Difference between revisions of "Kant And Sade: The Ideal Couple"

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Of all the couples in the history of modern thought (Freud and Lacan, Marx and Lenin...), Kant and Sade is perhaps the most problematic: the statement "Kant is Sade" is the "infinite judgement" of modern ethics, positing the sign of equation between the two radical opposites, i.e. asserting that the sublime disinterested ethical attitude is somehow identical to, or overlaps with, the unrestrained indulgence in pleasurable violence. A lot-everything, perhaps-is at stake here: is there a line from Kantian formalist ethics to the cold-blooded Auschwitz killing machine? Are concentration camps and killing as a neutral business the inherent outcome of the enlightened insistence on the autonomy of Reason? Is there at least a legitimate lineage from Sade to Fascist torturing, as is implied by Pasolini's film version of Saló, which transposes it into the dark days of Mussolini's Salo republic? Lacan developed this link first in his Seminar on The Ethics of Psychoanalysis (1958-59)1, and then in the Écrits "Kant with Sade" of 19632.
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Of all the couples in the [[history]] of modern [[thought]] ([[Freud]] and [[Lacan]], [[Marx]] and [[Lenin]]...), [[Kant]] and [[Sade]] is perhaps the most problematic: the [[statement]] "Kant is Sade" is the "infinite judgement" of modern [[ethics]], positing the [[sign]] of equation between the two radical opposites, i.e. asserting that the [[sublime]] disinterested [[ethical]] attitude is somehow identical to, or overlaps with, the unrestrained indulgence in pleasurable [[violence]]. A lot-everything, perhaps-is at stake here: is there a line from Kantian formalist ethics to the cold-blooded Auschwitz killing [[machine]]? Are concentration camps and killing as a neutral business the inherent outcome of the enlightened [[insistence]] on the [[autonomy]] of [[Reason]]? Is there at least a legitimate lineage from Sade to Fascist torturing, as is implied by Pasolini's [[film]] version of Saló, which transposes it into the dark days of Mussolini's Salo republic? Lacan developed this link first in his [[Seminar]] on The Ethics of [[Psychoanalysis]] (1958-59)1, and then in the [[Écrits]] "[[Kant with Sade]]" of 19632.
  
 
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For Lacan, Sade consequently deployed the inherent potential of the Kantian philosophical revolution, in the precise sense that he honestly externalized the Voice of Conscience. The first association here is, of course: what's all the fuss about? Today, in our postidealist Freudian era, doesn't everybody know what the point of the "with" is-the truth of Kant's ethical rigorism is the sadism of the Law, i.e. the Kantian Law is a superego agency that sadistically enjoys the subject's deadlock, his inability to meet its inexorable demands, like the proverbial teacher who tortures pupils with impossible tasks and secretly savors their failings?
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For Lacan, Sade consequently deployed the inherent potential of the Kantian [[philosophical]] [[revolution]], in the precise [[sense]] that he honestly externalized the [[Voice]] of [[Conscience]]. The first [[association]] here is, of course: what's all the fuss [[about]]? Today, in our postidealist [[Freudian]] era, doesn't everybody [[know]] what the point of the "with" is-the [[truth]] of Kant's ethical rigorism is the [[sadism]] of the Law, i.e. the Kantian Law is a [[superego]] [[agency]] that sadistically [[enjoys]] the [[subject]]'s deadlock, his inability to meet its inexorable [[demands]], like the proverbial teacher who tortures pupils with [[impossible]] tasks and secretly savors their failings?
  
 
  
1. Lacan, Jacques, Le seminaire, Livre VII: L'éthique de la psychanalyse, Paris: Seuil, 1986, chap. VI. back up
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1. [[Lacan, Jacques]], Le seminaire, Livre VII: L'éthique de la [[psychanalyse]], [[Paris]]: Seuil, 1986, chap. VI. back up
2. Lacan, J., "Kant avec Sade," in Écrits, Paris: Seuil, 1966, p. 765-790. back up
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2. Lacan, J., "[[Kant avec Sade]]," in Écrits, Paris: Seuil, 1966, p. 765-790. back up
  
  

Latest revision as of 02:10, 25 May 2019

Articles by Slavoj Žižek


Of all the couples in the history of modern thought (Freud and Lacan, Marx and Lenin...), Kant and Sade is perhaps the most problematic: the statement "Kant is Sade" is the "infinite judgement" of modern ethics, positing the sign of equation between the two radical opposites, i.e. asserting that the sublime disinterested ethical attitude is somehow identical to, or overlaps with, the unrestrained indulgence in pleasurable violence. A lot-everything, perhaps-is at stake here: is there a line from Kantian formalist ethics to the cold-blooded Auschwitz killing machine? Are concentration camps and killing as a neutral business the inherent outcome of the enlightened insistence on the autonomy of Reason? Is there at least a legitimate lineage from Sade to Fascist torturing, as is implied by Pasolini's film version of Saló, which transposes it into the dark days of Mussolini's Salo republic? Lacan developed this link first in his Seminar on The Ethics of Psychoanalysis (1958-59)1, and then in the Écrits "Kant with Sade" of 19632.

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For Lacan, Sade consequently deployed the inherent potential of the Kantian philosophical revolution, in the precise sense that he honestly externalized the Voice of Conscience. The first association here is, of course: what's all the fuss about? Today, in our postidealist Freudian era, doesn't everybody know what the point of the "with" is-the truth of Kant's ethical rigorism is the sadism of the Law, i.e. the Kantian Law is a superego agency that sadistically enjoys the subject's deadlock, his inability to meet its inexorable demands, like the proverbial teacher who tortures pupils with impossible tasks and secretly savors their failings?


1. Lacan, Jacques, Le seminaire, Livre VII: L'éthique de la psychanalyse, Paris: Seuil, 1986, chap. VI. back up 2. Lacan, J., "Kant avec Sade," in Écrits, Paris: Seuil, 1966, p. 765-790. back up


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