Difference between revisions of "Structuralism"

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First, while [[structuralism]] viewed the [[subject]] as a mere effect of [[symbolic]] [[structure]]s, [[Lacan]] argued that the [[subject]] is not simply reducible to an effect of [[language]] and the [[symbolic|symbolic order]].  
 
First, while [[structuralism]] viewed the [[subject]] as a mere effect of [[symbolic]] [[structure]]s, [[Lacan]] argued that the [[subject]] is not simply reducible to an effect of [[language]] and the [[symbolic|symbolic order]].  
  
Second, for [[Structuralism]], a [[structure]] is always [[complete]], while for [[Lacan]] the [[structure]] - the [[symbolic order]] - is never [[complete]]. There is always something left over; an [[excess]] or something that exceeds the [[symbolic]]. What exceeds the [[symbolic]] is the [[subject]] and the [[object]].
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Second, for [[Structuralism]], a [[structure]] is always [[complete]], while for [[Lacan]] the [[structure]] - the [[symbolic order]] - is never [[complete]]. There is always something [[left]] over; an [[excess]] or something that exceeds the [[symbolic]]. What exceeds the [[symbolic]] is the [[subject]] and the [[object]].
  
  

Latest revision as of 23:55, 20 May 2019



Lacan drew heavily from the structuralist approach, but he was not a structuralist for two important reasons.

First, while structuralism viewed the subject as a mere effect of symbolic structures, Lacan argued that the subject is not simply reducible to an effect of language and the symbolic order.

Second, for Structuralism, a structure is always complete, while for Lacan the structure - the symbolic order - is never complete. There is always something left over; an excess or something that exceeds the symbolic. What exceeds the symbolic is the subject and the object.