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[[Lacan]]'s [[discussion ]] of the "[[Thing|the Thing]]" constitutes one of the central themes in the [[seminar]] of 1959-60 (''[[Seminars|L'éthique de la psychanalyse]]'' – "[[The Ethics of Psychoanalysis]]"), where he uses the [[French]] term ''[[Thing|la Chosechose]]’’ '' interchangeably with the [[German]] term ''[[Thing|das Ding]]''. There are two main contexts in which this term operates.

There ==Word-Presentations and Thing-Presentations==The first context is [[Freud]]'s [[distinction]] between "[[Thing|word-presentations]]" (''[[Thing|Wort-vorstellungen]]'') and "[[Thing|thing-presentations]]" (''[[Thing|Sachvorstellungen]]''). The distinction is prominent in [[Freud]]'s metapsychological writings, in which he argues that the two types of presentation are two main contexts bound together in the [[preconscious]]-[[conscious]] [[system]], whereas in which this term operatesthe [[unconscious|unconscious system]] only [[thing-presentations]] are found.<ref>{{F}} "[[Works of Sigmund Freud|The Unconscious]]", 19l5e.[[SE]] XIV, 161</ref>

===One===The context Thus ''[[Thing|die Sache]]’’ is the [[Freudrepresentation]]of a [[thing]] in the [[symbolic]] [[order]], as opposed to ''s distinction between [[thing|das Ding]]’’, which is the [[thing]] in its "dumb [[Thing|word-presentationsreality]]" ('',<ref>{{S7}} p.55</ref> the [[thing]] in the [[Thing|Wortreal]], which is "the beyond-of-the- vorstellungen[[signified]]'') and ."<ref>{{S7}} p.54</ref> The [[Thing|thing-presentationspresentation]]" (s found in the [[unconscious]] are thus still [[linguistics|linguistic phenomena]], as opposed to ''[[Thing|Sachvorstellungendas Ding]]'')which is entirely [[outside]] [[language]], and [[outside]] the [[unconscious]].

<blockquote>"The distinction Thing is prominent in [[Freud]]'s metapsychological writings, in which he argues characterised by the fact that the two types of presentation are bound together in the it is [[preconsciousimpossible]]-[[conscious]] system, whereas in the [[unconscious|unconscious system]] only [[thing-presentations]] are foundfor us to imagine it."<ref>{{FS7}} 19l5ep. 125</ref></blockquote>

This seemed to some of [[Lacan]]'s contemporaries to offer [[concept]] of the [[Thing]] as an objection to unknowable x, beyond [[Lacansymbolisation]]'s theories about , has clear affinities with the [[linguistic|linguistic natureKant]] of the ian "thing-[[unconsciousin-itself]]".

==''Jouissance''==The second context is ''[[Lacanjouissance]] counters such objections by pointing out that there are two words in ''. As well as the [[Germanobject]] for "of [[thinglanguage]]": , ''[[Thing|das Ding]]'' and ''is the [[object]] of [[desire]]. It is the [[Thingcastration|die Sachelost]] [[object]]''which must be continually refound, it is the prehistoric, unforgettable [[Other]]<ref>{{S7}} p.53</ref> - in other words, the [[forbidden]] [[object]] of [[incest]]uous [[desire]], the [[mother]].<ref>{{S7}} p.67</ref> The [[pleasure principle]] is the [[law]] which maintains the [[subject]] at a certain distance from the [[Thing]],<ref>{{S7}} p.62-358, 44-563</ref> making the [[subject]] circle round it without ever attaining it.<ref>{{S7}} p. 95</ref>

It The [[Thing]] is thus presented to the latter term which [[Freudsubject]] as his Sovereign [[Good]] usually employs to refer to , but if the [[thing-presentationssubject]] in transgresses the [[unconsciouspleasure principle]] and attains this Good, it is experienced as [[suffering]]/evil, and <ref>[[Lacan]] argues that although plays on one level ''the [[Thing|SachvorstellungenFrench]]term ''mal'' , which can mean both suffering and [[evil]]; {{S7}} p. 179</ref> because the [[subject]] "cannot stand the extreme good that ''[[Thing|Wortvorstellungendas Ding]]'' are opposedmay bring to him."<ref>{{S7}} p. 73</ref> It is fortunate, then, in that the [[symbolic|symbolic levelThing]] "they go together"is usually inaccessible.<ref>{{S7}} p.59</ref>

Thus ==''[[Thing|die Sache]]’’ is the representation of Objet petit a [[thing]] in the [[symbolic]] [[order]], as opposed to ''[[thing|das Ding]]’’, which is the [[thing]] in its "dumb reality",<ref>{{S7}} p.55</ref> the [[thing]] in the [[real]], which is "the beyond-of-the-signified."<ref>{{S7}} p.54</ref> The [[thing-presentation]]s found in the unconscious are thus still [[linguistics|linguistic phenomena]], as opposed to ''[[Thing|das Ding]]'' which is entirely outside [[language]], and outside the [[unconscious]].  <blockquote>"The Thing is characterised by the fact that it is impossible for us to imagine it."<ref>{{S7}} p.12</ref></blockquote> [[Lacan]]'s concept of the [[Thing]] as an unknowable x, beyond [[symbolisation]], has clear affinities with the [[Kant]]ian "thing-in-itself". ==Two== The context of ''[[jouissance]]''. As well as the [[object]] of [[language]], ''[[Thing|das Ding]]'' is the [[object of desire]].  It is the [[castration|lost]] [[object]] which must be continually refound, it is the prehistoric, unforgettable [[Other]]<ref>{{S7}} p.53</ref> - in other words, the forbidden [[object]] of [[incest]]uous [[desire]], the [[mother]].<ref>{{S7}} p.67</ref> The [[pleasure principle]] is the [[law]] which maintains the [[subject]] at a certain distance from the [[Thing]],<ref>{{S7}} p.58, 63</ref> making the [[subject]] circle round it without ever attaining it.<ref>{{S7}} p.95</ref> The [[Thing]] is thus presented to the [[subject]] as his Sovereign Good, but if the [[subject]] transgresses the [[pleasure principle]] and attains this Good, it is experienced as suffering/evil,<ref>[[Lacan]] plays on the [[French]] term ''mal'', which can mean both suffering and evil; {{S7}} p.179</ref> because the [[subject]] "cannot stand the extreme good that ''[[Thing|das Ding]]'' may bring to him."<ref>{{S7}} p.73</ref>  It is fortunate, then, that the [[Thing]] is usually inaccessible.<ref>{{S7}} p.59</ref> ---- After the [[seminar]] of 1959-60, the term ''[[das Ding]]'' [[disappears ]] almost entirely from [[Lacan]]'s [[Work of Jacques Lacan|work]].   However, the [[ideas ]] associated with it provide the essential features of the new developments in the concept of the ''[[objet petit a]]'' as [[Lacan]] develops it from 1963 onwards.   For example the ''[[objet petit a]]'' is circled by the [[drive]]<ref>{{S11}} p.168</ref> and is seen as the [[cause]] of [[desire]] just as ''[[thing|das Ding]]'' is seen as "the cause of the most fundamental [[human ]] [[passion]]."<ref>{{S7}} p.97</ref>  Also, the fact that the [[Thing]] is not the [[imaginary]] [[object]] but firmly in the [[register]] of the [[real]], <ref>{{S2}} p.112</ref> and yet is "that which in the real suffers from the [[signifier]],"<ref>{{S7}} p.125</ref> anticipates the transition in [[Lacan]]'s [[thought ]] towards locating ''[[objet petit a]]'' increasingly in the [[register]] of the [[real]] from 1963 on.