Lure

"lure" (Fr. leurre)

As Alan Sheridan points out in the short glossary he provides to his translation of Ecrits, "The Frnech word translates variously 'lure' (for hawks, fish), 'decoy' (for birgs), 'bait' (for fish), and the notion of 'allurement' and 'enticement.'"

--- Human beings are not the only animals who are capable of setting lures, and this fact is sometimes used to argue in favor of the existence of "animal consciousness."

However, Lacan argues that it is important todistinguish between naimal lures and human lures.

Animal Lures

Animals can deceive by their camouflage or by "the feint by which an apparent straggler leads a predator away from the flock," but "there is nothing even there that transcends the function of lure in the service of need."

Animal lures are extremely important in mating cereemonies where an animal mus tentice anothe rinto copulation, and this is also what lends human sexuality its strong imaginary element.

"Sexual behavior is quite especially prone to the lure."

Human Lures

Whereas animal lures are straightforward, the human being is unique in being capable of a special kind of lure which involves a "double deception."

This is a kind of lure which involves deceiving by pretending to deceive (i.e. telling a truth that one expects to be taken for a lie).

--- The classic example of the properly human lure is the joke quoted by Freud (and often cited by Lacan) about the two Polish Jews: "Why do you tell me you are going to Cracow so I'll believe you are going to Lvov, when you are really going to Cracow?"

Other animals are incapable of this special kind of lure owing to the fact that they do not possess language.