Cogito and the Unconscious
Žižek, S. (ed.) (1998) Cogito and the Unconscious, Durham: Duke
University Press.
Containing three essays by Žižek, this book is essentially a defence
of the cogito and of transcendental subjectivity generally. At the heart
of Žižek's essays is his central thesis that the subject is the 'monster'
which remains when we subtract subjectivity, or the wealth of self-
experience, from what he terms the 'human person'. Split into three
parts, the book explains the role of the cogito in psychoanalysis, analyses
its relationship with the body, and explores contemporary critiques of
the Cartesian subject. It is a rewarding read but difficult in places.
