Difference between revisions of "Split"

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split (refente)              Freud talks about the 'splitting of the ego' (Ger. Ich-
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split (refente)               
  
spaltung, Fr. clivage du moi)            as  a process, observable in fetishism and
 
  
psychosis, whereby two contradictory attitudes to reality come to exist side
 
  
by side in the ego; those of acceptance and DISAVOWAL (see Freud, 1940b).
 
  
Lacan amplifies the concept of Spaltung (which he prefers to translate by the
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[[Freud]] talks about the "splitting of the ego" (Ger. ''Ich-spaltung'', Fr. ''clivage du moi'') as a process, observable in [[fetishism]] and [[psychosis]], whereby two contradictory attitudes to reality come to exist side by side in the [[ego]]; those of acceptance and [[disavowal]].<ref>(see Freud, 1940b)</ref>
 
 
  term refente; see S8, 144) to designate not a process unique to fetishism or
 
 
 
psychosis but a general characteristic of subjectity itself; the SUBJECT Can neVer
 
 
 
be anything other than divided, split, alienated from himself (see ALIENATION).
 
 
 
The split is irreducible,          can  never be healed; there is        no possibility of
 
 
 
synthesis.
 
 
 
      The split or divided subject is symbolised by the BAR which strikes through
 
 
 
the S to produce the barred subject, S (see E, 288). The split denotes the
 
 
 
impossibility of the ideal of a fully present self-consciousness; the subject will
 
 
 
  never know himself completely, but will always be cut off from his own
 
 
 
knowledge. It thus indicates the presence of the unconscious, and is an effect
 
 
 
of the signifier. The subject is split by the very fact that he is a speaking being
 
 
 
(E, 269), since speech divides the subject of the ENUNCIATION from the subject
 
 
 
of the statement. In his seminar of 1964-5 Lacan theorises the split subject in
 
 
 
  terms of a division between truth and knowledge (savoir) (see Ec, 856).
 
  
 +
[[Lacan]] amplifies the concept of ''Spaltung'' to designate not a process unique to [[fetishism]] or [[psychosis]] but a general characteristic of [[subject]]ivity itself.
 +
The [[subject]] can never be anything other than divided, split, [[alienation|alienated]] from himself.
 +
The [[split]] is irreducible, can never be healed; there is no possibility of synthesis.
 +
The [[split]] or '[[split|divided]] [[subject]]' is [[symbolization|symbolised]] by the [[bar]] which strikes through the S to produce the barred subject, S.<ref>(see E, 288)</ref>
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The [[split]] denotes the [[impossibility]] of the ideal of a fully present [[self-consciousness]].
 +
The [[subject]] will never know himself completely, but will always be cut off from his own [[knowledge]].
 +
It thus indicates the [[presence]] of the [[unconscious]], and is an effect of the [[signifier]].
 +
The [[subject]] is [[split]] by the very fact that he is a 'speaking being',<ref>E 269</ref> since [[speech]] divides the [[subject]] of the [[enunciation]] from the [[subject]] of the statement.
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In his [[seminar]] of 1964-5 [[Lacan]] theorises the [[split]] [[subject]] in terms of a division between [[truth]] and [[knowledge]] (''savoir'').<ref>(see Ec, 856)</ref>
  
  
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== See Also==
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* [[Subject]]
 +
* [[Alienation]]
  
 
== References ==
 
== References ==
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
  
[[Category:Lacan]]
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[[Category:Jacques Lacan]]
 
[[Category:Terms]]
 
[[Category:Terms]]
 
[[Category:Concepts]]
 
[[Category:Concepts]]
 +
[[Category:Real]]
 
[[Category:Psychoanalysis]]
 
[[Category:Psychoanalysis]]

Revision as of 20:01, 15 June 2006

split (refente)



Freud talks about the "splitting of the ego" (Ger. Ich-spaltung, Fr. clivage du moi) as a process, observable in fetishism and psychosis, whereby two contradictory attitudes to reality come to exist side by side in the ego; those of acceptance and disavowal.[1]

Lacan amplifies the concept of Spaltung to designate not a process unique to fetishism or psychosis but a general characteristic of subjectivity itself. The subject can never be anything other than divided, split, alienated from himself. The split is irreducible, can never be healed; there is no possibility of synthesis. The split or 'divided subject' is symbolised by the bar which strikes through the S to produce the barred subject, S.[2] The split denotes the impossibility of the ideal of a fully present self-consciousness. The subject will never know himself completely, but will always be cut off from his own knowledge. It thus indicates the presence of the unconscious, and is an effect of the signifier. The subject is split by the very fact that he is a 'speaking being',[3] since speech divides the subject of the enunciation from the subject of the statement. In his seminar of 1964-5 Lacan theorises the split subject in terms of a division between truth and knowledge (savoir).[4]


See Also

References

  1. (see Freud, 1940b)
  2. (see E, 288)
  3. E 269
  4. (see Ec, 856)