Matheme

French: mathème

The term "matheme" is a neologism coined by Jacques Lacan in the early 1970s.

Formed by derivation from "mathematics" and by analogy with phoneme and Lévi-Strauss's mytheme, the term is an equivalent to "mathematical sign". It is not used in conventional mathematics, but is part of Lacan's algebra.

The two formulae which are most often referred to as mathemes were created in 1957 to designate points in the graph of desire.

These formulae, which were both created to designate points in the graph of desire, are the matheme for the drive, ($ <> D), and the matheme for fantasy, ($ <> a).

- The structural parallel between the two mathemes is clear; they are both composed of two algebraic symbols conjoined by a rhomboid (the symbol <>, which Lacan calls the poinçon) and enclosed by brackets.

The rhomboid symbolizes a relation between the two symbols, which includes the relations of "envelopment-development-conjunction-disjunction."

- Lacan argues that the mathemes are "not transcendent signifiers; they are the indices of an absolute signification."

They are "created to allow a hundred and one different readings, a multiplicity that is admissible as long as the spoken remains caught in their algebra."

- They are constructed to resist any attempt to reduce them to one univocal signification, and to prevent the reader from an intuitive or imaginary understanding of psychoanalytic concepts: the mathemes are not to be understood but to be used.

In this way, they constitute a formal core of psychoanalytic theory which may be transmitted integrally.

"One certainly doesn't know what they mean, but they are transmitted."

See Also

Algebra Drive

Fantasy Graph of desire

Knowledge Mathematics

Signification Structure

Subject Symbol