Knowledge
| French: connaissance/savoir |
Jacques Lacan
The term "knowledge" has two meanings in Lacan's work:
Lacan distinguishes between two types of knowledge:
- imaginary knowledge (French: connaissance) -- the knowledge of the ego, and
- symbolic knowledge (French: savoir) -- the knowledge of the subject.
Symbolic Knowledge
Symbolic knowledge refers to both the knowledge of the subject's relation to the symbolic order, and also to that relation itself.
It is the articulation of signifiers in the subject's symbolic universe, the signifying chain (
).
Unknown Knowledge
The "unconscious" is simply another name for symbolic knowledge insofar as it is an "unknown knowledge," a knowledge which the subject does not know it knows.
Absolute Knowledge
Psychoanalytic treatment involves a way to access symbolic knowledge, via a particular form of speech called free association.
The aim of psychoanalytic treatment is the progressive reveletion of symbolic knowledge to the subject, rather than "absolute knowledge," because the unconscious is irreducible; there is an inescapable division between the subject and knowledge.
Jouissance' of the Other
Symbolic knowledge is knowledge of the truth about one's unconscious desire.
Symbolic knowledge is knowledge of the truth about unconscious desire.
Symbolic knowledge is knowledge of the truth of unconscious desire.
In this sense, knowledge is a form of jouissance: "knowledge is the jouissance of the Other."[1]
In this sense, knowledge is a form of jouissance:
"knowledge is the jouissance of the Other."[2]
Subject Supposed to Know
Symbolic knowledge does not reside in any particular subject, but is intersubjective.
However, this does not prevent one supposing that somewhere there is a subject who possesses this symbolic knowledge (the subject supposed to know).
The knowledge is attributed by the analysand to the analyst in psychoanalytic treatment.
The knowledge is attributed to the analyst by the analysand in psychoanalytic treatment.
In psychoanalytic treatment, knowledge is attributed to the analyst by the analysand.
The analysand attributes knowledge to the analyst in psychoanalytic treatment.
In psychoanalytic treatment, the analysand attributes knowledge to the analyst.
Imaginary Knowledge
Imaginary knowledge refers to a type of illusory self-knowledge in the imaginary order.
Imaginary knowledge refers to a type of illusory self-knowledge belonging to the imaginary order.
Imaginary knowledge refers to the kind of illusory self-knowledge that belongs to the imaginary order.
The knowledge which the subject acquires about himself, by méconnaissance and méconnaissance (méconnaissance), is constitutive of the ego.[3]
It is by méconnaissance and méconnaissance (méconnaissance) that the subject acquires the self-knowledge which is constitutive of the ego.[4]
The ego is thus an illusory kind of self-knowledge based on a fantasy of self-mastery and unity.
"Paranoiac Knowledge"
Imaginary knowledge is called "paranoiac knowledge" by Lacan because it has the same structure as paranoia (both involve a delusion of absolute knowledge and mastery), and because one of the preconditions of all human knowledge is the "paranoiac alienation of the ego."[5]
Imaginary Obstacle to Symbolic Knowledge
Imaginary knowledge is an obstacle which hinders the subjects access to symbolic knowledge.
Psychoanalytic treatment must therefore continually subvert the subject's imaginary self-knowledge in order to reveal the symbolic self-knowledge which it blocks.
See Also
References
- ↑ Lacan, Jacques. Le Séminaire. Livre XVII. L'envers de la psychanalyse, 19669-70. Ed. Jacques-Alain Miller. Paris: Seuil, 1991. p.13
- ↑ Lacan, Jacques. Le Séminaire. Livre XVII. L'envers de la psychanalyse, 19669-70. Ed. Jacques-Alain Miller. Paris: Seuil, 1991. p.13
- ↑ Lacan, Jacques. Écrits: A Selection. Trans. Alan Sheridan. London: Tavistock Publications, 1977. p.306
- ↑ Lacan, Jacques. Écrits: A Selection. Trans. Alan Sheridan. London: Tavistock Publications, 1977. p.306
- ↑ Lacan, Jacques. Écrits: A Selection. Trans. Alan Sheridan. London: Tavistock Publications, 1977. p.2
