as pi0otal in Lacan/s tra'ector*, the ti#e &hen he full* ca#e into his o&n as a leadin( anal*tic thin:er of (reat ori(inalit* and i##ense i#port. A 0eritable e.plosion of Lacanian #aterial &as unleashed durin( this period, includin( se0en annual se#inars and #an* of the #ost celebrated essa*s subsequentl* collected in the nine2hundred2pa(e Jcrits a nu#ber of these &ere h*per2condensed distillations of the results of the annual se#inars%. At the end of the 1!70s and be(innin( of the 1!L0s, Lacan beca#e initiated into and con0ersant &ith the structuralis# of Ferdinand de "aussure and his inheritors such as 3laude L=0i2"trauss and 4o#an Ja:obson. L=0i2 "trauss/s 1!7! boo: The 6le#entar* "tructures of ?inship helped launch the French structuralist #o0e#ent that flourished durin( the 1!L0s and 1!C0s, an orientation that challen(ed the theoretical pri#ac* of e.istentialis# in France. L=0i2"trauss +structuraliEed, anthropolo(*, as 4oland 8arthes did for literar*2cultural studies and Louis Althusser for 5ar.is#. Fp throu(h the end of the 1!L0s Nin 1!L!O1!C0, a funda#ental reorientin( shift ar(uabl* occurred in Lacan/s thin:in(NLacan fairl* can be portra*ed as li:e&ise structuraliEin( Freudian ps*choanal*sis. -e did so under the banner of a +return to Freud, accordin( to &hich, as his #ost fa#ous dictu# has it, +the unconscious is structured li:e a lan(ua(e, l/inconscient est structur= co##e un lan(a(e%. Lacan portra*ed hi#self as the lone defender of a Freudian orthodo.* in dan(er of bein( eclipsed b* its alle(ed abandon#ent and betra*al in the post2Freudian anal*tic uni0erse, particularl* An(lo2 A#erican e(o ps*cholo(* as consolidated b* the troi:a of -einE -art#ann, 6rnst ?ris, and Lacan/s for#er anal*st Lo&enstein. Lacan ada#antl* #aintained that a "aussurian2assisted reco0er* of the o0erridin( si(nificance of lan(ua(e for anal*sis both clinical and #etaps*cholo(ical is the :e* to faithfull* carr*in( for&ard Freud/s re0olutionar* approach to ps*chical sub'ecti0it*. All of this &as announced in detail in the len(th* foundin( #anifesto of Lacanianis#, the 1!L3 =crit +The Function and Field of "peech and Lan(ua(e in )s*choanal*sis, often referred to as the +4o#e ;iscourse, because of &here it &as deli0ered%. This #anifesto coincided &ith Lacan/s participation in an e.odus fro# his for#er anal*tic institute, the "oci=t= )arisienne de )s*chanal*se "))%, and the foundin( of a ne& institute, the "oci=t= FranDaise de )s*chanal*se "F)%. The "))/s #o0e to a #edicaliEed #odel of anal*tic trainin( as per the scientistic ps*chiatric paradi(# that &as do#inant in the institutes of the 6n(lish2spea:in( &orld% &as one of the #ain precipitators of the departure of the brea:a&a* faction that founded the "F). Also in 1!L3, Lacan conducted his first annual se#inar addressin( Freud/s )apers on Technique 1!L3O1!L7%. Lacan continued (i0in( these ri(ht up until shortl* before his death, &ith le "=#inaire runnin( continuousl* for t&ent*2se0en *ears. As &as the case &ith ?o'@0e, Lacan e.erted his influence pri#aril* throu(h his oral teachin(s. The first decade of le "=#inaire 1!L3O1!C3% &as tau(ht at the -Ppital "ainte2Anne and had an audience consistin( #ostl* of ps*choanal*sts. For reasons 9 &ill e.plain shortl*, Lacan, in 1!C7, #o0ed his se#inar first to the Jcole Kor#ale "up=rieure 1!C7O1!C!% and then to the Facult* of La& across fro# the )anth=on 1!C!O1!$0%. Fro# 1!C7 on&ards, Lacan/s audience startlin(l* increased in both sheer nu#bers and breadth of

bac:(rounds, &ith artists and acade#ics fro# 0arious disciplines across acade#ia 'oinin( the #ore clinicall*2#inded attendees. Le "=#inaire beca#e a nodal )arisian intellectual institution, a :ind of hub attractin( so#e of the bri(htest stars of the post2Bar French cultural fir#a#ent. For instance, such philosophers as Jean -*ppolite, 5ichel Foucault, Ailles ;eleuEe, Luce 9ri(ara*, and Julia ?riste0a spent ti#e in Lacan/s audience. 9n his se#inars, Lacan deftl* #aneu0ered &ithin and bet&een a #ultitude of theoretical currents, puttin( ps*choanal*sis into con0ersation &ith the histor* of philosoph*, pheno#enolo(*, e.istentialis#, structuralis#, post2structuralis#, fe#inis#, and, as alread* indicated, 'ust about e0er* discipline represented in the uni0ersit*. All of the #a'or French philosophers of the (eneration that ca#e of a(e in the 1!C0s and 1!H0s en(a(ed &ith Freudian anal*sis in one &a* or another, and all of the# did so in fashions 0ar*in(l* infor#ed b* Lacan/s teachin(s. The 1!C0s &ere a hi(hl* producti0e and equall* tu#ultuous era in Lacan/s histor*. 9n his se0enth se#inar on The 6thics of )s*choanal*sis 1!L!O1!C0%, Lacan too: a sort of turn fateful for the direction of his later tra'ector*, initiatin( an interro(ation of the &a*s in &hich lan(ua(e &as pri0ile(ed b* his 1!L0s +return to Freud., The i##ediatel* prior *ears tirelessl* e#phasiEed the essential role of the re(ister of the "*#bolic, na#el*, the pride of place of anal*ticall* #odified 0ersions of "aussurian si(nifiers in the structures and d*na#ics of the unconscious and spea:in( sub'ecti0it* in the 1!30s and 1!70s, the pheno#enal20isual re(ister of the 9#a(inar* &as to the fore than:s to the focus on the #irror sta(e%. At the end of the 1!L0s, &ith the rise of the 4eal as the re(ister of a ne& focus of Lacan/s thin:in(N9 &ill sa* #ore about Lacan/s tripartite re(ister theor* subsequentl* see 2.1 belo&%Nthin(s and pheno#ena escapin(, resistin(, or th&artin( the si(nif*in( po&ers of the socio2lin(uistic s*#bolic order beca#e e0er #ore central in Lacanian theor*. These thin(s and pheno#ena include 1therness, dri0es, 'ouissance, and ob'et petit a, a#on( other Lacanian concepts see 2.3, 2.7.2, and 2.7.3 belo&%. This 1!L!O1!C0 se#inar defensibl* can be depicted as a prescient post2structuralist te.t a0ant la lettre. An earthqua:e in Lacan/s professional and personal histories hit hi# in 1!C3. For ten *ears 1!L3O 1!C3%, the "F), follo&in( its creation after the defections fro# the ")), &as bein( scrutiniEed at len(th b* the 9)A as a trainin( institute appl*in( for 9)A #e#bership. To cut a lon( stor* short, the 9)A ended up offerin( the "F) an ulti#atu#: 9t could be ad#itted onl* if Lacan &as struc: fro# its list of trainin( anal*sts. Lacan/s non2standard +0ariable2len(th sessions,, de0iatin( fro# the fi.ed2 len(th session rules of 9)A orthodo.*, &as the #ain reason for the 9)A/s &ithholdin( of its reco(nition fro# hi#. The "F) accepted this condition, strippin( Lacan of his standin( &ithin it. 9n the after#ath of &hat he understandabl* e.perienced as a deepl* &oundin( betra*al, he abandoned his ori(inal plans for a 1!C3O1!C7 se#inar on The Ka#es2of2the2Father onl* its openin( session of Ko0e#ber 20, 1!C3 &as (i0en%, relocated his teachin( fro# the -Ppital "ainte2Anne to the Jcole Kor#ale "up=rieure, and conducted his deser0edl* reno&ned ele0enth se#inar of 1!C7, The Four Funda#ental 3oncepts of )s*choanal*sis &ith Lacan identif*in( these four concepts as the unconscious, repetition, the transference, and the dri0e%. This se#inar/s openin( session in0ol0ed Lacan discussin( his "F)2bro:ered +e.co##unication, fro# the 9)A, &ith hi# co#parin( hi#self to 8aruch "pinoEa and the latter/s e.pulsion fro# the Je&ish co##unit* for bein( a heretic. -o&e0er trau#atic this blo&, it see#ed to pro#pt Lacan to co#e e0en #ore into his o&n, to for(e a distinctl* Lacanian batter* of ideas and ter#sNand this b* contrast &ith the #ore fa#iliar Freudian lan(ua(e and apparatus of the first decade of le "=#inaire 1!L3O1!C3%. Althou(h not &ithout #an* precedents in his prior &or:, a Lacanianis# distinct fro# Freudianis# be(an to e#er(e clearl* into 0ie& in the #id21!C0s. 9n the shado& of his re'ection b* the 9)A and departure fro# the "F), Lacan founded his o&n anal*tic or(aniEation, the Jcole freudienne de )aris. This ne& institutional fra#e&or: and freedo#% pro0ided hi# &ith a settin( in &hich to e.peri#ent &ith no0el approaches to anal*tic teachin( and trainin(. 9n 1!CC, Lacan/s hul:in( to#e Jcrits &as published b* Jditions du "euil. )rior to this, Lacan had

published onl* a sin(le boo:, his thesis in ps*chiatr* 1!32%. The nine2hundred2pa(e Jcrits (athered to(ether #an* of Lacan/s #ost i#portant articles and essa*s into a sin(le 0olu#e, co0erin( a thirt*2*ear stretch fro# 1!3C to 1!CC. These +&ritin(s, pro0ide 0er* dauntin( and de#andin( paths of entr* into Lacanian thin:in( the annual se#inars are co#parati0el* #ore reader2friendl* and transparent%. Althou(h the Jcrits bear no s#all portion of responsibilit* for Lacan/s reputation as a +difficult, if not deliberatel* obscurantist% thin:er, this boo: beca#e a bestseller upon its initial release in France. 9ts success ele0ated Lacan into his fa#e as the French Freud in the e*es of France/s readin( public. ;urin( this ti#e, Lacan/s audience for le "=#inaire continued to s&ell, &ith his influence (ro&in( to co0er e0er2&ider circles of )aris2centered intellectual and cultural life. Throu(hout his career, Lacan e.hibited a serious interest in 0arious branches of #athe#atical and for#al disciplines. This (oes as far bac: as the 1!70s, &ith the recourse to (a#e theor* in +Lo(ical Ti#e and the Assertion of Anticipated 3ertaint*., The turn to structuralis# at the end of the 1!70s and be(innin( of the 1!L0s reinforced these for#alistic tendencies, &ith Lacan, in the 1!L0s, alread* dra&in( upon not onl* (a#e theor*, L=0i2"traussian anthropolo(*, and Ja:obsonian phonolo(*, but also the histor* of #athe#atics and topolo(*. Throu(hout the 1!L0s and 1!C0s, #ore and #ore dia(ra#s, (raphs, and s*#boliEations appeared peppered throu(hout Lacan/s lectures and &ritin(s, testif*in( to a steadil* intensif*in( trend to&ard for#aliEation. 8* the late 1!C0s and, especiall*, the 1!H0s, discussions of lo(ic, topolo(*, and :not theor* &ere pro#inent so#eti#es e0en do#inant% features of Lacanian discourse. 9n relation to Lacan, the 1!H0s could be characteriEed as the decade of the +#athe#e,, Lacan/s neolo(is# for a unit of for#aliEation qua a #athe#atical2st*le s*#boliEation% distillin( and fi.in( the core si(nificance of a specific Lacanian anal*tic concept2ter#. Lacan hoped thereb* to a0oid bein( #isinterpreted in the &a*s that Freud/s decepti0el* accessible e#plo*#ents of natural lan(ua(e alle(edl* allo&ed #ost non2Lacanian post2 Freudians to perpetrate. Additionall*, topolo(*, as a science of surfaces, pro0ided Lacan &ith resources for his re(ular assaults on the crude, popular i#a(es of ps*choanal*sis as a +depth ps*cholo(*,, &ith these i#a(es rel*in( upon the si#plistic t&o2 and three2di#ensional 6uclidean spaces of spontaneous picture thin:in(. Topolo(ical fi(ures and constructions under#inin( the intuitions of this picture thin:in( assisted Lacan in recastin( the unconscious as an ense#ble of contortions, cur0in(s, foldin(, inflections, t&ists, and turns i##anent and internal to a sin(le plane of #inded sub'ecti0it* accessible to ri(orous, rational ps*cho%anal*sis. 9n addition to the pursuit of for#aliEation 0ia #athe#es, the se#inars of the final decade of Lacan/s teachin(s also &ere preoccupied &ith reflections on his re(ister theor*, especiall* the re(ister of the 4eal, and se.ual difference reflections often intert&ined &ith each other%. The pro(ra# of for#aliEation ostensibl* enabled Lacan to re0eal &ith e.actitude the precise li#its of the sa*able and the representable, thereb* touchin( upon the 4eal throu(h sho&in( &hat is not pinned do&n full* and adequatel* &ithin the coordinates of the accessible, fa#iliar +realit*, co2constituted throu(h the other t&o re(isters of the 9#a(inar* and the "*#bolic see 2.1 belo&%. Qarious aspects and facets of thin(s se.ual ca#e to be associated b* the later Lacan &ith the eni(#atic e0asi0eness of the 4eal, includin( se.ual difference. 9n one of his #ost fa#ous se#inars, the t&entieth 6ncore, 1!H2O1!H3%, he theoriEed se.ual difference as +se.uation,, depictin( the non2biolo(ical, denaturaliEed sub'ect2positions of #asculinit* and fe#ininit* in ter#s of for#al lo(ic. Therein, he purported to unco0er an inherent, ineli#inable structural discrepanc*/(ap separatin( the se.es, an inescapable conde#nation of se.ed sub'ects to bein( essentiall*, necessaril* out2of2s*nc &ith each other and e0en &ith the#sel0es as split sub'ects%. Lacan su##ariEed this &ith an infa#ous one2 liner: +9l n/* a pas de rapport se.uel, There is no se.ual relationship%. This declaration scandaliEed #an* at the ti#e. 5oreo0er, the t&entieth se#inar in particular as &ell as connected portions of Lacan/s corpus fro# this sa#e period ser0ed as po&erful catal*sts for crucial de0elop#ents in French fe#inist thin:in( durin( the 1!H0s.

9n 1!$0, near the end of his life, Lacan sa& fit to disband his school, the Jcole freudienne. This decision &as contro0ersial and tri((ered factional infi(htin( a#on(st his follo&ers. Lacan died in 1!$1. -is son2in2la& and editor of le "=#inaire, Jacques2Alain 5illerN&hen he &as a student of Althusser/s at the 6K", 5iller #et Lacan for the first ti#e in 1!C7 as an attendee of Lacan/s ele0enth se#inarNfounded the Jcole de la 3ause freudienne as a successor to the Jcole freudienne on the heels of the latter/s +dissolution., 5iller has since retained publishin( control o0er Lacan/s te.ts, editin( the 3ha#p freudien boo: series in &hich official +established, 0ersions of the annual se#inars and other Lacanian &ritin(s appear. 2. Funda#ental 3oncepts 2.1 4e(ister Theor* The theor* of the three re(isters of the 9#a(inar*, the "*#bolic, and the 4eal for#s the s:eletal fra#e&or: for the 0arious concepts and phases of #ost of Lacan/s intellectual itinerar*. -is characteriEations of each of the three re(isters, as &ell as of their relations &ith each other, under(o #ultiple re0isions and shifts o0er the #an* *ears of his labors. As &ill beco#e increasin(l* e0ident in &hat follo&s, the #a'orit* of Lacanian concepts are defined in connection &ith all three re(isters. 8* the 1!H0s, &ith his #editations on the topolo(ical fi(ure of the 8orro#ean :notNthis :nottin( of three rin(s, pictured on the coat of ar#s of the 8orro#eo fa#il*, is arran(ed such that if one rin( is bro:en, all three are set free in disconnectionNLacan e#phasiEes the #utual dependence of the re(isters on one another. -ence, loosel* spea:in(, the 9#a(inar*, the "*#bolic, and the 4eal can be thou(ht of as the three funda#ental di#ensions of ps*chical sub'ecti0it* R la Lacan. Further#ore, scholars so#eti#es se(#ent Lacan/s e0olution into three #ain periods, &ith each period bein( distin(uished b* the priorit* of one of the re(isters: the earl* Lacan of the 9#a(inar* 1!30s and 1!70s%, the #iddle Lacan of the "*#bolic 1!L0s%, and the late Lacan of the 4eal 1!C0s and 1!H0s%. -o&e0er, such a neat and clean periodiEation should be ta:en &ith se0eral (rains of salt, since intricate continuities and discontinuities not confor#in( to this earl*2#iddle2late sche#a are to be found across the entire len(th* span of Lacan/s teachin(s. 2.1.1 The 9#a(inar* Lacan tends to associate albeit not e.clusi0el*% the 9#a(inar* &ith the restricted spheres of consciousness and self2a&areness. 9t is the re(ister &ith the closest lin:s to &hat people e.perience as non2ps*choanal*tic quotidian realit*. Bho and &hat one +i#a(ines, other persons to be, &hat one thereb* +i#a(ines, the* #ean &hen co##unicati0el* interactin(, &ho and &hat one +i#a(ines, oneself to be, includin( fro# the i#a(ined perspecti0es of othersNall of the precedin( is enco#passed under the headin( of this re(ister. "uch a description indicates the &a*s in &hich the 9#a(inar* points to core anal*tic ideas li:e transference, fantas*, and the e(o. 9n particular, the 9#a(inar* is central to Lacan/s account s% of e(o2for#ation as per the #irror sta(eNsee 2.2 belo&%. As Lacan inte(rates his earl* &or: of the 1!30s and 1!70s &ith his structuralis#2infor#ed theories of the 1!L0s, he co#es to e#phasiEe the dependence of the 9#a(inar* on the "*#bolic. This dependenc* #eans that #ore sensor*2perceptual pheno#ena i#a(es and e.periences of one/s bod*, affects as consciousl* li0ed e#otions, en0isionin(s of the thou(hts and feelin(s of others, etc.% are shaped, steered, and o0er%deter#ined b* socio2lin(uistic structures and d*na#ics. Bith the (ro&in( i#portance of the 4eal in the 1!C0s and the 8orro#ean :nots of the 1!H0s, it beco#es clear that Lacan concei0es of the 9#a(inar* as bound up &ith both of the other t&o re(isters incidentall*, the 9#a(inar* and the "*#bolic, &hen ta:en to(ether as #utuall* inte(rated, constitute the field of +realit*,, itself contrasted &ith the 4eal%. 9n fact, it could be #aintained that the 9#a(inar* in0ariabl* in0ol0es cate(or* #ista:es. 5ore specificall*, it is the re(ister in &hich

the other t&o re(isters are #ista:en for each other: Bhat is 4eal is #isreco(niEed as "*#bolic for e.a#ple, as in particular sorts of obsessional2neurotic and paranoid2ps*chotic s*#pto#s, certain #eanin(less contin(ent occurrences at the le0el of the #aterial &orld of non2hu#an ob'ects are 0ie&ed as thou(h the* &ere #eanin(ful si(ns full of deep si(nificance to be deciphered and interpreted% and &hat is "*#bolic is #isreco(niEed as 4eal for e.a#ple, as in ps*choso#atic2t*pe +con0ersion s*#pto#s,, unconscious #ental conflicts encoded in lan(ua(e and ideas are suffered as bodil* afflictions and ail#ents%. Bith his choice of the &ord +i#a(inar*,, Lacan indeed intends to desi(nate that &hich is fictional, si#ulated, 0irtual, and the li:e. -o&e0er, the pheno#ena of the 9#a(inar* are necessar* illusions to put it in ?antian locution% or real abstractions to put it in 5ar.ian parlance%. This si(nals t&o points. First, as one of Lacan/s three basic, essential re(isters, the 9#a(inar* is an intrinsic, una0oidable di#ension of the e.istences of spea:in( ps*chical sub'ects> 'ust as an anal*sis cannot and should not tr* to% rid the anal*sand of his/her unconscious, so too is it neither possible nor desirable to liquidate the illusions of this re(ister. "econd, the fictional abstractions of the 9#a(inar*, far fro# bein( #erel* +unreal, as ineffecti0e, inconsequential epipheno#ena, are inte(ral to and ha0e 0er* concrete effects upon actual, factual hu#an realities. 2.1.2 The "*#bolic The Lacanian "*#bolic initiall* is theoriEed on the basis of resources pro0ided b* structuralis#. Tied to natural lan(ua(es as characteriEed b* "aussure and specific post2"aussurians, this re(ister also refers to the custo#s, institutions, la&s, #ores, nor#s, practices, rituals, rules, traditions, and so on of cultures and societies &ith these thin(s bein( ent&ined in 0arious &a*s &ith lan(ua(e%. Lacan/s phrase +s*#bolic order,, &hich enco#passes all of the precedin(, can be understood as rou(hl* equi0alent to &hat -e(el desi(nates as +ob'ecti0e spirit., This non2natural uni0erse is an elaborate set of inter2sub'ecti0e and trans2sub'ecti0e conte.ts into &hich indi0idual hu#an bein(s are thro&n at birth alon( the lines of -eide((erian Ae&orfenheit%, a pre2e.istin( order preparin( places for the# in ad0ance and influencin( the 0icissitudes of their ensuin( li0es. Accordin( to Lacan, one of the if not the% #ost si(nificant and indispensable conditions of possibilit* for sin(ular sub'ecti0it* is the collecti0e s*#bolic order so#eti#es na#ed +the bi( 1ther,, a phrase to be unpac:ed further shortl*Nsee 2.3 belo&%. 9ndi0idual sub'ects are &hat the* are in and throu(h the #ediation of the socio2lin(uistic arran(e#ents and constellations of the re(ister of the "*#bolic. 6speciall* durin( the period of the +return to Freud,, the anal*tic unconscious qua +structured li:e a lan(ua(e,% is depicted as :inetic net&or:s of interlin:ed si(nifiers i.e., +si(nif*in( chains,%. 4endered thusl*, the unconscious, bein( of a "*#bolic anti2%nature in and of itself, is to be interpreti0el* en(a(ed &ith 0ia the "*#bolic #ediu# of speech, na#el*, the 0er* substance of the bein(2in2itself of the spea:in( sub'ect parlStre% of the unconscious. Further#ore, the Lacanian unconscious is structured li:e +un lan(a(e, and not +une lan(ue., Althou(h both French &ords translate into 6n(lish as +lan(ua(e,, the for#er lan(a(e% refers to lo(ics and structures of s*nta. and se#antics not necessaril* specific to particular natural lan(ua(es, &hereas the latter lan(ue%, &hich also could be translated into 6n(lish as +ton(ue,, does refer to the notion of a natural lan(ua(e. -ence, Lacan is not sa*in( that the unconscious is structured li:e French, Aer#an, 6n(lish, "panish, or an* other particular natural lan(ua(e. Althou(h the re(ister of the "*#bolic co#es to the fore onl* &ith Lacan/s structuralist phase of the 1!L0s, it ar(uabl* is not &ithout its precursors in his earlier te.ts. Alread* in 1!3$, the idea of the +co#ple., in the enc*clopedia article on +The Fa#il* 3o#ple.es, anticipates ho& Lacan recasts the Freudian 1edipus co#ple. 0ia L=0i2"traussian structural anthropolo(*. "i#ilarl*, the prisoners/ dile##a scenario narrated in 1!7L/s +Lo(ical Ti#e and the Assertion of Anticipated 3ertaint*, illustrates ho& a for#al, (a#e2theoretic apparatus (o0erns the li0ed e.periences of sub'ects inserted

into it. 5oreo0er, the 1!7! =crit on +The 5irror "ta(e, hints at the enablin( bac:(round presence of a socio2s*#bolic #ilieu incarnated first and fore#ost b* parental care(i0ers% as the tri((er pro#ptin( the child/s identification &ith #irrored i#a(es of hi#/her2self as 9 &ill discuss subsequentl* here, this hint is e.panded and e#bellished upon b* Lacan in 1!C0s2era re0isions of the #irror sta(eNsee 2.2 belo&%. ;espite the rise to pro#inence of the re(ister of the 4eal be(innin( around 1!L!O1!C0, the "*#bolic continues to pla* pi0otal roles in Lacan/s teachin(s ri(ht up until the start of the 1!$0s. For instance, in "e#inar TQ99 1!C!O1!H0% and the conte#poraneous inter0ie& +4adiophonie,, Lacan for(es his theor* of the +four discourses, those of the +#aster,, +uni0ersit*,, +h*steric,, and +anal*st,% to reflect the interlin:ed per#utations of #ultiple :inds of +social lin:s, confi(urin( the relations bet&een spea:in( sub'ects. 5ore (enerall*, the later Lacan re#ains reliant on the notion of the 4eal sides of the "*#bolic, these bein( si(nifiers in their #eanin(less, nonsensical #aterialit* as 0isible #ar:s and audible sounds i.e., +letters, in Lacan/s technical sense%Nand this b* contrast &ith the 9#a(inar* sides of the "*#bolic, in &hich si(nifiers are paired &ith si(nifieds to for# #eanin(ful, si(nificant si(ns R la "aussure/s classic e.planation of successful co##unication 0ia natural lan(ua(e%. "uch senseless si(nifiers and their enchainin(s a#ount to a late Lacanian rendition of Freudian pri#ar* processes as the thin:in( distincti0e of unconscious #indedness. Bhen Lacan #entions +structure,, a &ord to &hich he has frequent recourse, he usuall* is thin:in( of his re(ister of the "*#bolic. 8et&een the periods of his +return to Freud, and later teachin(s, Lacan reconsiders and alters &hat is conceptualiEed under the headin( of the +li:e a lan(ua(e, co##e un lan(a(e% part of his funda#ental clai# that, +the unconscious is structured li:e a lan(ua(e., -o&e0er, fro# the 1!L0s until his death, his specific rendition of Freud/s disco0er* consistentl* holds to the thesis that, +the unconscious is structured., That is to sa*, the unconscious, as bound up &ith that &hich is "*#bolic, is an intricate, lab*rinthine &eb of ideational representations interconnected in #ultiple sophisticated #anners. 3ontrar* to the crudeness of co##onplace 0ul(ar picturin(s of Freudian anal*sis as an irrationalist, neo2ro#antic ps*cholo(* of the unrul* natural depths, the unconscious is not the id, na#el*, an anarchic seethin( cauldron of unthin:in( ani#alistic instincts i.e., so#ethin( unstructured%. 2.1.3 The 4eal The re(ister of the 4eal is tric:* to encapsulate and e0ades bein( pinned do&n throu(h succinct definitions. Lacan/s nu#erous and shiftin( pronounce#ents apropos the 4eal are the#sel0es partl* responsible for this absence of strai(htfor&ardness. 8ut, rather than bein( 'ust a barrier to (raspin( the 4eal, this absence is itself re0elator* of this re(ister. To be #ore precise, as that &hich is forei(n to 9#a(inar*2"*#bolic realit*Nthis realit* is the real# containin( conscious apprehension, co##unicable si(nificance, and the li:eNthe 4eal is intrinsicall* elusi0e, resistin( b* nature capture in the co#prehensibl* #eanin(ful for#ulations of concatenations of 9#a(inar*2"*#bolic si(ns. 9t is, as Lacan stresses a(ain and a(ain, an +i#possibilit*, 0is2R20is realit*. Lacan/s earliest e#plo*#ents of the ter# +4eal, use it to refer to #aterial bein( s% an sich, na#el*, to ph*sical e.istents handled as rou(hl* equi0alent to ?ant/s thin(s2in2the#sel0es. The 4eal hence &ould be &hate0er is be*ond, behind, or beneath pheno#enal appearances accessible to the direct e.periences of first2person a&areness. This characteriEation of the 4eal persists into the first 0ersions of Lacan/s #ature re(ister theor* as initiall* elaborated throu(hout the 1!L0s. ;urin( this decade of the +return to Freud,, the 4eal also (ets connected to Lacan/s conte#poraneousl* e#er(in( conceptions of ps*chosis and 1therness the latter to be addressed soonNsee 2.3 belo&%. Additionall*, in the 1!L0s, Lacan tends to spea: of the 4eal as an absolute fullness, a pure plenu# de0oid of the ne(ati0ities of absences, anta(onis#s, (aps, lac:s, splits, etc. )ortra*ed thusl*, the "*#bolic is pri#aril* responsible for in'ectin( such ne(ati0ities into the 4eal. For instance, onl*

thou(h the po&ers of lan(ua(e can #aterial bein( in itself be said to be +#issin(, thin(s, since, on its o&n, this di#ension of bein( al&a*s is si#pl* &hate0er it is in its du#b, idiotic presence as ne0er #ore and ne0er less than sheer, indifferent plenitude. As 9 noted abo0e, the se0enth se#inar of 1!L!O1!C0 #ar:s a shift a&a* fro# the pri0ile(in( of the "*#bolic o0er the course of the 1!L0s and to&ard prioritiEin( the 4eal. The 4eal prior to "e#inar Q99 tends to be depicted in non2dialectical and/or quasi2?antian ter#s. Althou(h ?ant is one of the #ain e.plicit foci durin( this acade#ic *ear, Lacan/s sustained refor#ulation of the 4eal in this se#inar introduces quasi2-e(elian dialectical features into it, thereb* nuancin( and co#plicatin( his ideas about this re(ister. The ne& 4eal in0ol0es con0er(ences of opposites as a re(ister of 0olatile oscillations and unstable re0ersals bet&een e.cesses and lac:s, surpluses and deficits, floodin( presences and drainin( absences. 9n the se0enth se#inar, Lacan puts for&ard the fi(ure of the #other as the :e* anal*tic referent 'ustif*in( this rendition of the 4eal a fi(ure he relates to another fi(ure, that of +the Lad*, in the courtl* lo0e tradition%. 9n the be(innin( of the ps*chical2 libidinal sub'ect/s onto(entic life histor*, the #aternal careta:er is, at one and the sa#e ti#e, both o0er&hel#in(l*, stiflin(l* present or near and, in her stran(e, i#penetrable alterit*, also frustratin(l*, uncontrollabl* absent or inaccessible> there is either too #uch or too little of her, ne0er the ri(ht balanced a#ount. Bith the passa(e of ti#e and the te#poral transfor#ations of the libidinal econo#*, the #other, as this archaic 4eal 1ther, beco#es the fore0er unattainable +"o0erei(n Aood,, the fi.ed 0anishin( point, of all desirin( &hat Lacan calls, in dialo(ue &ith the histor* of philosoph* as &ell as Freud, +das ;in(, Gla 3hose, the Thin(I%. Throu(hout the 1!C0s and up throu(h the end of Lacan/s teachin(s, the 4eal ta:es on an e0er increasin( nu#ber of aspects and connotations. 9t beco#es both a transcendence troublin( and th&artin( 9#a(inar*2"*#bolic realit* and its lan(ua(e fro# &ithout as &ell as an i##anence perturbin( and sub0ertin( realit*/lan(ua(e fro# &ithin. 9t co#es to be associated &ith libidinal ne(ati0ities ob'et petit a, 'ouissance, and se.ual difference, all to be discussed laterNsee 2.3, 2.7.2, and 2.7.3 belo&%, #aterial #eanin(lessness both lin(uistic see 2.1.2 abo0e% and non2lin(uistic, contin(ent trau#atic e0ents, unbearable bodil* intensities, an.iet*, and death. As re(ards the unconscious as the principle concern of ps*choanal*sis, the later Lacan co#bines his earlier e#phasis on socio2lin(uistic for#ations R la +the unconscious is structured li:e a lan(ua(e,% &ith a subsequent stress on forces and factors internal but irreducible to these for#ations. After the 1!L0s, 4eal di#ensions are added to the unconscious, &ith its "*#bolic di#ensions bein( #ade to orbit around blac: holes of uns*#boliEabilit* i#possible to represent 0ia the si(nifier2li:e ideational representations Freud/s Qorstellun(en% of the lan(ua(e2li:e sides of the unconscious. Konetheless, the rise of the 4eal in Lacan/s teachin(s does not a#ount to hi# con0ertin( to an* sort of anal*tic recapitulation of #*sticis#s or ne(ati0e theolo(ies. 9nstead, for Lacan, anal*sis both theoretical and clinical per#its delineatin( and trac:in( the 4eal &ith conceptual precision, if onl* as an e.ercise in pinpointin( the e.act li#its of the 9#a(inar*, the "*#bolic, and their o0erlappin(s. 2.2 The 5irror "ta(e, the 6(o, and the "ub'ect The account of the #irror sta(e is perhaps Lacan/s #ost fa#ous theoretical contribution #a*be e0en #ore fa#ous than the &ell2:no&n thesis apropos the unconscious as +structured li:e a lan(ua(e,%. 9nitiall* de0eloped in the 1!30s, this account in0ol0es a nu#ber of interrelated in(redients. Lacan offers the narrati0e of this sta(e as an e.planation specificall* for the (enesis and functions of the Freudian ps*chical a(enc* of the e(o 9ch, #oi%. 1ne of the ps*choanal*tic and philosophical upshots of the #irror sta(e, a crucial one in Lacan/s e*es, is that the e(o is an ob'ect rather than a sub'ect. 9n other &ords, the e(o, despite conscious senses to the contrar*, is not a locus of autono#ous a(enc*, the seat of a free, true +9, deter#inin( its o&n fate. This portrait of the e(o2 as2ob'ect is at the heart of Lacan/s lifelon( critical pole#ics a(ainst An(lo2A#erican e(o

ps*cholo(*, &ith the e(o ps*cholo(ists see:in( to stren(then their patients/ e(os b* appealin( to supposed autono#ous and +conflict2free, sides of these ps*chical a(encies. A(ainst this, Lacan 0ie&s the e(o as thorou(hl* co#pro#ised and inherentl* neurotic to its 0er* core, as a passionate defense of a constituti0e i(norance of the unconscious. To sta* at this #ore (eneral #etaps*cholo(ical le0el for a little &hile lon(er, Lacan e0entuall* for(es, partl* on the basis of the #irror sta(e, a distinction bet&een the e(o #oi% and the sub'ect su'et, a &ord frei(hted &ith philosophical ba((a(eNLacan :no&in(l* adds this &ord and its philosophical 0ocabular* to anal*tic discourse, althou(h Freud did not spea: of +the sub'ect, and &as &ar* of philosoph*%. Appearances not&ithstandin(, the e(o is, &hen all is said and done, an inert, fi.ed bundle of ob'ectified coordinates, a libidinall* in0ested and reified entit*. 8* contrast &ith the e(o and the illusor* sense of fictional selfhood it supports, the ps*choanal*tic sub'ect of Lacanianis# is an unconscious :inetic ne(ati0it* def*in( capture b* and &ithin e(o2le0el identificator* constructs. The Lacanian enunciatin( sub'ect of the unconscious spea:s throu(h the e(o &hile re#ainin( irreducibl* distinct fro# it. 4eturnin( to a ti(hter focus on the #irror sta(e proper, Lacan, rel*in( on e#pirical data fro# the late2nineteenth and earl*2t&entieth centuries, posits that 0er* *oun( children, bet&een the a(es of si. and ei(hteen #onths, quic:l* acquire the abilit* to identif* their o&n i#a(es in reflecti0e surfaces. At this ti#e, infants are lac:in( in #ost ph*sical and #ental abilities possessed b* older hu#an bein(s. )rior to Lacan, Freud alread* hi(hli(hts ho& a biolo(icall* dictated pre#aturational helplessness -ilflosi(:eit% naturall* predestines the hu#an bein( to the predo#inance of social nurture o0er #aterial nature due to the protracted period of total reliance on other persons for one/s life2or2death 0ital require#ents. Follo&in( Freud here, Lacan fleshes out this helplessness into &hich birth thro&s neonates, describin( in detail the anato#ical, ph*siolo(ical, co(niti0e, e#otional, and #oti0ational facets of this natural condition of post2birth pre#aturit*. This initial state of helpless +#otor i#potence and nurslin( dependence, entails the infant e.periencin( a s&irl of ne(ati0e affects: an.iet*, distress, frustration, and so on. To the *oun( child, #oti0ated b* these ne(ati0e affects, a crucial co#ponent of the enthrallin( lure e.erted b* the fascinatin( i#a(e of his/her bod* is this i#a(e/s pro#ise that he/she can o0erco#e his/her -ilflosi(:eit and be a unified, pulled2to(ether &hole, an inte(rated, coordinated totalit* li:e the bi((er, #ore #ature others he/she sees around hi#/her2self ho&e0er, accordin( to Lacan, indi0iduals spend their entire li0es, be(innin( thusl*, chasin( in 0ain after an unattainable state of har#on* and #aster* first falsel* pro#ised b* the #irror%. This i#a(o2Aestalt of 0irtual &holeness, identified &ith b* the infant in a 'ubilant #o#ent of +AhaU,, la*s do&n the i#a(istic nucleus of the thereafter onto(eneticall* accretin( e(o as a series of self2ob'ectifications in i#a(es and, soon after &ith the e0ent of lan(ua(e acquisition, &ords too. For Lacan, identification &ith the i#a(o2Aestalt of the #oi entails alienationNand this for additional reasons o0er and abo0e those (i0en in the precedin( para(raphs. Alread* in the 1!7! =crit on the #irror sta(e, #ention is #ade of +so#e prop, hu#an or artificial, supportin( the infant as he/she (aEes into the #irror and loo:s at hi#/her2self. 9n 1!7!, Lacan see#s to thin: of this prop #ore as artificial than hu#an, referrin( to the +trotte2b=b=, &al:er% leaned on b* the child. 8ut, in subsequent re0isitations of the #irror sta(e durin( the 1!C0s, Lacan dra#aticall* hi(hli(hts the supportin( role of fello& hu#an bein(s instead. 9n so doin(, he ar(ues that the infant is encoura(ed to identif* &ith the #irror i#a(e as +#e, b* 0erbal and (estural pro#pts issuin( fro# the bi((er other s% holdin( hi#/her up in front of the reflecti0e surface for e.a#ple, the utterance +That/s *ou thereU, acco#panied b* pointin( and (rinnin(%. This later shift of e#phasis has t&o crucial consequences. First, the 9#a(inar* re(ister of the #irror does not precede the "*#bolic re(ister of lan(ua(e and socialit* in a linear chronolo(* of de0elop#ental sta(es as the earlier te.t of +The 5irror "ta(e, #i(ht be at ris: of su((estin(%> if an*thin(, socio2lin(uistic 0ariables for instance,

the &ords and bod* lan(ua(e of parents% are the causal tri((ers of the child/s in0est#ent in select sensor*2perceptual e.periences such as the bod* i#a(e in the #irror%. "econd, this #eans that the i#a(istic nucleus of the e(o is suffused fro# the (et2(o &ith the destinal +discourse of the 1ther,N in this case, fateful si(nifications in Lacanese, +unar* traits,% co#in( fro# care(i0ers/ narrati0es articulated si#ultaneousl* alon( &ith their encoura(e#ents to the child to reco(niEe hi#/her2self in the #irror +Bhat a handso#e bo*U,, +Bhat a beautiful (irlU,, +Vou/re (oin( to (ro& up to be bi( and stron(, 'ust li:e *our dadd*,, etc.%. As a result of all of the abo0e, Lacan considers the reco(nition that happens in the #irror sta(e to a#ount to +#isreco(nition, #=connaissance%. This li:e&ise holds throu(hout life for all ensuin( e.periences of +reco(niEin(, oneself as bein( a particular :ind of +9,, na#el*, ta:in( qua i#a(inin( oneself to be a certain sort of e(o2le0el self apropos Freudian2Lacanian ps*choanal*sis, it al&a*s pa*s to re#e#ber Billia# Bords&orth/s line, +The child is the father of the #an,%. The e(o is not onl* a con(ealed, heterono#ous ob'ect rather than fluid, autono#ous sub'ect, but also, in its 0er* ori(ins, a repositor* for the pro'ected desires and fantasies of lar(er others> the child/s i#a(e is a receptacle for his/her parents/ drea#s and &ishes, &ith his/her bod* i#a(e bein( al&a*s2alread* o0er&ritten b* si(nifiers flo&in( fro# the libidinal econo#ies of other spea:in( bein(s. -ence, reco(niEin( the e(o as +#e,, as e#bod*in( and representin( an authentic, pri0ate, unique selfhood that is #ost (enuinel* #* o&n, is tanta#ount to #isreco(niEin( that, at root, the e(o ulti#atel* is an alienatin( forei(n intro'ect throu(h &hich 9 a# seduced and sub'ected b* others/ conscious and unconscious &ants and #achinations. To borro& one of Lacan/s #an* neolo(is#s, the e(o ulti#atel* is so#ethin( +e.ti#ate, i.e., inti#atel* e.terior, an internal e.ternalit*% insofar as it cr*stalliEes +the desire of the 1ther, qua others/ conscious and unconscious &ants and #achinations%. 1r, as the Lacan of the ele0enth se#inar &ould put it, there is so#ethin( in the #e #ore than the #e itself to the e.tent that this #oi essentiall* is a coa(ulation of inter2sub'ecti0e and trans2sub'ecti0e alien influences. Finall*, Lacan/s utiliEation the idea of the #irror is not e.clusi0el* literal. Althou(h he often tal:s of #irrors as shin* reflecti0e surfaces, he does not li#it #irrorin( to bein( a 0isible ph*sical pheno#enon alone. 5ost i#portantl*, other persons/ speech, (estures, postures, #oods, facial e.pressions, and so on frequentl* can be said to +#irror, bac: to one an +i#a(e, of oneself, na#el*, a con0e*ed sense of ho& one +appears, fro# other perspecti0es. 2.3 1therness, the 1edipus 3o#ple., and "e.uation Throu(hout his teachin(s, Lacan re(ularl* utiliEes the ter#s +other, &ith a lo&er2case o% and +1ther, &ith a capital 1%. Ai0en an understandin( of Lacan/s re(ister theor* and the #irror sta(e see 2.1 and 2.2 abo0e%, these ter#s can be clarified &ith relati0e ease and bre0it*. The lo&er2case2o other desi(nates the 9#a(inar* e(o and its acco#pan*in( alter2e(os. 8* spea:in( of the e(o itself as an +other,, Lacan further underscores its alien and alienatin( status as spelled out in the i##ediatel* precedin( sub2section here see 2.2 abo0e%. Additionall*, &hen relatin( to others as alter2e(os, one does so on the basis of &hat one +i#a(ines, about the# often i#a(inin( the# to be +li:e #e,, to share a set of lo&est2co##on2deno#inator thou(hts, feelin(s, and inclinations #a:in( the# co#prehensible to #e%. These transference2st*le i#a(inin(s are fictions ta#in( and do#esticatin( the #*sterious, unsettlin( forei(nness of one/s conspecifics, thereb* renderin( social life tolerable and na0i(able. The capital21 1ther refers to t&o additional t*pes of otherness correspondin( to the re(isters of the "*#bolic and the 4eal. The first t*pe of 1ther is Lacan/s +bi( 1ther, qua s*#bolic order, na#el*, the o0erarchin( +ob'ecti0e spirit, of trans2indi0idual socio2lin(uistic structures confi(urin( the fields of inter2sub'ecti0e interactions. 4elatedl*, the "*#bolic bi( 1ther also can refer to often fantas#atic/fictional% ideas of anon*#ous authoritati0e po&er and/or :no&led(e &hether that of

Aod, Kature, -istor*, "ociet*, "tate, )art*, "cience, or the anal*st as the +sub'ect supposed to :no&, Gsu'et suppos= sa0oirI as per Lacan/s distincti0e account of anal*tic transference%. 8ut, as alread* beco#es e0ident in Lacan/s first fe& annual se#inars of the earl* 1!L0s, there also is a 4eal di#ension to 1therness. This particular incarnation of the 4eal, about &hich Lacan (oes into (reatest detail &hen addressin( both lo0e and ps*chosis, is the pro0ocati0e, perturbin( eni(#a of the 1ther as an un:no&able +.,, an unfatho#able ab*ss of &ithdra&n2*et2pro.i#ate alterit* in his 1$!L )ro'ect for a "cientific )s*cholo(*, to &hich Lacan refers repeatedl*, Freud depicts this alterit* in the (uise of the Keben#ensch als ;in( GKei(hbor2as2Thin(I%. For Lacan, the Freudian 1edipus co#ple. sta(es the dra#a of the child/s laborious stru((les to situate hi#/her2self 0is2R20is all three re(ister2theoretic di#ensions of 1therness. Than:s particularl* to &hat he ta:es fro# his en(a(e#ents &ith structuralis#, Lacan, throu(hout his career, is careful to a0oid a pseudo2Freudian reification of the bour(eois nuclear fa#il*, &ith a #other and father biolo(icall* se.ed fe#ale and #ale respecti0el*. The #aternal and paternal 1edipal personas are ps*chical2sub'ecti0e positions, na#el*, socio2cultural i.e., non2natural, non2biolo(ical% roles that potentiall* can be pla*ed b* an* nu#ber of possible persons of 0arious se.es/(enders. That noted, in the Lacanian 0ersion of the 1edipus co#ple., the #aternal fi(ure initiall* features for the infant as a 4eal 1ther i.e., the Keben#ensch als ;in(%N#ore specificall*, as an obscure o#nipotent presence &ho is the source of all2i#portant lo0e #ore &ill be said about Lacan/s concept of lo0eNsee 2.7.1 belo&%. 8ut, because of the co#bination of her obscurit* and i#portance, the #other qua 4eal 1ther also is a source of deepl* unsettlin( an.iet* for the 0er* *oun( child. "he see#in(l* threatens her offsprin( &ith bein( alternatel* too s#otherin( or too &ithdra&n, too #uch or not enou(h. 9n his/her an.iousness about controllin( the ulti#atel* uncontrollable presence and absence% of this #*sterious and indispensable #aternal 1ther, the child confronts the question, +Bhat does the #%1ther &antW, The infant/s (radual for#ation of an e(o as per the te#porall* elon(ated processes delineated in Lacan/s account of the #irror sta(e see 2.2 abo0e% is, in part, a response to this riddle albeit in a broader sense, &ith the child constructin( an e(o2le0el identit* infor#ed b* the percei0ed &ants of 1thers in addition to the #other, such as the father%. 9n relation to the i##ediatel* precedin(, Lacan/s 1edipal father is an 1ther &ith both "*#bolic and 4eal faces. 1n the "*#bolic side, the paternal fi(ure represents the ans&er to the question, +Bhat does the #aternal 1ther &antW, 9n Lacan/s ter#inolo(*, the child/s ali(htin( upon the paternal third part* in the fa#il* ro#ance of the 1edipal social trian(le as the solution to the puEEle of the #aternal fi(ure/s eni(#atic intentionalit* a#ounts to +the desire of the #other,, as an un:no&n, bein( replaced b* +the paternal #etaphor., ;irectl* connected to this, Lacan re%defines the phallus &hich is not the penis% as the structural function of &hate0er +., the child h*pothesiEes the paternal fi(ure possesses #a:in( hi# the focus of the #aternal fi(ure/s desire, that is, the possession enablin( the father to do#esticate and control the #other/s other&ise unpredictable desire. Also at the le0el of the "*#bolic, the paternal function in0ol0es brin(in( to bear &ithin the child/s fa#ilial sphere the disciplinar* and prohibitor* features of the fa#il*/s en0elopin( s*#bolic order as their socio2lin(uistic #ilieu this entails such i#positions as &eanin(, toilet trainin(, e.o(a#*, and +castration, in the Freudian2Lacanian senseNsee 2.7.1 belo&%. As for 4eal 1therness here, this &ould be the 0ersion of the paternal fi(ure #*thicall* portra*ed b* Freud in Tote# and Taboo 1!13%, na#el*, the t*rannical, en'o*in(2&ithout2restraints +pri#al father, Fr0ater% of the sa0a(e fraternal horde, the e.ception to the other&ise uni0ersal la& of s*#bolic% castration. This 4eal Fr0ater ar(uabl* is a fantas*2construct (enerated in and b* the 1edipus co#ple., &ith the child i#a(inin( an obscene, dar:, 'ouissance2saturated underbell* behind the "*#bolic faDade of paternal authorit* and its rules. The child/s identifications &ith #aternal and paternal 1thers are distributed across 4eal and

"*#bolic di#ensions. -o&e0er, different sub'ects2in2for#ation distribute their identifications differentl*. Freud, in his reconsiderations of earlier renditions of the 1edipus co#ple., ca#e to hi(hli(ht an as*##etr* bet&een 1edipal d*na#ics for *oun( bo*s and (irls, repudiatin( the idea of (irls under(oin( an +6lectra co#ple., as the s*##etrical counterpart to the 1edipus co#ple.. ":ippin( o0er a lot of details and cuttin( a lon( stor* short, the later Lacan, &hen ta:in( up the topic of se.ual difference, preser0es this Freudian e#phasis on as*##etr*. 9n this 0ein, Lacan introduces the idea of se.uation as the 4eal of se.ual difference, na#el*, as an i#penetrable, opaque facticit* of this difference continuall* pro#ptin( and *et perpetuall* resistin( bein( adequatel* translated into the ter#s of 9#a(inar* and "*#bolic realities. As neither biolo(icall* (i0en se. nor sociall* constructed (ender, the 4eal of se.uation is &hat is responsible for the absence of an e.hausti0el* representable, s*#boliEable natural and/or cultural relationship bet&een se.uated positions as per Lacan/s state#ent, +9l n/* a pas de rapport se.uel,%. The structural2 ps*chical positions of #asculinit* and fe#ininit* e#bod* constituti0el* out2of2s*nch and inherentl* inco##ensurable sub'ecti0e stances, inco#patible *et interactin(% arran(e#ents of distinct sorts of libidinal econo#ies. 2.7 The Libidinal 6cono#* Freud/s #etaps*cholo(* of the libidinal econo#*, of the underl*in( #oti0ational #echanis#s of ps*chical life, is (rounded on his theor* of dri0e Trieb, and not 9nstin:t, despite #an* 6n(lish #istranslations of Trieb as +instinct,%. Lacan elaborates upon and e.tends this Freudian theoretical fra#e&or:. 9n the process, he re&or:s so#e of Freud/s concepts and adds other concepts of his o&n. 2.7.1 Keed2;e#and2;esire and 3astration Keed, de#and, and desire for# a conceptual2ter#inolo(ical triad in Lacanian theor*. Keeds are biolo(icall* innate 0ital require#ents for the hu#an bein( as a li0in( or(anis#. -u#ans are born saddled &ith such i#perati0es fro# the 0er* start, althou(h, as per Freudian -ilflosi(:eit, the* are po&erless on their o&n to satisf* these bodil* dictates for a protracted initial period lastin( &ell into childhood see 2.2 abo0e%. The co#bination of bein( pre#aturationall* helpless but ha0in( una0oidable needs #eans that, o0er the course of ph*sical and #ental de0elop#ent, the infant #ust co#e to articulate its needs to bi((er others. These others as three2di#ensional 1/others alon( the lines of Lacan/s re(ister theor* Nsee 2.3 abo0e% are addressed as those capable of assistin( in the #eetin( and quellin( of needs. 1f course, cr*in(, screa#in(, (esticulatin(, and the li:e are earl* e.pressions of needs, bein( the fashions in &hich infants prior to acquirin( lan(ua(e per se alert the older indi0iduals around the# of their require#ents. 60en at this earl* sta(e, the infant is forced to rel* on his/her thus2addressed si(nificant others to interpret the +#eanin(, of his/her cries, screa#s, and (esticulations +Ah, *ou/re hun(r*,, +Fh oh, that #eans *ou/re tired,, +"o, it/s ti#e to chan(e *our diaper,, etc.%. Throu(h these spontaneous interpretations, others, &hether :no&in(l* or not, participate &ith the pre20erbal child in shapin( lin:s bet&een needs and the sociall* #ediated si(nificance of the e.pressions of needs. These others thereb* lend the child/s noises and #o0e#ents the si(nificance of bein( +de#ands,, &ith this a#ountin( to a :ind of assistance pro0ided o0er and abo0e the assistance of #eetin( bare needs the#sel0es. Ko&, this is not to sa* that there are no natural correlations &hatsoe0er bet&een needs and their pre20erbal e.pressions hard&ired into babies/ beha0ioral repertoires. 8ut, ar(uabl*, infants are not i##ediatel* and auto#aticall* self2 consciousl* a&are of these correlations as such, &ith careta:ers/ responses bein( :e* aids in helpin( the child beco#e e.plicitl* co(niEant of need2e.pression couplin(s. As the infant continues #aturin(, soon acquirin( lan(ua(e, the influences of others and 1thers

especiall* inter2sub'ecti0e others as con0e*ors of the si(ns and si(nifiers of the bi( 1ther qua trans2sub'ecti0e s*#bolic orderNsee 2.1.2 and 2.3 abo0e% increasin(l* e.ert the#sel0es on the for#in( of associati0e connections bet&een needs and de#ands. For e.a#ple, as part of socialiEation and education, parents t*picall* be(in to introduce the discipline of insistin( that the child articulate his/her require#ents and ur(es in specific #anners +"a* XpleaseY and Xthan: *ou,Y, +As: nicel*,, +9n this household, &e do not *ell &hen &e/re hun(r*,, and so on%. The child learns that he/she #ust accept, internaliEe, and spea: +the discourse of the 1ther, in this instance, the parents% in order to (et his/her needs reco(niEed, ac:no&led(ed, and addressed in a satisfactor* fashion. 9n short, he/she #ust #a:e de#ands couched in ter#s and con0entions i#posed b* 1/others/ socio2s*#bolic re(i#es. Lacan #aintains that natural bodil* needs hence, 0ia the inter2 and trans2sub'ecti0e d*na#ics of de#and, are +o0er&ritten, b* the si(nifiers of an ulti#atel* "*#bolic 1therness, an o0er&ritin( throu(h &hich the bases of the libidinal econo#* are denaturaliEed and sub'ected to socio2cultural forces and factors. 5uch of this beds do&n in the *oun(, nascent sub'ect/s ps*che, thereafter e.ertin( often in unconscious &a*s% decisi0e effects on this person/s libidinal econo#* throu(hout his/her life. 9n his 1!L$ =crit +The "i(nification of the )hallus,, Lacan pro0ides a succinct for#ula for definin( +desire, in relation to both need and de#and. -e stipulates that desire is &hat re#ains after need is subtracted fro# de#and. Bhat, e.actl*, does this equation #eanW Throu(h bein( translated into de#ands, needs co#e to be saddled &ith surpluses of #ore2than2biolo(ical si(nificances> 0ital require#ents ta:e on the e.cess ba((a(e of #eanin(s o0er and abo0e the le0el of brute, si#ple or(anic sur0i0al. Lar(el* b* 0irtue of &hat 1/others add to the child/s e.periences of needs throu(h superi#posin( interpretations of these needs as socio2s*#bolic de#ands, the #eetin( of the child/s needs in response to his/her de#ands #a:es these needs into, first and fore#ost, lit#us tests of &here he/she stands in relation to these thus2addressed si(nificant 1/others. 8ein( (i0en specific ite#s of food b* a parent in response to a de#and e.pressin( hun(er can indicate to the child not onl* that the parent understands that a need to eat has to be #et, but also, and #ore i#portantl*, that he/she is lo0ed b* the parent, that he/she en'o*s a pri0ile(ed position in relation to the parent/s attention and priorities. Lacan therefore asserts that each and e0er* de#and is, at botto#, a de#and for lo0e. 4eturnin( to the equation +de#and O need Z desire,, &hat is desired &hen a de#and is addressed to another is not so #uch the #eetin( of the thus2e.pressed need, but, in addition to this, the 0er* lo0e of another. )arents of children are all too fa#iliar &ith see#in(l* endless series of de#ands fro# the little ones +9 &ant a sand&ich,, +1?, here/s a sand&ich,[ +9 &ant a lollipop,, +1?, here/s a lollipop,[ +9 &ant a ne& to*,, +1?, here/s a ne& to*,[ and on and on until an e.hausted parental +Ko, is pronounced and &earil* defended a(ainst 0i(orous protests%. Adults, &hether parents or not, also are a&are of a si#ilar desirin( restlessness in the#sel0es, an inabilit* to acquire an ob'ect or attain a success that &ould be +9T, &ith2a2capital292and2T%, the final be2all2and2end2all telos of &antin( and &ishin( satisf*in( the# for (ood fore0er after. "i#ilarl*, an adult in a ro#antic relationship ne0er is content &ith bein( told that he/she is lo0ed b* the belo0ed onl* once> he/she insists upon repetitions ad infinitu# of the affir#ation b* the si(nificant other that, +9 lo0e *ou, as if no affir#ation is e0er quite enou(h%. Bith both children and adults, #ar(ins of dissatisfaction, perpetuall* resurfacin( itches that ne0er can be scratched 'ust ri(ht, are to be e.plained, accordin( to Lacan, throu(h a clarification of the essence of the +lo0e, de#anded in all de#ands in e.cessi0e addition to the (ratification of correspondin( needs. Bhat is bein( requested is an i#possibilit* i#possible on the basis of the re(ister2theoretic 0ersion of 1/otherness R la Lacanianis# see 2.1 and 2.3 abo0e%: the non2ob'ectifiable ne(ati0it* of the :inetic, slipper* heart of 4eal 1therness i.e., the al&a*s2on2the2#o0e affection, focus, etc. of the 4eal 1ther/s desirin( core both conscious and unconscious% bein( ob'ectified as the positi0it* of a static, stable thin( i.e., a special ob'ect able to be (ift2&rapped and handed o0er as part of the response to de#and%. 6#plo*in( once a(ain the e.a#ple of hun(er, &hile the 1/other can respond to de#ands for food &ith the pro0ision of

nourishin( substances ans&erin( to the need for nourish#ent, he/she is constituti0el* incapable of turnin( the nucleus of his/her desirin( bein( i.e., the non2ob'ect of his/her +lo0e,% into one tan(ible ob'ect a#on( others to be besto&ed alon( &ith food and the li:e. As &ill be discussed here shortl* see 2.7.3 belo&%, conscious and unconscious fantasies are aroused on the sides of desirin( de#andersNand, e0er*one is a desirin( de#anderNb* the necessar*, ine0itable dissatisfactions acco#pan*in( desires. These fantasies co0er o0er the i#possibilit* of brin(in( desires to satisf*in( ends. The* do so b* constructin( scenarios in &hich there is a *et2to2be2 re%obtained ob'ect that reall* is +9T., 5oreo0er, in these fantas#atic scenarios, ans&ers to questions of 4eal 1thers/ inscrutable desires +Bhat does the 1ther &ant, and &ant specificall* of #eW,% are sta(ed. As should be e0ident b* no&, the inter0ention of the si(nifiers of the s*#bolic order i.e., the discourses of bi( 1thers% is inte(ral to the (enesis of the need2de#and2desire triad. Throu(h the intrusion of these si(nifiers cuttin( into both the bod* and #ind of the *oun( child, a proto2 sub'ecti0e bein( of need, passin( throu(h the de#ands of discipline in both sense of the (eniti0e%, is transfor#ed into a sub'ect of desire. "uch a sub'ect is +barred,NLacan/s #athe#e for the barred sub'ect of desire is \Nalienated fro# its natural needs and derailed onto the trac:s of non2natural desires doo#ed ne0er to reach en'o*able destinations. 9n connection &ith his re0isions of the 1edipus co#ple. see 2.3 abo0e%, Lacan turns Freudian castration into +s*#bolic castration., The latter, rather than bein( a real or i#a(ined scene in &hich a specific threat to bodil* inte(rit* is issued, desi(nates the dual so#atic and ps*chical disco#bobulatin( effects upon the pre#ature hu#an ani#al caused b* insertion into and sub'ection to surroundin( socio2s*#bolic conte.ts, of bein( #ade to depend on the forei(nness of si(nifiers and e0er*thin( the* brin( &ith the#. 2.7.2 ;ri0e and Jouissance 9n Freud/s dri0e theor*, subli#ation a#ounts to a dri0e findin( a #eans to secure satisfaction 8efriedi(un(% in the face of +ai#2inhibition, i.e., a bloc:a(e of its prior path to an earlier ai#ed2at dri0e2ob'ect%. 8ut, as Lacan obser0es, Freud also oddl* defines the ai# Miel% of an* and e0er* dri0e as satisfaction. Therefore, ho& can a dri0e achie0e satisfaction if its ai# defined as the achie0e#ent of satisfaction% is inhibitedW Lacan/s response to this apparent Freudian contradiction is to put for&ard a distinction bet&een the ai# and +(oal, of the dri0e as a #etaps*cholo(ical entit*: Bhile the ai# of a dri0e can be and ine0itabl* is inhibited, its true% (oal al&a*s is reachedNand this because its (oal is nothin( other than en'o*in( the ceaseless #o0e#ent of repetiti0el* rotatin( around &hate0er bloc:a(es land on its path. Accordin( to a certain &idel* accepted readin( appealin( to the i##ediatel* abo0e pro#oted b* "la0o' ]i^e: and the "lo0enian "chool of Lacanian theor*%, Lacan distin(uishes bet&een desire and dri0e. As seen see 2.7.1 abo0e%, an essential characteristic of desire is its restlessness, its on(oin( a(itated searchin( and futile stri0in(. Ko ob'ect it (ets its hands on is e0er quite +9T., Bhereas desire is stuc: &ith its dissatisfied driftin( fro# ob'ect to ob'ect and e0er on&ard in a structured #o0e#ent a:in to the +spurious/bad infinite, as per -e(el%, dri0e deri0es a per0erse en'o*#ent fro# this desire2fuelled libidinal circlin( around the 0anishin( point of the i#possible2qua2 unattainable. There &here desire is frustrated, dri0e is (ratified. ;ri0e (ains its satisfaction throu(h 0a#piricall* feedin( off of the dissatisfaction of desire. Li:e the re(ister of the 4eal &ith &hich it is #ost closel* associated, 'ouissance, a notion that co#es to the fore at the end of the 1!L0s, is difficult to encapsulate in succinct definin( for#ulas. 8* the end of Lacan/s itinerar* at the start of the 1!$0s, this ter# had ta:en on a plethora of si(nifications, di0idin( and sub2di0idin( into a &ide arra* of distinct2but2related concepts. 9n 6n(lish2lan(ua(e Lacanian scholarship, 'ouissance al#ost al&a*s is left untranslated, since its 6n(lish equi0alent, +en'o*#ent,, fails to capture the specificall* se.ual connotations of the ori(inal French &ord.

The best &a* to be(in (ettin( a sense of &hat Lacan #eans b* 'ouissance is throu(h reference to the Lacanian distinction bet&een dri0e and desire see 2.7.2 abo0e% in con'unction &ith select stipulations b* Freud re(ardin( the infa#ous death dri0e Todestrieb% of Freud/s later dual dri0e theor* first laid out in 1!20/s 8e*ond the )leasure )rinciple%. Li:e Freud/s Todestrieb, Lacan/s 'ouissance is +be*ond the pleasure principle, this bein( another reason &h* the 6n(lish +en'o*#ent,, as s*non*#ous &ith pleasure, is an inappropriate translation%. The post21!20 Freud #uses that all dri0es #i(ht be said to be death dri0es, #eanin( that each and e0er* dri0e perhaps &or:s, at least in certain respects at certain ti#es, contrar* to the pursuit of the pleasurable as balance, (ratification, ho#eostasis, satisfaction, and so on. Alon( these sa#e lines, the Lacanian dri0e e.tracts +en'o*#ent, fro# the th&artin(s and failures of desire> &hereas the latter is oriented b* the tantaliEin(l* elusi0e telos of pleasure qua satisfaction, the for#er (enerates its 'ouissance2 be*ond2pleasure precisel* throu(h the inhibitin( of desire itself. The #an* possible sadistic and #asochistic i#plications of this side of the libidinal econo#* are not difficult to i#a(ine. 1ne of se0eral clinical pheno#ena pushin( Freud into dethronin( the pleasure principle in 1!20 as the for#erl* he(e#onic ruler of the ps*che in its entiret* is +repetition co#pulsion, Biederholun(sE&an(%Nspecificall*, the ps*che/s perple.in(, spontaneous co#pulsi0e repeatin( of that &hich is painful and/or trau#atic e.a#ples of this include post2trau#atic disorders, so2called +ne(ati0e therapeutic reaction,, and the recurrent t*pes of self2defeats unconsciousl* arran(ed b* neurotics for the#sel0es%. 1ne of the theoretical functions of the death dri0e is to account for &hate0er disre(ards or disrupts the rei(n of the pleasure principle as a funda#ental +la&, of #ental life. 9n Lacan/s conceptual apparatus, 'ouissance so#eti#es li:e&ise refers to an o0erridin( force/tendenc* co#pellin( repetitions of e.periences or e0ents upsettin( the cal#, delicate equilibriu# of ps*chical sub'ecti0it*/s 9#a(inar*2"*#bolic realit* hence the association of 'ouissance &ith the 4eal%. 9n the process of the neonate as a biolo(ical bein( acquirin( both an e(o and a spea:in( sub'ecti0it* Nthis in0ol0es the li0in( or(anis# bein( sub#itted to the #ediatin( #atrices of 9#a(inar*2 "*#bolic realitiesNthe hu#an creature supposedl* loses, throu(h s*#bolic castration see 2.7.1 abo0e%, access to an i##ediate, undiluted 'ouissance in its ra&, un#iti(ated intensities &hether this is an actual, factual occurrence in linear, chronolo(ical onto(en* or an apr@s2coup, retrospecti0e fantas* is a co#plicated issue in Lacanian theor*%. The 'ouissance presu#abl* lost to the spea:in( sub'ect returns onl* in the (uises of &hat #i(ht be labeled +li#it e.periences,, na#el*, encounters &ith that &hich is annihilatin(, inassi#ilable, o0er&hel#in(, trau#atic, or unbearable. "i#ilarl*, 'ouissance, in this 0ein, is related to trans(ressi0e 0iolations, the breachin( of boundaries and brea:in( of barriers. 9t is difficult, if not i#possible, for the parlStre to acco##odate, tolerate, and di(est. The spea:in( bein( is forced to cohabitate uneasil* &ith its al&a*s proble#atic 'ouissance. 2.7.3 Fantas* and 1b'ect a 9n line &ith Freud/s discussions of fantasiEin( in ps*chical life, Lacan treats fantasies, particularl* those functionin( at the le0el of funda#ental for#ations of the unconscious, as sche#atiEations in a quasi2?antian respect% of desirin( sub'ecti0it*. )ut differentl*, the &ants and &ishes of a particular sub'ect are shaped and (o0erned b* a peculiar s:eletal te#plate, an idios*ncratic and paradi(#atic Fr2scene, in &hich this desirin( sub'ect is positioned in a specific #anner 0is2R20is a specific ob'ect of its desire. This funda#ental te#plate/scene is an unconscious for#ation operatin( as a transcendental condition of possibilit* for the sub'ect/s libidinal econo#* in all its crucial, s*#pto#atic #anifestations. Lacan/s #athe#e for the fantas* is \ _ a. The \ stands for the sub'ect of desire brou(ht into bein( b* the barrin(/splittin( consequences of 1thers/ #ediatin( influences see 2.3 and 2.7.1 abo0e%.

The a stands for ob'et petit a, that is, ob'ect a as the +ob'ect2cause of desire., Lacan e#plo*s this latter phrase for ob'ect a because this +ob'ect, is a spectral, 0irtual construct of &hat &ould qualif* as +9T, for the desirin( sub'ect see 2.7.1 abo0e%, &ith this libidinal2transcendental sche#a of desire/s ob'ect i.e., a% +causin(, select (i0en e#pirical ob'ects in a person/s libidinal2a#orous histor* and e.perience to be desired as stand2ins for +9T., -o&e0er, these substitutes are al&a*s and necessaril* inadequate and unsatisfactor* due to an insur#ountable, ineli#inable (ap bet&een the #ore2than2e#pirical fantas#atic ob'et a ori(inatin( in the sub'ect/s unconscious past and the e#pirical ob'ects present and future incarnatin( it. These latter ob'ects are situated in 9#a(inar*2 "*#bolic realit*, conde#ned partiall* and i#perfectl* to e#bod* an inter#inabl* recedin( and elusi0e surplus i.e., the i#possible2qua24eal di#ension of ob'ect a%. To refer bac: one last ti#e to the #athe#e of fantas* \ _ a%, the dia#ond2shaped +loEen(e, poinDon% _ can be read as a condensation of four s*#bols: one, the lo(ical s*#bol for con'unction G+and,I%> t&o, the lo(ical s*#bol for dis'unction G+or,I%> three, ` the #athe#atical s*#bol for +(reater than,%> and, four, a the #athe#atical s*#bol for +less than,%. As per Lacan/s #athe#e, the sub'ect/s desires are scripted and orchestrated b* an unconscious funda#ental fantas* in &hich the desirin( sub'ect \% is positioned in relation to its correspondin( ob'ect2cause of desire a%. -ence, , , `, and a represent, in a deliberatel* loose and open fashion, possible 0ariants of this positionin( of \ 0is2R20is a. "in(ular sub'ects flesh out con'unction, dis'unction, bein( +(reater than,, and bein( +less than, in their o&n st*les, na#el*, as their unique fantasies of #er(er or s*#biosis con'unction%, scorn or refusal dis'unction%, #aster* or do#ination +(reater than,%, sla0er* or sub#ission +less than,%, and an* nu#ber of other possible particulariEations of these four basic cate(ories of rapport. 9n so#e of Lacan/s earlier presentations of the #irror sta(e, the a ser0es as an abbre0iation for autre other%. 5ore precisel*, in this conte.t, a refers pri#aril* to the little2o2other as the 9#a(inar* e(o see 2.2 and 2.3 abo0e%. The e(o is an +other,, a not2#e #isreco(niEed as +#e,, insofar as it is brou(ht into e.istence throu(h a co#bination of an ob'ect e.ternal to the proto2%sub'ect i.e., the i#a(o2Aestalt of the bod* i#a(e% and the interests of "*#bolic and 4eal 1thers in0estin( this ob'ect throu(h &ords and beha0iors. Bithin the fra#e&or: of the #irror sta(e, a usuall* as a/% also desi(nates alter2e(os as the 9#a(inar* partners &ith &hich the e(o itself is ine.tricabl* intert&ined, in0ariabl* definin( itself throu(h reference to these partners. Further#ore, there indeed is a thread of continuit* bet&een the a of the #irror sta(e and ob'ect a: 8oth e(o as a% and fantas* &ith its a% unconsciousl* are the sub'ect/s fateful ans&ers to the questions, +Bhat does the 1ther &antW, and +-o& #ust 9 position #*self &ith respect to the desire of the 1therW, see 2.3 abo0e%. Lacan/s a, li:e the rest of his #athe#es, is deliberatel* handled as a:in to an al(ebraic 0ariable. 9t is a placeholder for an* nu#ber of particular t*pes of deter#inants: &hat an 1ther desires, &hat 9 #ust be so as to be the ob'ect of an 1ther/s desire, &hat &ould at last la* to rest #* restless stri0in(s and *earnin(s, &hat &ould do so for a si(nificant 1ther to &ho# 9 re#ain attached, etc. 8ut, in all cases, a reflects Lacan/s -e(elian2?o'@0ian slo(an ha0in( it that, +#an/s desire is the desire of the 1ther., 8iblio(raph* "e0eral re#ar:s are &arranted about the biblio(raphies of pri#ar* and secondar* Lacanian literature belo&. As re(ards pri#ar* sources, onl* fifteen of Lacan/s t&ent*2si. annual se#inars ha0e been published b* Jacques2Alain 5iller throu(h the 3ha#p freudien series. As of the end of 2012, the follo&in( se#inars are a0ailable in official editions: 9, 99, 999, 9Q, Q, Q99, Q999, T, T9, TQ9, TQ99, TQ999, T9T, TT, and TT999. 1f these, onl* se0en ha0e been published as authoriEed 6n(lish translations b* B.B. Korton and 3o#pan*: 9, 99, 999, Q99, T9, TQ99, and TT. The pri#ar* sources listed belo& are the a0ailable boo:2len(th te.ts b* Lacan. These lists do not include 0arious

separate essa*2len(th pieces scattered across nu#erous places. As re(ards secondar* sources, 9 ha0e been hi(hl* selecti0e in co#pilin( the list that follo&s. There are #ountains of literature on Lacan in #ultiple lan(ua(es. 5oreo0er, these bodies of scholarship co0er Lacan/s ideas fro# a 0ast arra* of disciplinar* an(les. 3onsiderin( the conte.t of this o0er0ie&, the secondar* sources listed belo& are, for the #ost part, boo:s in 6n(lish &ith #ore of a philosophical/theoretical focus. A. )ri#ar* "ources Bor: b* Lacan in French 2001, Autres =crits Ged. Jacques2Alain 5illerI, )aris: Jditions du "euil. 9ncludes: 1!3$, +Les co#ple.es fa#iliau. dans la for#ation de l/indi0idu: 6ssai d/anal*se d/une fonction en ps*cholo(ie,. 1!7H, +La ps*chiatrie an(laise et la (uerre,. 1!CC, Jcrits, )aris: Jditions du "euil. 2011, Je parle au. #urs: 6ntretiens de la chapelle de "ainte2Anne Ged. Jacques2Alain 5illerI, )aris: Jditions du "euil. 200L, 5on ensei(ne#ent Ged. Jacques2Alain 5illerI, )aris: Jditions du "euil. 200H, Le #*the indi0iduel du n=0ros=, ou )o=sie et 0erit= dans la n=0rose Ged. Jacques2Alain 5illerI, )aris: Jditions du "euil. 200L, ;es no#s2du2p@re Ged. Jacques2Alain 5illerI, )aris: Jditions du "euil. 1!32, ;e la ps*chose parano<aque dans ses rapports a0ec la personnalit=, sui0i de )re#iers =crits sur la parano<a, )aris: Jditions du "euil, 1!HL. Le "=#inaire de Jacques Lacan, Li0re 9: Les =crits techniques de Freud, 1!L3O1!L7 Ged. Jacques2Alain 5illerI, )aris: Jditions du "euil, 1!HL. Li0re 99: Le #oi dans la th=orie de Freud et dans la technique de la ps*chanal*se, 1!L7O1!LL Ged. Jacques2Alain 5illerI, )aris: Jditions du "euil, 1!H$. Li0re 999: Les ps*choses, 1!LLO1!LC Ged. Jacques2Alain 5illerI, )aris: Jditions du "euil, 1!$1. Li0re 9Q: La relation d/ob'et, 1!LCO1!LH Ged. Jacques2Alain 5illerI, )aris: Jditions du "euil, 1!!7. Li0re Q: Les for#ations de l/inconscient, 1!LHO1!L$ Ged. Jacques2Alain 5illerI, )aris: Jditions du "euil, 1!!$. Li0re Q99: L/=thique de la ps*chanal*se, 1!L!O1!C0 Ged. Jacques2Alain 5illerI, )aris: Jditions du "euil, 1!$C. Li0re Q999: Le transfert, 1!C0O1!C1 Ged. Jacques2Alain 5illerI, )aris: Jditions du "euil, 2001 seconde =dition corri(=e%. Li0re T: L/an(oisse, 1!C2O1!C3 Ged. Jacques2Alain 5illerI, )aris: Jditions du "euil, 2007. Li0re T9: Les quatre concepts fonda#entau. de la ps*chanal*se, 1!C7 Ged. Jacques2Alain 5illerI, )aris: Jditions du "euil, 1!H3. Li0re TQ9: ;/un Autre R l/autre, 1!C$O1!C! Ged. Jacques2Alain 5illerI, )aris: Jditions du "euil, 200C. Li0re TQ99: L/en0ers de la ps*chanal*se, 1!C!O1!H0 Ged. Jacques2Alain 5illerI, )aris: Jditions du "euil, 1!!1. Li0re TQ999: ;/un discours qui ne serait pas du se#blant, 1!H1 Ged. Jacques2Alain 5illerI, )aris: Jditions du "euil, 200C. Li0re T9T: [ou pire, 1!H1O1!H2 Ged. Jacques2Alain 5illerI, )aris: Jditions du "euil, 2011. Li0re TT: 6ncore, 1!H2O1!H3 Ged. Jacques2Alain 5illerI, )aris: Jditions du "euil, 1!HL. Li0re TT999: Le sintho#e, 1!HLO1!HC Ged. Jacques2Alain 5illerI, )aris: Jditions du "euil, 200L. 1!H3, T=l=0ision, )aris: Jditions du "euil. 200L, Le trio#phe de la reli(ion, pr=c=d= de ;iscours au. catholiques Ged. Jacques2Alain 5illerI,

)aris: Jditions du "euil. Bor: b* Lacan in 6n(lish Translation Jcrits: The First 3o#plete 6dition in 6n(lish Gtrans. 8ruce Fin:I, Ke& Vor:: B.B. Korton and 3o#pan*, 200C. 9ncludes: 1!7L, +Lo(ical Ti#e and the Assertion of Anticipated 3ertaint*: A Ke& "ophis#, 1!7C, +)resentation on )s*chical 3ausalit*, 1!7$, +A((ressi0eness in )s*choanal*sis, 1!7!, +The 5irror "ta(e as For#ati0e of the 9 Function as 4e0ealed in )s*choanal*tic 6.perience, Fe#inine "e.ualit*: Jacques Lacan and the =cole freudienne Ged. Juliet 5itchell and Jacqueline 4ose> trans. Jacqueline 4oseI, Ke& Vor:: B.B. Korton and 3o#pan*, 1!$2. 5* Teachin( Gtrans. ;a0id 5ace*I, London: Qerso, 200$. The "e#inar of Jacques Lacan, 8oo: 9: Freud/s )apers on Technique, 1!L3O1!L7 Ged. Jacques2Alain 5iller> trans. John ForresterI, Ke& Vor:: B.B. Korton and 3o#pan*, 1!$$. 8oo: 99: The 6(o in Freud/s Theor* and in the Technique of )s*choanal*sis, 1!L7O1!LL Ged. Jacques2Alain 5iller> trans. "*l0ana To#aselliI, Ke& Vor:: B.B. Korton and 3o#pan*, 1!$$. 8oo: 999: The )s*choses, 1!LLO1!LC Ged. Jacques2Alain 5iller> trans. 4ussell Ari((I, Ke& Vor:: B.B. Korton and 3o#pan*, 1!!3. 8oo: Q99: The 6thics of )s*choanal*sis, 1!L!O1!C0 Ged. Jacques2Alain 5iller> trans. ;ennis )orterI, Ke& Vor:: B.B. Korton and 3o#pan*, 1!!2. 8oo: T9: The Four Funda#ental 3oncepts of )s*choanal*sis, 1!C7 Ged. Jacques2Alain 5iller> trans. Alan "heridanI, Ke& Vor:: B.B. Korton and 3o#pan*, 1!HH. 8oo: TQ99: The 1ther "ide of )s*choanal*sis, 1!C!O1!H0 Ged. Jacques2Alain 5iller> trans. 4ussell Ari((I, Ke& Vor:: B.B. Korton and 3o#pan*, 200H. 8oo: TT: 6ncore, 1!H2O1!H3 Ged. Jacques2Alain 5iller> trans. 8ruce Fin:I, Ke& Vor:: B.B. Korton and 3o#pan*, 1!!$. Tele0ision/A 3hallen(e to the )s*choanal*tic 6stablish#ent Ged. Joan 3op'ecI, Ke& Vor:: B.B. Korton and 3o#pan*, 1!!0. )ri#ar* Literature b* 1thers Freud, "., 1!CC, )ro'ect for a "cientific )s*cholo(*, in "i(#und Freud, The "tandard 6dition of the 3o#plete )s*cholo(ical Bor:s of "i(#und Freud Ged. and trans. Ja#es "trache*, Anna Freud, Ali. "trache*, and Alan T*sonI, 0ol. 9, London: The -o(arth )ress, pp. 2$1O3!H. Freud, "., 1!L$, Tote# and Taboo, in "i(#und Freud, The "tandard 6dition of the 3o#plete )s*cholo(ical Bor:s of "i(#und Freud Ged. and trans. Ja#es "trache*, Anna Freud, Ali. "trache*, and Alan T*sonI, 0ol. T999, London: The -o(arth )ress, pp. i.21C2. Freud, "., 1!LL, 8e*ond the )leasure )rinciple, in "i(#und Freud, The "tandard 6dition of the 3o#plete )s*cholo(ical Bor:s of "i(#und Freud Ged. and trans. Ja#es "trache*, Anna Freud, Ali. "trache*, and Alan T*sonI, 0ol. TQ999, London: The -o(arth )ress, pp. 1OC7. -e(el, A.B.F., 1!HH, )heno#enolo(* of "pirit Gtrans. A.Q. 5illerI, 1.ford: 1.ford Fni0ersit* )ress. ?o'@0e, A., 1!C!, 9ntroduction to the 4eadin( of -e(el: Lectures on the )heno#enolo(* of "pirit Ged. Allan 8loo#> trans. Ja#es -. Kichols, Jr.I, 9thaca: 3ornell Fni0ersit* )ress. L=0i2"trauss, 3., 1!C!, The 6le#entar* "tructures of ?inship Gtrans. J.-. 8ell and J.4. 0on "tur#erI, 8oston: 8eacon )ress. 8. "econdar* Literature on Lacan in 6n(lish Anser#et, FranDois and )ierre 5a(istretti, 200H, 8iolo(* of Freedo#: Keural )lasticit*, 6.perience, and the Fnconscious Gtrans. "usan FairfieldI, Ke& Vor:: 1ther )ress. 8arnard, "uEanne and 8ruce Fin: eds.%, 2002, 4eadin( "e#inar TT: Lacan/s 5a'or Bor: on Lo0e, ?no&led(e, and Fe#inine "e.ualit*, Alban*: "tate Fni0ersit* of Ke& Vor: )ress.

8oothb*, 4ichard, 1!!1, ;eath and ;esire: )s*choanal*tic Theor* in Lacan/s 4eturn to Freud, Ke& Vor:: 4outled(e. OOO, 2001, Freud as )hilosopher: 5etaps*cholo(* After Lacan, Ke& Vor:: 4outled(e. 8orch2Jacobsen, 5i::el, 1!!1, Lacan: The Absolute 5aster Gtrans. ;ou(las 8ric:I, "tanford: "tanford Fni0ersit* )ress. 8utler, Judith,, 6rnesto Laclau, and "la0o' ]i^e:, 2000, 3ontin(enc*, -e(e#on*, Fni0ersalit*: 3onte#porar* ;ialo(ues on the Left, London: Qerso. 3hiesa, LorenEo, 200H, "ub'ecti0it* and 1therness: A )hilosophical 4eadin( of Lacan, 3a#brid(e, 5A: 59T )ress. 3le#ens, Justin and 4ussell Ari(( eds.%, 200C, Jacques Lacan and the 1ther "ide of )s*choanal*sis: 4eflections on "e#inar TQ99, ;urha#: ;u:e Fni0ersit* )ress. 3op'ec, Joan, 1!!7, 4ead 5* ;esire: Lacan A(ainst the -istoricists, 3a#brid(e, 5A: 59T )ress. OOO, 2002, 9#a(ine There/s Ko Bo#an: 6thics and "ubli#ation, 3a#brid(e, 5A: 59T )ress. 3utrofello, Andre&, 1!!H, 9#a(inin( 1ther&ise: 5etaps*cholo(* and the Anal*tic A )osteriori, 60anston: Korth&estern Fni0ersit* )ress. ;e ?esel, 5arc, 200!, 6ros and 6thics: 4eadin( Jacques Lacan/s "e#inar Q99 Gtrans. "i(i Jott:andtI, Alban*: "tate Fni0ersit* of Ke& Vor: )ress ;e Baelhens, Alphonse and Bilfried Qer 6ec:e, 2001, )heno#enolo(* and Lacan on "chiEophrenia, After the ;ecade of the 8rain, Leu0en: Leu0en Fni0ersit* )ress. ;olar, 5laden, 200C, A Qoice and Kothin( 5ore, 3a#brid(e, 5A: 59T )ress. ;or, Jobl, 1!!$, 9ntroduction to the 4eadin( of Lacan: The Fnconscious "tructured Li:e a Lan(ua(e Ged. Judith Feher Aure&ich> trans. "usan FairfieldI, Ke& Vor:: 1ther )ress. 60ans, ;*lan, 1!!C, An 9ntroductor* ;ictionar* of Lacanian )s*choanal*sis, Ke& Vor:: 4outled(e. 6*ers, To#, 2012, Lacan and the 3oncept of the +4eal,, 8asin(sto:e: )al(ra0e 5ac#illan. Fin:, 8ruce, 1!!L, The Lacanian "ub'ect: 8et&een Lan(ua(e and Jouissance, )rinceton: )rinceton Fni0ersit* )ress. OOO, 1!!H. A 3linical 9ntroduction to Lacanian )s*choanal*sis: Theor* and Technique, 3a#brid(e, 5A: -ar0ard Fni0ersit* )ress OOO, 2007, Lacan to the Letter: 4eadin( Jcrits 3losel*, 5inneapolis: Fni0ersit* of 5innesota )ress. Feldstein, 4ichard, 8ruce Fin:, and 5aire Jaanus eds.%, 1!!L, 4eadin( "e#inar T9: Lacan/s Four Funda#ental 3oncepts of )s*choanal*sis, Alban*: "tate Fni0ersit* of Ke& Vor: )ress. OOO eds.%, 1!!C, 4eadin( "e#inars 9 and 99: Lacan/s 4eturn to Freud, Alban*: "tate Fni0ersit* of Ke& Vor: )ress. Forrester, John, 1!!0, The "eductions of )s*choanal*sis: Freud, Lacan, and ;errida, 3a#brid(e: 3a#brid(e Fni0ersit* )ress. ArosE, 6liEabeth, 1!!0, Jacques Lacan: A Fe#inist 9ntroduction, Ke& Vor:: 4outled(e. -o#er, "ean, 200L, Jacques Lacan, Ke& Vor:: 4outled(e. Johnston, Adrian, 200L, Ti#e ;ri0en: 5etaps*cholo(* and the "plittin( of the ;ri0e, 60anston: Korth&estern Fni0ersit* )ress. OOO, 200$, ]i^e:/s 1ntolo(*: A Transcendental 5aterialist Theor* of "ub'ecti0it*, 60anston: Korth&estern Fni0ersit* )ress. OOO, 200!, 8adiou, ]i^e:, and )olitical Transfor#ations: The 3adence of 3han(e, 60anston: Korth&estern Fni0ersit* )ress. OOO, 2013, Ad0entures in Transcendental 5aterialis#: ;ialo(ues &ith 3onte#porar* Thin:ers, 6dinbur(h: 6dinbur(h Fni0ersit* )ress. OOO, 2013, )role(o#ena to An* Future 5aterialis#: Qolu#e 1ne, The 1utco#e of 3onte#porar* French )hilosoph*, 60anston: Korth&estern Fni0ersit* )ress. Johnston, Adrian and 3atherine 5alabou, 2013, "elf and 6#otional Life: 5er(in( )hilosoph*, )s*choanal*sis, and Keurobiolo(*, Ke& Vor:: 3olu#bia Fni0ersit* )ress. Julien, )hilippe, 1!!7, Jacques Lacan/s 4eturn to Freud: The 4eal, the "*#bolic, and the 9#a(inar* Gtrans. ;e0ra 8ec: "i#iuI, Ke& Vor:: Ke& Vor: Fni0ersit* )ress.

Le#aire, Ani:a, 1!HH, Jacques Lacan Gtrans. ;a0id 5ace*I, Ke& Vor:: 4outled(e. 5arini, 5arcelle, 1!!2, Jacques Lacan: The French 3onte.t Gtrans. Anne To#icheI, Ke& 8runs&ic:: 4ut(ers Fni0ersit* )ress. Kanc*, Jean2Luc and )hilippe Lacoue2Labarthe, 1!!2, The Title of the Letter: A 4eadin( of Lacan Gtrans. FranDois 4affoul and ;a0id )etti(re&I, Alban*: "tate Fni0ersit* of Ke& Vor: )ress. Kasio, Juan2;a0id, 1!!$, Fi0e Lessons on the )s*choanal*tic Theor* of Jacques Lacan Gtrans. ;a0id )etti(re& and FranDois 4affoulI, Alban*: "tate Fni0ersit* of Ke& Vor: )ress. Kobus, ;an*, 2000, Jacques Lacan and the Freudian )ractice of )s*choanal*sis, Ke& Vor:: 4outled(e. OOO ed.%, 1!!$, ?e* 3oncepts of Lacanian )s*choanal*sis, Ke& Vor:: 1ther )ress. )luth, 6d, 200H, "i(nifiers and Acts: Freedo# in Lacan/s Theor* of the "ub'ect, Alban*: "tate Fni0ersit* of Ke& Vor: )ress. 4abat=, Jean25ichel ed.%, 2003, The 3a#brid(e 3o#panion to Lacan, 3a#brid(e: 3a#brid(e Fni0ersit* )ress. 4oudinesco, 6lisabeth, 1!!0, Jacques Lacan c 3o.: A -istor* of )s*choanal*sis in France, 1!2LO 1!$L Gtrans. Jeffre* 5ehl#anI, 3hica(o: Fni0ersit* of 3hica(o )ress. OOO, 1!!H, Jacques Lacan: 1utline of a Life, -istor* of a "*ste# of Thou(ht Gtrans. 8arbara 8ra*I, Ke& Vor:: 3olu#bia Fni0ersit* )ress. "alecl, 4enata ed.%, 2000, "e.uation, ;urha#: ;u:e Fni0ersit* )ress. "oler, 3olette, 200C, Bhat Lacan "aid About Bo#en: A )s*choanal*tic "tud* Gtrans. John -ollandI, Ke& Vor:: 1ther )ress. "ta0ra:a:is, Vannis, 1!!!, Lacan and the )olitical, Ke& Vor:: 4outled(e. OOO, 200H, The Lacanian Left: )s*choanal*sis, Theor*, )olitics, 6dinbur(h: 6dinbur(h Fni0ersit* )ress. Tur:le, "herr*, 1!$1, )s*choanal*tic )olitics: Freud/s French 4e0olution, 3a#brid(e, 5A: 59T )ress. )hilippe Qan -aute, 2002, A(ainst Adaptation: Lacan/s +"ub0ersion, of the "ub'ect, a 3lose 4eadin( Gtrans. )aul 3ro&e and 5iranda Qan:er:I, Ke& Vor:: 1ther )ress. )aul Qerhae(he, 1!!H, ;oes the Bo#an 6.istW: Fro# Freud/s -*steric to Lacan/s Fe#inine Gtrans. 5arc du 4*I, Ke& Vor:: 1ther )ress. OOO, 2001, 8e*ond Aender: Fro# "ub'ect to ;ri0e, Ke& Vor:: 1ther )ress. OOO, 2007, 1n 8ein( Kor#al and 1ther ;isorders: A 5anual for 3linical )s*chodia(nostics Gtrans. "i(i Jott:andtI, Ke& Vor:: 1ther )ress. ]i^e:, "la0o', 1!!1, Loo:in( A&r*: An 9ntroduction to Jacques Lacan Throu(h )opular 3ulture, 3a#brid(e, 5A: 59T )ress. OOO, 2001, 6n'o* Vour "*#pto#U: Jacques Lacan in -oll*&ood and 1ut, Ke& Vor:: 4outled(e, second edition. OOO, 200C, -o& to 4ead Lacan, London: Aranta )ublications. OOO ed.%, 1!!2, 60er*thin( Vou Al&a*s Banted to ?no& About Lacan[ 8ut Bere Afraid to As: -itchcoc:, London: Qerso. OOO ed.%, 1!!$, 3o(ito and the Fnconscious, ;urha#: ;u:e Fni0ersit* )ress. OOO ed.%, 200C, Lacan: The "ilent )artners, London: Qerso. ]i^e:, "la0o' and 4enata "alecl eds.%, 1!!C, AaEe and Qoice as Lo0e 1b'ects, ;urha#: ;u:e Fni0ersit* )ress. Mupandid, Alen:a, 2000, 6thics of the 4eal: ?ant, Lacan, London: Qerso. OOO, 2003, The "hortest "hado&: KietEsche/s )hilosoph* of the T&o, 3a#brid(e, 5A: 59T )ress. OOO, 200$, The 1dd 1ne 9n: 1n 3o#ed*, 3a#brid(e, 5A: 59T )ress.