Changes

[[Lacan]] also takes up the [[dialectic]] of the [[master]] and the [[master|slave]] in his theorization of the [[discourse]] of the [[master]]. In the formulation of this [[dis­course]], the [[master]] is the [[master signifier]] ('''[[S1]]''') who puts the [[master|slave]] ('''[[S2]]''') to work to produce a [[surplus]] (''[[a]]'') which he can appropriate for himself. The [[master signifier]] is that which represents a [[subject]] for all other [[signifier]]s; the [[discourse]] of the [[master]] is thus an attempt at totalization (which is why [[Lacan ]]links the [[discourse]] of the [[master]] with [[philosophy]] and [[philosophy|ontology]], playing on the homo­phony between ''maître'' and ''m'être''<ref>{{S20}} p. 33</ref>). However, this attempt always fails because the [[master signifier]] can never represent the [[subject]] completely; there is always some [[surplus]] which escapes representation.