Difference between revisions of "Graph of desire"

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The "[[graph of desire]]" ([[Fr]]. ''[[graphe du désir]]'') is a [[topology|topographical representation]] -- schema or model -- of the [[structure]] of [[desire]].
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The [[graph of desire]] is a [[topology|topological model]] of the [[structure]] of [[desire]].
  
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==Jacques Lacan==
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==History==
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[[Jacques Lacan]] began to develop the [[graph of desire]] in his [[{{Y}}|1957]]-[[{{Y}}|58]] [[seminar]], ''[[Seminar V|Les formations de l'inconscient]]''.<ref>[[Jacques Lacan|Lacan, Jacques]]. ''[[Seminar V|Les formations de l'inconscient]]''. [[Seminar V|The Formations of the Unconscious]]. [[{{Y}}|1957]]-[[{{Y}}|58]]</ref>  The [[graph of desire]] reappears in some of the following [[seminar]]s in various forms, although the most well known [[form]] of it appears in "[[The Subversion of the Subject and the Dialectic of Desire in the Freudian Unconscious]]."<ref>[[Jacques Lacan|Lacan, Jacques]]. "[[Works of Jacques Lacan|Subversion du sujet et dialectique du désir dans l'inconscient freudien]]." ''[[Écrits]]''. [[Paris]]: Seuil, 1966. p.793-827. "[[The subversion of the subject and the dialectic of desire in the Freudian unconscious]]." [[Ecrits: A Selection]]. Trans. Alan [[Sheridan]]. [[Bruce Fink]]. [[London]]: Tavistock. 1977. New York: W. W. Norton. 2004. p.292-325</ref>
  
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[[Lacan]] began to develop, developing, first develops the [[graph of desire]] in his [[seminar]] on [[Seminar V|The Formations of the Unconscious]] (1957-58).
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==Four Stages==
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In this paper, [[Lacan]] builds up the [[graph of desire]] in four [[stages]].
  
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[[Lacan]] first develops the [[graph of desire]] in [[Seminar V|the seminar of 1957-8]] in order to illustrate the [[psychoanalytic theory]] of [[joke]]s.<ref>[[Freud|Freud, Sigmund]]. ''Jokes and their Relation to the Unconscious. SE VIII. 1905.</ref>
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===Elementary Cell===
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The first of these stages in the "[[graph of desire|elementary cell]]" of the [[graph of desire|graph]].<ref>{{E}} p.303</ref>
  
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The [[graph of desire|graph]] reappears in some of the following [[seminars]], but then all but disappears from [[Lacan]]'s [[Works of Jacques Lacan|work]].
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The horizontal line represents the [[diachronic]] [[signifying chain]]; the horseshoe-shaped line represents the vector of the [[subject]]'s [[intention]]ality.
  
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The [[graph of desire|graph]] appears in various forms, although the most well known form of it appears in "[[The subversion of the subject and the dialectic of desire in the Freudian unconscious]]."<ref>[[Lacan, Jacques]]. "Subversion du sujet et dialectique du désir dans l'inconscient freudien." ''[[Écrits]]''. Paris: Seuil, 1966. p.793-827. "[[The subversion of the subject and the dialectic of desire in the Freudian unconscious]]." [[Ecrits: A Selection]]. Trans. Alan Sheridan. London: Tavistock. 1977. p.292-325</ref>
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The [[double]] intersection of these two lines illustrates the [[nature]] of [[time|retroaction]]: the [[message]], at the point marked '''s(A)''' in the [[graph of desire|elementary cell]], is the ''[[point de capiton]]'' determined [[time|retroactively]] by the [[particular]] [[punctuation]] given to it by the [[Other]], '''A'''.
  
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It -- the [[graph of desire]] -- achieved its definitive form in this paper.
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The [[linguistic|prelinguistic]] [[mythical]] [[subject]] of pure [[need]], indicated by the [[triangle]], must [[pass]] through the defiles of the [[signifier]] which produces the [[divided]] [[subject]], '''$'''.
  
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===Four Stages===
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===Intermediate Stages===
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In this paper, [[Lacan]] builds up the [[graph of desire]] in four stages.
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The intermediate stages of the [[graph of desire]] are not meant to show any [[progress|evolution]] or [[development|temporal development]], since the [[graph of desire|graph]] always [[exists]] as a [[whole]]; they are simply pedagogical devices used by [[Lacan]] in [[order]] to illustrate the [[structure]] of the [[graph of desire|complete graph]].<ref>{{E}} p.315</ref>
  
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Its four successive stages represent the constitution of the [[human]] [[subject]] and his [[desire]].
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Nevertheless, [[Lacan]] never intended to describe the genetic stages of a [[biological]] [[development]].
  
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====Elementary Cell====
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Rather, it represents the "[[logical]] moments" of the [[birth]] of a [[speaking]] [[subject]].
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[[Image:Lacan-graph-elementary.jpg|Elementary Cell|thumb|right]]
 
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The first of these stages in the "[[graph of desire|elementary cell]]" of the [[graph of desire|graph]].<ref>{{E}} p.303</ref>
 
  
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The horizontal line represents the [[diachronic]] [[signifying chain]]; the horseshow-shaped line represents the vector of the [[subject]]'s [[intention]]ality.
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===Complete Graph===
  
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The double intersection of these two lines illustrates the nature of [[time|retroaction]]: the message, at the point marked '''s(A)''' in the [[graph of desire|elementary cell]], is the ''[[point de capiton]]'' determined [[time|retroactively]] by the particular [[punctuation]] given to it by the [[Other]], '''A'''.
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In the [[completed graph]] there are not one but two [[signifying chain]]s.
  
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The pre[[linguistic]] mythical [[subject]] of pure [[need]], indicated by the triangle, must pass through the defiles of the [[signifier]] which produces the [[divided]] [[subject]], '''$'''.
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The lower [[chain]] (from the [[signifier]] to the [[voice]]) is the [[conscious]] [[signifying chain]], the level of the [[statement]].
  
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====Intermediate Stages====
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The upper [[chain]] (from ''[[jouissance]]'' to [[castration]]) is the [[signifying chain]] in the [[unconscious]], the level of the [[enunciation]].
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The intermediate stages of the [[graph of desire]] are not meant to show any [[progress|evolution]] or [[development|temporal development]], since the [[graph of desire|graph]] always exists as a whole; they are simply pedagogical devices used by [[Lacan]] in order to illustrate the [[structure]] of the [[graph of desire|complete graph]].<ref>{{E}} p.315</ref>
 
  
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Nevertheless, [[Lacan]] never intended to describe the genetic stages of a [[biological]] [[development]].
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The [[structure]] is thus duplicated: the upper part of the [[graph]] is [[structured]] exactly like the lower part.
  
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Rather, it represents the "logical moments" of the birth of a speaking subject.
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==See Also==
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{{See}}
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* [[Desire]]
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* ''[[Point de capiton]]''
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||
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* [[Signifier]]
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* [[Signifying Chain]]
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||
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* [[Structure]]
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* [[Subject]]
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||
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* [[Unconscious]]
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* [[Topology]]
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{{Also}}
  
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====Complete Graph====
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==References==
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[[Image:Lacan-graph-complete.jpg|Complete Graph|thumb|right]]
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<div style="font-size:11px" class="references-small">
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<references/>
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</div>
  
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In the [[graph of desire|complete graph]] there are not one but two [[signifying chain]]s.
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|-
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|}
  
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The lower chain (from the [[signifier]] to the [[voice]]) is the [[conscious]] signifying chain]], the level of the [[statement]].
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{| cellpadding="2" cellspacing="5" style="text-align:justify;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff"
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|-
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|style="color:#000;line-height:2em;width:100%;";|
  
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The upper chain (from ''[[jouissance]]'' to [[castration]]) is the [[signifying chain]] in the [[unconscious]], the level of the [[enunciation]].
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{| align="[[right]]"  style="line-height:2.0em;margin-left:10px;text-align:right;background-color:#fcfcfc;border:1px solid #aaa"
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| [[French]]: ''[[graphe du désir]]  
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|}
  
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The [[structure]] is thus duplicated: the upper part of the [[graph]] is structured exactly like the lower part.
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[[Image:GRAPHOFDESIRE-ONE.jpg||thumb|]]
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[[Image:GRAPHOFDESIRE-TWO.jpg|thumb|]]
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[[Image:Vector2.jpg|thumb|]]
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[[Image:Goodwill.jpg|thumb|]]
  
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==See Also==
 
  
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==References==
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|-
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<references/>
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|}<!-- Start of right-column -->
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* [[Lacan, Jacques]]. (2004). [[The subversion of the subject and the dialectic of desire in the freudian unconcsious]]. In [[Écrits: A selection]]. (Bruce Fink, Trans.). New York: W. W. Norton. (Original work published 1960)
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|}
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[[Category:Dictionary]]
 
 
[[Category:Psychoanalysis]]
 
[[Category:Psychoanalysis]]
 
[[Category:Jacques Lacan]]
 
[[Category:Jacques Lacan]]
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[[Category:Dictionary]]
 
[[Category:Concepts]]
 
[[Category:Concepts]]
 
[[Category:Terms]]
 
[[Category:Terms]]

Latest revision as of 08:47, 24 May 2019

The graph of desire is a topological model of the structure of desire.

History

Jacques Lacan began to develop the graph of desire in his 1957-58 seminar, Les formations de l'inconscient.[1] The graph of desire reappears in some of the following seminars in various forms, although the most well known form of it appears in "The Subversion of the Subject and the Dialectic of Desire in the Freudian Unconscious."[2]

Four Stages

In this paper, Lacan builds up the graph of desire in four stages.

Elementary Cell

The first of these stages in the "elementary cell" of the graph.[3]

The horizontal line represents the diachronic signifying chain; the horseshoe-shaped line represents the vector of the subject's intentionality.

The double intersection of these two lines illustrates the nature of retroaction: the message, at the point marked s(A) in the elementary cell, is the point de capiton determined retroactively by the particular punctuation given to it by the Other, A.

The prelinguistic mythical subject of pure need, indicated by the triangle, must pass through the defiles of the signifier which produces the divided subject, $.

Intermediate Stages

The intermediate stages of the graph of desire are not meant to show any evolution or temporal development, since the graph always exists as a whole; they are simply pedagogical devices used by Lacan in order to illustrate the structure of the complete graph.[4]

Nevertheless, Lacan never intended to describe the genetic stages of a biological development.

Rather, it represents the "logical moments" of the birth of a speaking subject.

Complete Graph

In the completed graph there are not one but two signifying chains.

The lower chain (from the signifier to the voice) is the conscious signifying chain, the level of the statement.

The upper chain (from jouissance to castration) is the signifying chain in the unconscious, the level of the enunciation.

The structure is thus duplicated: the upper part of the graph is structured exactly like the lower part.

See Also

References

  1. ↑ Lacan, Jacques. Les formations de l'inconscient. The Formations of the Unconscious. 1957-58
  2. ↑ Lacan, Jacques. "Subversion du sujet et dialectique du désir dans l'inconscient freudien." Écrits. Paris: Seuil, 1966. p.793-827. "The subversion of the subject and the dialectic of desire in the Freudian unconscious." Ecrits: A Selection. Trans. Alan Sheridan. Bruce Fink. London: Tavistock. 1977. New York: W. W. Norton. 2004. p.292-325
  3. ↑ Lacan, Jacques. Écrits: A Selection. Trans. Alan Sheridan. London: Tavistock Publications, 1977. p.303
  4. ↑ Lacan, Jacques. Écrits: A Selection. Trans. Alan Sheridan. London: Tavistock Publications, 1977. p.315
French: graphe du désir
GRAPHOFDESIRE-ONE.jpg
GRAPHOFDESIRE-TWO.jpg
Vector2.jpg
Goodwill.jpg


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