Difference between revisions of "Name-of-the-Father"

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The laws and restrictions that control both your desire and the rules of communication, according to Lacan. The Name-of-the-Father is closely bound up with the superego, the Phallus, the symbolic order, and the Oedipus complex. Note that, according to Lacan, the Name-of-the-Father has a shadow double in the Father-of-Enjoyment. See the Lacan module on the structure of the psyche.
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== Prohibitive Role ==
  
== Prohibitive role ==
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The expression “the name of the father,” when it first appeared in Lacan’s work, in the early 1950s, referred generally to the “[[prohibition|prohibitive role]]” of the “[[symbolic]] [[father]]” as the one who lays down the [[incest]] [[taboo]] in the [[oedipus complex]].
  
When the expression ‘the name of the father’ first appears in Lacan’s work, in the early 1950s, it refers generally to the ‘’’prohibitive role’’’ of the [[father]] as the one who lays down the [[incest]] [[taboo]] in the [[Oedipus Complex]] (i.e. to the ‘’’symbolic father’’’).
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<blockquote>
“It is in the ‘’name of the father’’ that we must recognize the support of the symbolic function which, from the dawn of history, has identified his person with the figure of the law.”<ref>E 67</ref>
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“It is in the ‘name of the father’ that we must recognize the support of the symbolic function which, from the dawn of history, has identified his person with the figure of the law.”<ref>Lacan, Jacques. Écrits. p.67</ref>
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</blockquote>  
  
Lacan plays on the homophony of ‘’le nom du pEre’’ (the name of the father) and ‘’le ‘non’ du pEre’’ (the ‘no’ of the father), to emphasize the legislative and prohibitive function of the symbolic father.
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===The “No” of the Father===
  
In his seminar on the psychoses, the expression becomes capitalized and hyphenated. 
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In the French language, the expression “the name of the father” (“’’le nom du père’’”) is phonetically similar to the expression “the ‘no’ of the father” (“’’le ‘non’ du père’’”).
The Name-of-the-Father Is now the fundamental signifier which permtis signification to proceed normally.
 
This fundamental signifier both confers identity on the subject (it names him, positions him within the symbolic order) and signifies the Oedipal prohibition, the ‘no’ of the incest aboo. 
 
If this signifier is foreclosed (not included in the symbolic order), the result is [[psychosis]].
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The '''Name of the Father''' refers to the [[Law|laws]] and restrictions that control both [[desire]] and the rules of [[communication]], according to [[Lacan]].
 
 
 
The Name-of-the-Father is closely bound up with the [[superego]], the [[Phallus]], the [[symbolic]] [[order]], and the [[Oedipus Complex]].
 
 
 
The Name-of-the-Father has a shadow double in the Father-of-Enjoyment.
 
 
 
 
 
The '''Name of the Father''' (Fr. ‘’Nom du père’’) , or the '''names of the father''' is the [[signifier]] associated with the [[signified]] [[concept]] of the [[father]].
 
The name of the Father is a [[symbolic]] formation.
 
 
 
== Linguistics ==
 
French theorist and psychoanalyst [[Jacques Lacan]] revised the [[Oedipus Complex]] in line with his [[structuralism|structuralist]] attempt to combine [[psychoanalysis]] and [[linguistics]].
 
The infant must identify with the father, in order to participate in [[sexual relations]].
 
However Lacan claimed that the position of the [[father]] could never be held by the [[infant]]. 
 
The infant could never ''become'' the father as this would imply sexual relations with the mother.
 
{Through the dictates on the one hand to be the father and on the other not to, the father is elevated to an [[ideal]].}
 
 
 
He is no longer a real father, but a [[role|function]] of a father.
 
 
 
Lacan terms this the [[Name of the Father]].
 
 
 
The same goes for the mother &mdash; Lacan no longer talks of a real mother, but simply of [[desire (Lacanian)|desire]], which is a desire to return to the undifferentiated state of ''being'' together with the mother, before the interference through the Name-of-the-Father.
 
 
 
 
 
This desire necessarily lacks something, i.e. it is a desire of lack.
 
 
 
 
 
The father and accordingly the phallus (not a ''real'' penis, but a representation of [[master]]y) can never be reached, thus he is above or outside the language system and cannot be spoken about.
 
All language relies on this absence of the phallus from the system of [[signification]].
 
According to this theory, without a phallus ''outside'' of language, nothing ''in'' language would make sense or could be differentiated.
 
Thus Lacan remodels the linguistic theory of Swiss linguist [[Ferdinand de Saussure]].
 
It is this idea that forms the basis of much contemporary thought, especially [[poststructuralism]].
 
Nothing can be thought that is ''outside'' of language, but the phallus ''is'' there and therefore structures the whole system of thought accordingly.
 
Oedipus could also be thought of the theme of the story.
 
 
 
 
 
==Freud vs Lacan==
 
In ''[[Totem and Taboo]]'', [[Sigmund Freud]] uses a theory of the history, based on Darwin's [[theory of evolution]], in which there was first a terrible father that the brothers had to kill.
 
Feeling guilty about it, the brothers began to pay homage to the father and founded [[monotheism]].
 
 
 
In Lacan's theory, the learning of [[language]] leads the child to kill his father as a [[symbol]].
 
Lacan does not use any historical theory. 
 
 
 
This concept allows a new understanding of [[neurosis]].
 
 
 
==Psychosis==
 
Nevertheless, [[Jacques Lacan]] developed this concept with the ultimately unsuccessful aim of curing psychosis.  
 
 
 
 
 
[[category:Freudian psychology]]
 
[[Category:Psychoanalytic theory]]
 
[[Category:Lacan]]
 
[[Category:Terms]]
 
[[Category:Concepts]]
 
[[Category:Psychoanalysis]]
 

Revision as of 17:55, 28 May 2006

Prohibitive Role

The expression “the name of the father,” when it first appeared in Lacan’s work, in the early 1950s, referred generally to the “prohibitive role” of the “symbolic father” as the one who lays down the incest taboo in the oedipus complex.

“It is in the ‘name of the father’ that we must recognize the support of the symbolic function which, from the dawn of history, has identified his person with the figure of the law.”[1]

The “No” of the Father

In the French language, the expression “the name of the father” (“’’le nom du père’’”) is phonetically similar to the expression “the ‘no’ of the father” (“’’le ‘non’ du père’’”).

  1. Lacan, Jacques. Écrits. p.67