Difference between revisions of "Death drive"
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| + | |||
==Death Drive and Freud == | ==Death Drive and Freud == | ||
| − | The [[death drive]] (French: ''[[pulsion de mort]]'') is | + | |
| + | The [[death drive]] ([[French]]: ''[[pulsion de mort]]'') is introduced by [[Sigmund Freud]] in ''[[Beyond the Pleasure Principle]]'' (1920). | ||
===Life and Death=== | ===Life and Death=== | ||
| + | |||
[[Freud]] posits a basic opposition between the [[life drive]] (''[[Lebestriebe]]'' or ''[[Eros]]'') and the [[death drive]] (''[[Todestriebe]]'' or ''[[Thanatos]]''). | [[Freud]] posits a basic opposition between the [[life drive]] (''[[Lebestriebe]]'' or ''[[Eros]]'') and the [[death drive]] (''[[Todestriebe]]'' or ''[[Thanatos]]''). | ||
| − | The former is concerned with the creation of cohesion and unity; the latter with the undoing of connections and the destruction of unity. | + | The former is concerned with the creation of [[cohesion]] and [[unity]]; the latter with the undoing of connections and the destruction of [[unity]]. |
===Freud's Death Drive=== | ===Freud's Death Drive=== | ||
| − | |||
| − | + | According to [[Freud]], the [[death drive]] exhibits the [[regressive]] tendency of all [[living]] [[being]]s to return to an (earlier) inorganic state (or to recover a [[lost]] [[object]]). | |
| − | Initially inward-directed, the [[death drive]] first manifests its [[existence]] in the human tendency to self-destruction; as it subsequently turns to the outside world, it takes the form of [[aggressivity|aggressive]] or destructive [[behavior]]. | + | (Initially inward-directed, the [[death drive]] first manifests its [[existence]] in the human tendency to self-destruction; as it subsequently turns to the outside world, it takes the form of [[aggressivity|aggressive]] or destructive [[behavior]].) |
===Controversy=== | ===Controversy=== | ||
| − | |||
| − | The | + | The theory of the [[death drive]] is grounded in the descriptions of the [[compulsion to repeat]]. |
| − | + | The concept of the [[death drive]] was one of the most controversial concepts introduced by F[[reud]], and many of his disciples rejected it, but Freud continued to reaffirm the concept for the rest of his life. | |
| − | + | The theory of the [[death drive]] remains controversial (even though Freud continues to uphold it in his very last writings). | |
| + | |||
| + | Freud] describes the death drive as 'silent' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Melanie Klein== | ||
| + | Of the non-[[Lacanian]] [[schools]] of [[psychoanalytic theory]], only [[Kleinian psychoanalysis]] takes the concept seriously. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Many [[post-Freudian]] [[analysts]] dismiss the notion of a [[death drive]] as mere speculation by [[Freud]], but [[Klein]] adopts it whole-heartedly, regarding the tyranny of the early [[superego]] as it crushes the [[child]]'s [[ego]] as the first clinical manifestation of its [[power]]. | ||
==Death Drive and Lacan== | ==Death Drive and Lacan== | ||
| − | [[Jacques Lacan]] (following Freud) reaffirms the concept of the [[death drive]] as central to [[psychoanalysis]]. | + | [[Jacques Lacan]] (following [[Freud]]) reaffirms the concept of the [[death drive]] as central to [[psychoanalysis]]. |
| − | [[Lacan]] wrote: "to ignore the death instinct in his [Freud's] doctrine is to misunderstand that doctrine entirely."<ref>E | + | |
| + | [[Lacan]] wrote: "to ignore the death instinct in his [Freud's] doctrine is to misunderstand that doctrine entirely."<ref>{{E}} p.301</ref> | ||
| − | + | [[Lacan]] describes the [[death drive]] as a [[nostalgia]] for a [[lost harmony]], a [[desire]] to [[return]] to the [[preoedipal]] fusion with the [[mother]]'s [[breast]], the [[loss]] of which is marked on the [[psyche]] in the [[weaning complex]].<ref>Lacan, 1938: 35</ref> | |
| − | + | [[Lacan]] associates the [[death drive]] with the [[suicide|suicidal tendency]] of [[narcissism]].<ref>{{Ec}} p.186</ref> | |
| − | + | [[Lacan]] does not situate the [[death drive]] in the [[imaginary]] (despite its association with the [[preoedipal phase]] and [[narcissism]]), but rather in the [[symbolic]]. | |
In the 1954-5 seminar, ''[[The Ego in Freud's Theory and in the Technique of Psychoanalysis]]'', [[Lacan]] states that the [[death drive]] is simply the fundamental tendency of the [[symbolic]] [[order]] to produce [[repetition]]. | In the 1954-5 seminar, ''[[The Ego in Freud's Theory and in the Technique of Psychoanalysis]]'', [[Lacan]] states that the [[death drive]] is simply the fundamental tendency of the [[symbolic]] [[order]] to produce [[repetition]]. | ||
| − | "The death instinct is only the mask of the symbolic order."<ref>{{S2}} p.326</ref> | + | <blockquote>"The [[death]] [[instinct]] is only the mask of the [[symbolic]] [[order]]."<ref>{{S2}} p.326</ref></blockquote> |
| + | |||
| + | [[Lacan]] situates the [[death drive]] in the [[symbolic]]. | ||
==Death Drive and Biology== | ==Death Drive and Biology== | ||
| + | |||
| + | There are differences between [[Lacan]]'s concept of the [[death drive]] and [[Freud]]'s. | ||
| + | |||
For [[Freud]], the [[death drive]] was closely bound up with [[biology]]. | For [[Freud]], the [[death drive]] was closely bound up with [[biology]]. | ||
| − | [[Lacan]] | + | [[Lacan]] states that the [[death drive]] "is not a question of biology."<ref>{{E}} p.102</ref> |
| − | [[Lacan]] articulates it with culture rather than | + | [[Lacan]] articulates it with [[culture]] rather than [[nature]]. |
| − | |||
| − | [[ | ||
The [[death drive]] is not the [[biology|biological]] [[instinct]] to return to the inanimate.<ref>{S7}} p.211-12</ref> | The [[death drive]] is not the [[biology|biological]] [[instinct]] to return to the inanimate.<ref>{S7}} p.211-12</ref> | ||
==Death Drive and Drives== | ==Death Drive and Drives== | ||
| − | |||
[[Freud]] opposed the [[death drive]] to the [[sexual]] [[drive]]s. | [[Freud]] opposed the [[death drive]] to the [[sexual]] [[drive]]s. | ||
| Line 58: | Line 69: | ||
[[Lacan]] argues that the [[death drive]] is an aspect of every [[drive]]. | [[Lacan]] argues that the [[death drive]] is an aspect of every [[drive]]. | ||
| − | + | [[Lacan]] argues that "every drive is virtually a death drive"<ref>{{Ec}} 844</ref> because: | |
| + | # every [[drive]] pursues its own extinction, | ||
| − | + | # every [[drive]] involves the [[subject]] in [[repetition]], and | |
| − | + | # every [[drive]] is an attempt to go [[beyond the pleasure principle]], to the realm of excess [[jouissance]] where [[enjoyment]] is experienced as [[suffering]]. | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | # every [[drive]] is an attempt to go [[beyond the pleasure principle]], to the realm of [[ | ||
| + | The [[death drive]] strives to go beyond the [[pleasure principle]] and to attain the painful joys of [[jouissance]]. | ||
| − | |||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
Revision as of 06:01, 29 June 2006
Contents
Death Drive and Freud
The death drive (French: pulsion de mort) is introduced by Sigmund Freud in Beyond the Pleasure Principle (1920).
Life and Death
Freud posits a basic opposition between the life drive (Lebestriebe or Eros) and the death drive (Todestriebe or Thanatos).
The former is concerned with the creation of cohesion and unity; the latter with the undoing of connections and the destruction of unity.
Freud's Death Drive
According to Freud, the death drive exhibits the regressive tendency of all living beings to return to an (earlier) inorganic state (or to recover a lost object).
(Initially inward-directed, the death drive first manifests its existence in the human tendency to self-destruction; as it subsequently turns to the outside world, it takes the form of aggressive or destructive behavior.)
Controversy
The theory of the death drive is grounded in the descriptions of the compulsion to repeat.
The concept of the death drive was one of the most controversial concepts introduced by Freud, and many of his disciples rejected it, but Freud continued to reaffirm the concept for the rest of his life.
The theory of the death drive remains controversial (even though Freud continues to uphold it in his very last writings).
Freud] describes the death drive as 'silent'
Melanie Klein
Of the non-Lacanian schools of psychoanalytic theory, only Kleinian psychoanalysis takes the concept seriously.
Many post-Freudian analysts dismiss the notion of a death drive as mere speculation by Freud, but Klein adopts it whole-heartedly, regarding the tyranny of the early superego as it crushes the child's ego as the first clinical manifestation of its power.
Death Drive and Lacan
Jacques Lacan (following Freud) reaffirms the concept of the death drive as central to psychoanalysis.
Lacan wrote: "to ignore the death instinct in his [Freud's] doctrine is to misunderstand that doctrine entirely."[1]
Lacan describes the death drive as a nostalgia for a lost harmony, a desire to return to the preoedipal fusion with the mother's breast, the loss of which is marked on the psyche in the weaning complex.[2]
Lacan associates the death drive with the suicidal tendency of narcissism.[3]
Lacan does not situate the death drive in the imaginary (despite its association with the preoedipal phase and narcissism), but rather in the symbolic.
In the 1954-5 seminar, The Ego in Freud's Theory and in the Technique of Psychoanalysis, Lacan states that the death drive is simply the fundamental tendency of the symbolic order to produce repetition.
"The death instinct is only the mask of the symbolic order."[4]
Lacan situates the death drive in the symbolic.
Death Drive and Biology
There are differences between Lacan's concept of the death drive and Freud's.
For Freud, the death drive was closely bound up with biology.
Lacan states that the death drive "is not a question of biology."[5]
Lacan articulates it with culture rather than nature.
The death drive is not the biological instinct to return to the inanimate.[6]
Death Drive and Drives
Freud opposed the death drive to the sexual drives.
Lacan rejects Freud's thesis of a duality of life and death drives.
Lacan argues that the death drive is an aspect of every drive.
Lacan argues that "every drive is virtually a death drive"[7] because:
- every drive pursues its own extinction,
- every drive involves the subject in repetition, and
- every drive is an attempt to go beyond the pleasure principle, to the realm of excess jouissance where enjoyment is experienced as suffering.
The death drive strives to go beyond the pleasure principle and to attain the painful joys of jouissance.
See Also
References
- ↑ Lacan, Jacques. Écrits: A Selection. Trans. Alan Sheridan. London: Tavistock Publications, 1977. p.301
- ↑ Lacan, 1938: 35
- ↑ Lacan, Jacques. Écrits. Paris: Seuil, 1966. p.186
- ↑ Lacan, Jacques. The Seminar. Book II. The Ego in Freud's Theory and in the Technique of Psychoanalysis, 1954-55. Trans. Sylvana Tomaselli. New York: Nortion; Cambridge: Cambridge Unviersity Press, 1988. p.326
- ↑ Lacan, Jacques. Écrits: A Selection. Trans. Alan Sheridan. London: Tavistock Publications, 1977. p.102
- ↑ {S7}} p.211-12
- ↑ Lacan, Jacques. Écrits. Paris: Seuil, 1966. 844
- ↑ 3, 1, 64-5, 94, 135 Conversations.
