Función y Campo de la Palabra y del Lenguaje en Psicoanálisis - Lacan (parte 2)

Understanding Symbol and Language in Psychoanalysis

Introduction to Lacanian Concepts

• Matías introduces the second part of the Lacanian text "Function and Field of Speech and Language in Psychoanalysis," focusing on symbol and language as structures within psychoanalysis.

• The discussion emphasizes the importance of recovering the sense of experience in psychoanalytic technique to avoid degeneration.

Interpretation of Dreams

• Freud's interpretation of dreams is highlighted, noting that dreams have a structure akin to sentences, where desires are expressed.

• An example illustrates how a patient's dream seemingly contradicting Freud's theory actually expresses a desire to oppose Freud himself.

Desire and Recognition

• Lacan asserts that human desire finds its meaning through the desire of others, emphasizing recognition as a primary object of desire.

• He notes that dreams increasingly function as dialogues with the analyst during transferences, indicating an intersubjective universe.

The Role of Symptoms in Psychoanalysis

• To accept a symptom within psychoanalytic psychopathology, there must be over-determination or at least double meaning according to Freud.

• Lacan states that symptoms can be resolved through language analysis, highlighting how language shapes human experience.

Symbolic Order and Reality Perception

• Symbols envelop human life entirely; for instance, knowing there should be three volumes of Freud’s works influences our perception even if one volume is missing.

• This absence created by symbols demonstrates how cultural laws affect natural order—symbolism creates perceived gaps in reality.

Laws Regulating Relationships

• Cultural laws (e.g., incest prohibitions) are rooted in symbolic orders like kinship names which dictate permissible relationships.

• These distinctions are essential for understanding societal norms regarding familial relations based on symbolic organization.

Language as Law

• Lacan argues that laws governing human behavior are fundamentally linguistic; they derive power from their symbolic underpinnings related to kinship nomenclature.

• The paternal name serves as a foundation for symbolic functions, linking individuals with societal laws throughout history.

Interplay Between Language and Subjectivity

Understanding the Relationship Between Language and Subjectivity

The Function of Language

• Communication requires a shared understanding of symbols among individuals within a symbolic order, highlighting an inherent antinomy in the relationship between words and language.

• While language aims to unify meaning for intersubjective sharing, it can become improper for individual expression as it may dilute personal truths into generalized meanings.

Conflict Between Word and Language

• The tension arises when language becomes too rigid, preventing new interpretations and stifling individual truths from emerging.

• Lacan discusses three paradoxes regarding the interplay between word and language, starting with madness where the individual's truth is lost in a non-dialectical form of communication.

Paradoxes Explored

1. Madness

• In madness, the individual relinquishes their voice to become merely spoken about; they create a unique delusional language that excludes dialectical engagement with others.

2. Neurosis

• In neurosis, personal truth is expelled from conscious discourse but finds expression through symptoms that symbolize repressed meanings, allowing for some level of dialectical interaction with others.

3. Scientific Discourse

• Scientific discourse mirrors madness as it objectifies the subject; here too, individuals are often spoken about rather than speaking for themselves.

Psychoanalysis and Symbolism

• Lacan argues that psychoanalysis must reclaim its significance by grounding itself in symbolic experience and linguistic foundations to study subjectivity effectively.

Techniques in Psychoanalytic Interpretation

• For symbols to affect individuals, they need only be heard; their impact operates subconsciously as seen in everyday behaviors linked to symbolic meanings (e.g., anxiety before exams).

The Role of the Analyst

• Analysts must skillfully navigate symbolic effects during interpretation while recognizing how messages are received inversely by subjects.

Responsibility in Analysis

• An analyst's responsibility lies in acknowledging their role as a subject within analysis—understanding where the patient stands psychologically influences how questions are posed.

Understanding the Role of Language and Subjectivity in Psychoanalysis

The Concept of the "Muro del Lenguaje" (Wall of Language)

• The discourse's meaning is crucial for healing the subject; equating it with mere presence limits understanding.

• The "yo" (self) is identified within a specific context, illustrated by a lambda schema that represents this relationship.

• Analysts must break through the "muro del lenguaje" to reinterpret expressions and uncover hidden meanings in what subjects communicate.

Uncovering Truth Beyond Illusion

• The analyst's role involves liberating words trapped within language barriers, directing them towards the subject's deeper truth.

• Subjects often mistakenly believe their truths are already known to others, which opens them up to objective intervention from analysts.

• This belief leads to what Lacan terms "subject supposed to know," essential for establishing transference in analysis.

Elements of Reality in Analysis

Cultural Dynamics Between Symbolic and Real

• Elements of reality play a significant role in analysis, bridging symbolic interpretations with real-life experiences.

• Analyst abstention from active intervention allows subjects to express genuine thoughts; responses validate these true words without indefinite suspension.

Time as a Critical Factor

• Duration in analysis should remain undefined due to individual differences; predicting progress can lead to alienation from personal truth.

• Fixed endpoints create an illusion that subjects are merely reaching predetermined truths rather than constructing their own paths.

Punctuation and Progression in Sessions

• Analysts punctuate subjects' discourse, marking progress through session duration; this should be viewed as a valuable tool rather than routine limitation.

• Money is mentioned as another element influencing analysis but is not elaborated upon extensively.

Exploring the Death Instinct

Historical Limits of Subjectivity

• The death instinct signifies historical boundaries for subjects—not merely physical death but the end of identity shaped by history.

• Lacan’s ambiguous use of “subject” invites varied interpretations regarding whether he refers to conscious self or unconscious identity.

Understanding the Role of History in Subject Alignment

The Influence of History on Subjectivity

• The subject's history is predetermined, leading to a disalignment that allows access to the unconscious and repressed aspects of the self. This limit is represented by the past, not as a physical entity but in its real form.

• The concept of "inverted past" emerges through repetition, where traumatic events resurface. This indicates moments when the subject faced threats related to instinctual disalignment.