Hegelian-Lacanian Variations on Late Modernity : Spectre of Madness

The current rise in new religions and the growing popularity of New Ageism is concomitant with an increasingly anti-philosophical sentiment marking our contemporary situation. More specifically, it is philosophical and psychoanalytic reason that has lost standing faced with the triumph of post-secular "spirituality". Combatting this trend, this treatise develops a theoretical apparatus based on Hegelian speculative reason and Lacanian psychoanalysis. With the aid of this theoretical apparatus, the book argues how certain conceptual pairs appear opposed through an operation of misrecognition christened, following Hegel, as "diremption". The failure to reckon with identities-in-difference relegates the subject to more vicious contradictions that define central aspects of our contemporary predicament. The repeated thesis of the treatise is that the deadlocks marking our contemporary situation require renewed engagement with dialectical thinking beyond the impasses of common understanding. Only by embarking on this philosophical-psychoanalytic "path of despair" (Hegel) will we stand a chance of achieving "joyful wisdom" (Nietzsche). Developing a unique dialectical theory based on readings of Hegel, Lacan and Žižek, in order to address various philosophical and psychoanalytic questions, this book will be of great interest to anyone interested in German idealism and/or psychoanalytic theory. The current rise in new religions and the growing popularity of New Ageism is concomitant with an increasingly anti-philosophical sentiment marking our contemporary situation. More specifically, it is philosophical and psychoanalytic reason that has lost standing, faced with the triumph of post-secular â••spiritualityâ••. Combatting this trend, this treatise develops a theoretical apparatus based on Hegelian speculative reason and Lacanian psychoanalysis.With the aid of this theoretical apparatus, the book argues how certain conceptual pairs appear opposed through an operation of misrecognition christened, following Hegel, as â••diremptionâ••. The failure to reckon with identities-in-difference relegates the subject to more vicious contradictions that define central aspects of our contemporary predicament. The repeated thesis of the treatise is that the deadlocks marking our contemporary situation require renewed engagement with dialectical thinking beyond the impasses of common understanding. Only by embarking on this philosophical-psychoanalytic â••path of despairâ•• (Hegel) will we stand a chance of achieving â••joyful wisdomâ•• (Nietzsche).Developing a unique dialectical theory based on readings of Hegel, Lacan and Å1⁄2iÅ3⁄4ek, in order to address various philosophical and psychoanalytic questions, this book will be of great interest to anyone interested in German idealism and/or psychoanalytic theory. Cover 1 Endorsement 2 Half Title 4 Title Page 6 Copyright Page 7 Dedication 8 Table of contents 10 Acknowledgements 13 Introduction: The paradox of self-reflection 14 Notes 19 Variation 1 The diremptive remains 21 Notes 25 Variation 2 The triumph of dialectical “lower” terms 27 Notes 29 Variation 3 Speculative topology 31 Notes 35 Variation 4 Vicious dialectical reversals 36 Notes 43 Variation 5 Faith and reason 45 Notes 47 Variation 6 The paradoxes of love 49 Notes 54 Variation 7 The paradox of identity 56 Notes 61 Variation 8 Subject and collective 62 Notes 71 Variation 9 Ausstossung and Verwerfung 72 Notes 75 Variation 10 Symbolic murder and suicide 76 Notes 79 Variation 11 Generational difference: parent and child 80 Notes 83 Variation 12 Power difference: analysand and analyst 84 Notes 89 Variation 13 Sexual difference: man and woman 91 Notes 96 Variation 14 The paradox of a boundary without a limit 98 Notes 102 Variation 15 Good and evil 103 Notes 107 Variation 16 Truth and lies 108 Notes 115 Variation 17 Thrownness and autonomy 117 Notes 119 Variation 18 Life and death 121 Notes 126 Variation 19 The force and frailty of the law 128 Notes 134 Variation 20 Madness and sanity 136 Notes 138 Variation 21 The diremptions of fantasy 139 Notes 141 Variation 22 The untimely-contemporary 143 Notes 148 Variation 23 Religion and atheism 149 Notes 152 Variation 24 The death of God 154 Notes 158 Variation 25 The symptom as human notion 159 Notes 169 Conclusion: From via dolorosa to gaya scienza 172 Notes 179 References 181 Index 190 "The current rise in new religions and the growing popularity of New Ageism is concomitant with an increasingly anti-philosophical sentiment marking our contemporary situation. More specifically, it is philosophical and psychoanalytic reason that has lost standing faced with the triumph of post-secular "spirituality". Combatting this trend, this treatise develops a theoretical apparatus based on Hegelian speculative reason and Lacanian psychoanalysis. With the aid of this theoretical apparatus, the book argues how certain apparent contraries appear opposed through an operation of misrecognition christened, following Hegel, as "diremption". The failure to reckon with identities-in-difference relegates the subject to more vicious contradictions that define central aspects of our contemporary predicament. The repeated thesis of the treatise is that the deadlocks marking our contemporary situation require renewed engagement with dialectical thinking beyond the impasses of common understanding. Only by embarking on this philosophical-psychoanalytic "path of despair" (Hegel) will we stand a chance of achieving "joyful wisdom" (Nietzsche). Developing a unique dialectical theory based on readings of Hegel, Lacan and Zizek, in order to address various philosophical and psychoanalytic questions, this book will be of great interest to anyone interested in German idealism and/or psychoanalytic theory"-- Provided by publisher