Difference between revisions of "Introducing Lacan"
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Born on [[{{Y}}|13 April 1901]], [[Jacques Marie Émile Lacan]] was the first child of [[Charles Marie Alfred Lacan]] and [[Émilie Philippine Marie Baudry]]. [[Alfred Lacan]] was the Paris sales representative of a large provincial firm. The family lived in comfortable conditions in the Boulevard du Beaumarchais before moving to the Montparnasse area where Jacques entered the prestigious Catholic school, the [[Collège Stanislas]]. | Born on [[{{Y}}|13 April 1901]], [[Jacques Marie Émile Lacan]] was the first child of [[Charles Marie Alfred Lacan]] and [[Émilie Philippine Marie Baudry]]. [[Alfred Lacan]] was the Paris sales representative of a large provincial firm. The family lived in comfortable conditions in the Boulevard du Beaumarchais before moving to the Montparnasse area where Jacques entered the prestigious Catholic school, the [[Collège Stanislas]]. | ||
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An outstanding pupil, he excelled in [[religion|religious studies]] and [[Latin]]. As a teenager, [[Jacques Lacan]] developed a passion for [[philosophy]], adorning the walls of his bedroom with a plan of the [[structure]] of [[Spinoza]]'s ''[[Ethics]]'', a text which would always remain dear to him and which he would quote at the start of his [[doctoral dissertation]] in [[medicine]]. | An outstanding pupil, he excelled in [[religion|religious studies]] and [[Latin]]. As a teenager, [[Jacques Lacan]] developed a passion for [[philosophy]], adorning the walls of his bedroom with a plan of the [[structure]] of [[Spinoza]]'s ''[[Ethics]]'', a text which would always remain dear to him and which he would quote at the start of his [[doctoral dissertation]] in [[medicine]]. | ||
=====The Surrealist Movement===== | =====The Surrealist Movement===== | ||
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[[Lacan]] took up the study of [[medicine]] in [[{{Y}}|1920]] and specialized in [[psychiatry]] from [[{{Y}}|1926]]. During this period, he was active in the busy [[Paris]]ian world of the writers, artists and intellectuals who made up the [[surrealism|surrealist movement]]. | [[Lacan]] took up the study of [[medicine]] in [[{{Y}}|1920]] and specialized in [[psychiatry]] from [[{{Y}}|1926]]. During this period, he was active in the busy [[Paris]]ian world of the writers, artists and intellectuals who made up the [[surrealism|surrealist movement]]. | ||
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| + | =====Beginnings in Psychiatry===== | ||
| + | His internship at [[St-Anne hospital]], starting in [[{{Y}}|1926]], and at the Infirmerie Spéciale des Aliénés de la Préfecture de Police]], in [{{Y}}|1928]], gave [[Lacan]] a particular interest in the study of [[paranoia]]. | ||
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| + | Later he would say that "My only real master in psychiatry was Gaëtan Gatian de Clérambault." | ||
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| + | [[Lacan]] singled out his concept of "[[mental automatism]]". This brought together many seemingly disparate phnomena of [[madness]] under the common motif of ''something being imposed from 'outside'.'': the echo of thoughts or a commentary on one's actions, for example. | ||
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| + | The form of a particular [[psychosis]] would then be determined by how one ''[[signification|made sense]]'' of these elements which lacked an initial content. [[Lacan]] would say that this concept was the closest that contemporary [[France|French]] [[psychiatry]] got to a [[structural analysis]], with its emphasis on the imposition of formal elements beyond the "[[conscious]]" [[control]] of the [[subject]]. | ||
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Revision as of 10:57, 15 November 2006
Family
Born on 13 April 1901, Jacques Marie Émile Lacan was the first child of Charles Marie Alfred Lacan and Émilie Philippine Marie Baudry. Alfred Lacan was the Paris sales representative of a large provincial firm. The family lived in comfortable conditions in the Boulevard du Beaumarchais before moving to the Montparnasse area where Jacques entered the prestigious Catholic school, the Collège Stanislas.
Education
An outstanding pupil, he excelled in religious studies and Latin. As a teenager, Jacques Lacan developed a passion for philosophy, adorning the walls of his bedroom with a plan of the structure of Spinoza's Ethics, a text which would always remain dear to him and which he would quote at the start of his doctoral dissertation in medicine.
The Surrealist Movement
Lacan took up the study of medicine in 1920 and specialized in psychiatry from 1926. During this period, he was active in the busy Parisian world of the writers, artists and intellectuals who made up the surrealist movement.
Beginnings in Psychiatry
His internship at St-Anne hospital, starting in 1926, and at the Infirmerie Spéciale des Aliénés de la Préfecture de Police]], in [Jacques Lacan:Biography|1928]], gave Lacan a particular interest in the study of paranoia.
Later he would say that "My only real master in psychiatry was Gaëtan Gatian de Clérambault."
Lacan singled out his concept of "mental automatism". This brought together many seemingly disparate phnomena of madness under the common motif of something being imposed from 'outside'.: the echo of thoughts or a commentary on one's actions, for example.
The form of a particular psychosis would then be determined by how one made sense of these elements which lacked an initial content. Lacan would say that this concept was the closest that contemporary French psychiatry got to a structural analysis, with its emphasis on the imposition of formal elements beyond the "conscious" control of the subject.
