Negation

French: dénégation; German: Verneinung

Sigmund Freud

For Freud the term "negation" meant both logical negation and the action of denial.

Jacques Lacan

Lacan takes up Freud's concept of negation in his seminar of 1953-4 and in his seminar of 1955-6.

Lacan argues that negation is a neurotic process that can only occur after a fundamental act of affirmation called Bejahung.

Negation must be distinguished from foreclosure which is a kind of primitive negation prior to any possible Verneinung, a refusal of Bejahung itself.

See Also

• Bejahung
• Denial
• Foreclosure