Jacques Lacan conducted a series of annual seminars in Paris from 1953 to 1980. These seminars were crucial in disseminating his evolving theories on psychoanalysis, language, and the structure of the human psyche. Below is a chronological overview of these seminars, each accompanied by a brief synopsis and contextual background:
1953–1954: Seminar I – "Freud's Papers on Technique"
Synopsis: Lacan examines Sigmund Freud's technical writings, emphasizing the role of language in psychoanalytic practice and introducing the concepts of the Imaginary, the Symbolic, and the Real.
Background: This seminar marks the beginning of Lacan's public teaching, where he starts to reinterpret Freud's work through the lens of structural linguistics.lacan.com
1954–1955: Seminar II – "The Ego in Freud's Theory and in the Technique of Psychoanalysis"
Synopsis: Lacan critiques the ego psychology prevalent at the time, arguing that the ego is a construct formed through language and is not the true seat of consciousness.
Background: Lacan challenges contemporary psychoanalytic practices by emphasizing the decentered nature of the subject.
1955–1956: Seminar III – "The Psychoses"
Synopsis: Focusing on psychotic disorders, Lacan introduces the concept of "foreclosure" (forclusion) to explain the exclusion of fundamental signifiers from the Symbolic order, leading to psychosis.
Background: This seminar deepens the understanding of structural differences between neurosis and psychosis.
1956–1957: Seminar IV – "The Object Relation"
Synopsis: Lacan explores the nature of human relationships, particularly how subjects relate to lost objects of desire, introducing the notion of "objet petit a" (the unattainable object-cause of desire).
Background: He integrates insights from Melanie Klein's object relations theory, reinterpreting them within his own framework.
1957–1958: Seminar V – "The Formations of the Unconscious"
Synopsis: Analyzing the mechanisms of jokes, slips, and dreams, Lacan emphasizes the linguistic structures underpinning the unconscious, highlighting metaphor and metonymy.
Background: This seminar solidifies Lacan's assertion that the unconscious is structured like a language.
1958–1959: Seminar VI – "Desire and Its Interpretation"
Synopsis: Lacan delves into the nature of desire, suggesting that it is perpetually unfulfilled and is shaped by the signifying chain of language.
Background: He examines literary texts, such as Hamlet, to illustrate the complexities of desire.
1959–1960: Seminar VII – "The Ethics of Psychoanalysis"
Synopsis: Addressing the ethical dimensions of psychoanalysis, Lacan discusses the notions of "the good" and "the real," introducing the concept of "jouissance" (a form of excessive pleasure or pain).
Background: He critiques utilitarian ethics, proposing that true ethics involves confronting the Real.
1960–1961: Seminar VIII – "Transference"
Synopsis: Lacan examines the phenomenon of transference in the analytic setting, using Plato's Symposium to elucidate the dynamics of love and desire between analyst and analysand.
Background: He emphasizes the importance of recognizing transference as a repetition of past desires.
1961–1962: Seminar IX – "Identification"
Synopsis: Exploring the process of identification, Lacan differentiates between imaginary and symbolic identification, highlighting the role of the signifier in forming the subject's identity.
Background: This seminar examines the mechanisms by which subjects assume identities within the Symbolic order.
1962–1963: Seminar X – "Anxiety"
Synopsis: Lacan investigates the nature of anxiety, proposing that it arises not from the absence of the object but from its overwhelming presence, challenging traditional psychoanalytic views.
Background: He introduces the idea that anxiety signals the proximity of "objet petit a."
1963: Seminar XI – "The Four Fundamental Concepts of Psychoanalysis"
Synopsis: Lacan articulates four central psychoanalytic concepts: the unconscious, repetition, transference, and drive, integrating them into his structural framework.
Background: This seminar marks a pivotal point where Lacan consolidates his theories, influencing subsequent psychoanalytic discourse.
1964–1965: Seminar XII – "Crucial Problems for Psychoanalysis"
Synopsis: Lacan addresses key challenges in psychoanalytic theory and practice, focusing on the function of the analyst and the structure of the analytic setting.
Background: He reflects on the institutional aspects of psychoanalysis and the transmission of its knowledge.
1965–1966: Seminar XIII – "The Object of Psychoanalysis"
Synopsis: Lacan explores the elusive object of psychoanalytic inquiry, emphasizing the role of "objet petit a" as the cause of desire and its implications for the analytic process.
Background: He integrates concepts from topology to elucidate the structure of subjectivity.
1966–1967: Seminar XIV – "The Logic of Fantasy"
Synopsis: Investigating the structure of fantasy, Lacan proposes that fantasies are frameworks that support the subject's desire, governed by a specific logic.
Background: He introduces formal logical structures to analyze the formation and function of fantasies.
1967–1968: Seminar XV – "The Psychoanalytic Act"
Synopsis: Lacan examines the nature of the analyst's intervention, defining the psychoanalytic act as distinct from other actions due to its foundation in the symbolic
1968–1969: Seminar XVI – "From an Other to the other"
Synopsis: Lacan delves into the relationship between the symbolic Other (the big Other) and the imaginary other (the small other), exploring how meaning is constructed through this interplay.
Background: This seminar reflects Lacan's ongoing interest in the structures of language and their impact on subjectivity.
1969–1970: Seminar XVII – "The Other Side of Psychoanalysis"
Synopsis: Lacan introduces the four discourses (Master, University, Hysteric, and Analyst) to analyze different social bonds and the functioning of power and knowledge.
Background: Conducted during a period of social upheaval in France, this seminar addresses the dynamics of authority and revolution.
1970–1971: Seminar XVIII – "A Discourse That Might Not Be a Semblance"
Synopsis: Lacan examines the nature of semblance and truth, questioning the authenticity of discourses and the role of semblance in psychoanalytic practice.
Background: This seminar continues Lacan's exploration of language and reality, challenging established norms.
1971–1972: Seminar XIX – "...Or Worse"
Synopsis: Lacan discusses the limitations of language and the concept of the "not-all," focusing on feminine sexuality and the structures that go beyond phallic signification.
Background: He critiques traditional representations of femininity and explores the complexities of sexual difference.
1972–1973: Seminar XX – "Encore"
Synopsis: Lacan elaborates on the concept of "jouissance" (enjoyment) and introduces the idea of feminine jouissance, which transcends the phallic function.
Background: This seminar is pivotal in Lacan's later work, addressing the nuances of desire and enjoyment.
1973–1974: Seminar XXI – "The Non-Dupes Err"
Synopsis: Lacan explores the relationship between knowledge and belief, suggesting that those who believe they are not deceived (non-dupes) are still subject to error.
Background: He investigates the role of the symbolic order in shaping perception and understanding.
1974–1975: Seminar XXII – "RSI"
Synopsis: Lacan delves into the interplay of the Real, the Symbolic, and the Imaginary (RSI), using knot theory to illustrate their interconnections.
Background: This seminar marks Lacan's increasing incorporation of mathematical concepts into psychoanalytic theory.
1975–1976: Seminar XXIII – "The Sinthome"
Synopsis: Focusing on James Joyce's work, Lacan introduces the concept of the "sinthome," a unique symptom that stabilizes the subject's psyche by linking the RSI registers.
Background: He analyzes how Joyce's writing functions as a sinthome, providing insight into the author's subjective structure.
1976–1977: Seminar XXIV – "L'insu que sait de l'une-bévue s'aile à mourre"
Synopsis: Lacan plays with language to explore unconscious knowledge and the slips (bévues) that reveal deeper truths, examining the relationship between knowledge and error.
Background: The seminar's title is a complex pun, reflecting Lacan's fascination with the nuances of language.
1977–1978: Seminar XXV – "The Moment to Conclude"
Synopsis: Lacan reflects on the process of concluding an analysis, considering the implications of ending and the subject's transformation through the analytic journey.
Background: He addresses the ethical and practical aspects of concluding psychoanalytic treatment.
1978–1979: Seminar XXVI – "Topology and Time"
Synopsis: Lacan investigates the relationship between topological structures and temporal experience, suggesting that understanding the subject requires considering both dimensions.
Background: This seminar emphasizes the importance of spatial and temporal factors in psychoanalytic theory.
1979–1980: Seminar XXVII – "Dissolution"
Synopsis: Lacan discusses the dissolution of structures, both in psychoanalysis and in broader social contexts, reflecting on the end of his own teaching and institutional frameworks.
Background: This seminar coincides with Lacan's decision to dissolve his own school, marking a significant moment in his career.
Throughout these seminars, Lacan's ideas evolved, incorporating elements from linguistics, mathematics, and philosophy. His exploration of the structures underpinning human experience has left a lasting impact on psychoanalytic theory and practice.
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