Changes

Jump to: navigation, search

Biology

302 bytes added, 02:57, 22 May 2006
no edit summary
biology (biologie) Freud's work is full of references to biology. Freud
==Freud and Biology==Freud's work is full of references to biology. Freud regarded biology as a model of scientific rigour on which to base the newscience of psychoanalysis.
science ==Lacan's Critique of psychoanalysis. 'Biologism'==Lacan, however, is strongly opposed to any attemptto construct psychoanalysis upon a biological model, arguing that the direct application of biological (or ethological/psychological) concepts (such as [[adaptation]]) to psychoanalysis will inevitably be misleading and will obliterate the essential distinction between [[nature]] and [[:category:culture|culture]]. Such biologising explanations of human behaviour ignore, according to Lacan, the primacy of the [[symbolic]] [[order]] in human [[existence]]. Lacan sees this '[[biologism]]' in the work of those [[psychoanalysts]] who have confused [[desire]] with [[need]], and [[drives]] with [[instincts]], concepts which he insists on distinguishing.
These arguments are evident from the very earliest of Lacan's psychoanalytic writings. In his 1938 work on the family, for example, he rejects any attempt to construct psychoanalysis upon a explain family structures on the basis of purely biological modeldata, arguing and argues that the directhuman psychology is regulated by complexes rather than by instincts.<ref>Lacan, 1938: 23-4</ref>
application Lacan argues that his refusal of biological (reductionism is not a contradiction of Freud but a return to the essence of Freud's work. When Freud used biological models, he did so simply because biology was at that time a model of scientific rigour in general, and because the conjectural sciences had not then achieved the same degree of rigour. Freud certainly did not confuse psychoanalysis with biology or ethological/psychological) any other exact science, and when he borrowed concepts from biology (such asthe concept of the drive) he reworked them in such a radical way that they become totally new concepts. For example, the concept of the death instinct "is not a question of biology."<ref>E, 102</ref> Lacan expresses his point with a paradox: "Freudian biology has nothing to do with biology."<ref>S2, 75</ref>
ADAPTATIONLacan, like Freud, uses concepts borrowed from biology (e.g. imago, dehiscence) to psychoanalysis will inevitably be misleading , and will obliter-then reworks them in an entirely symbolic framework.
ate ==Phallus==Perhaps the essential distinction between NATURE most significant example of this is Lacan's concept of the [[phallus]], which he conceives as a [[signifier]] and not as a bodily organ. Thus while Freud conceives of the [[castration complex]] and [[sexual difference]] in terms of the [[presence]] and [[absence]] of the [[penis]], Lacan theorises them in non-biological, non-anatomical terms (the presence and cultureabsence of the phallus).This has been one of the main attractions of Lacanian theory for certain [[:category:feminist theory|feminist]] writers who have seen it as a way of constructing a [[essentialism|non-essentialist]] account of gendered [[subjectivity]]. Such biologising
explanations ==Culturalism==However, while Lacan consistently rejects all forms of human behaviour ignorebiological reductionism, he also rejects the culturalist position which completely ignores the relevance of biology.<ref>Ec, 723</ref>.If 'biologising' is understood correctly (that is, according not as the reduction of psychic phenomena to crude biological determination, but as discerning the precise way in which biological data impact on the psychical field), then Lacanis all in favour of biologising thought.<ref>Ec, 723</ref>The clearest examples of this are Lacan's appeals to examples from animal ethology to demonstrate the power of images to act as releasing mechanisms; hence Lacan's references to pigeons and locusts in his account of the primacy [[mirror stage]]<ref>E, 3</ref>, and to crustaceans in his account ofmimicry.<ref>Sll, 99</ref>
Thus in his account of [[sexual difference]], Lacan follows Freud's rejection of the symbolic order in human existencefalse dichotomy between "anatomy or convention. "<ref>Freud, 1933a: SE XXII, 114</ref> Lacan sees this 'biologism' s concern is not to privilege either term but to show how both interact in complex ways in the workprocess of assuming a sexual position.
of those psychoanalysts who have confused desire with need, and drives with
instincts, concepts which he insists on distinguishing.==References==<reference/>
These arguments are evident from the very earliest of Lacan's psycho-
analytic writings. In his 1938 work on the family, for example, he rejects
any attempt to explain family structures on the basis of purely biological data,==See Also==* [[Biogenetics]]
and argues that human psychology is regulated by complexes rather than by
instincts (Lacan, 1938: 23-4).
Lacan argues that his refusal of biological reductionism is not a contra- diction of Freud but a return to the essence of Freud's work. When Freud used biological models, he did so simply because biology was at that time a model of scientific rigour in general, and because the conjectural sciences had not then achieved the same degree of rigour. Freud certainly did not confuse psychoanalysis with biology or any other exact science, and when he bor- rowed concepts from biology (such as the concept of the drive) he reworked them in such a radical way that they become totally new concepts. For example, the concept of the death instinct 'is not a question of biology' (E, [[Category:Terms]][[Category:Concepts]][[Category:Science]]  102). Lacan expresses his point with a paradox[[Category: 'Freudian biology has nothingpsychology]][[Category:Psychoanalysis]] to do with biology' (S2, 75).  [[Category:Jacques Lacan, like Freud, uses concepts borrowed from biology (e.g. imago,]] dehiscence), and then reworks them in an entirely symbolic framework. Perhaps the most significant example of this is Lacan's concept of the  PHALLUS, which he conceives as a signifier and not as a bodily organ. Thus  while Freud conceives of the castration complex and sexual difference in terms  of the presence and absence of the penis, Lacan theorises them in non- biological, non-anatomical terms (the presence and absence of the phallus).  This has been one of the main attractions of Lacanian theory for certain  feminist writers who have seen it as a way of constructing a non-essentialist  account of gendered subjectivity.  However, while Lacan consistently rejects all forms of biological reduction- ism, he also rejects the culturalist position which completely ignores the  relevance of biology (Ec, 723). If 'biologising' is understood correctly (that is, not as the reduction of psychic phenomena to crude biological determi- nation, but as discerning the precise way in which biological data impact on  the psychical field), then Lacan is all in favour of biologising thought (Ec, 723). The clearest examples of this are Lacan's appeals to examples from  animal ethology to demonstrate the power of images to act as releasing mechanisms; hence Lacan's references to pigeons and locusts in his account  of the mirror stage (E, 3), and to crustaceans in his account of mimicry (Sll, 99) (see GESTALT).  Thus in his account of sexual difference, Lacan follows Freud's rejection of  the false dichotomy between 'anatomy or convention' (Freud, 1933a[[Category: SE XXII, 114). Lacan's concern is not to privilege either term but to show how both interact in complex ways in the process of assuming a sexual position.Sexuality]]
Root Admin, Bots, Bureaucrats, flow-bot, oversight, Administrators, Widget editors
24,654
edits

Navigation menu