Eros and ethics
Subtitle: reading Jacques Lacan's Seminar VII
By: Marc De Kesel ; translated by Sigi Jottkandt.
Contributors: Jottkandt, Sigi, 1965-
Series: SUNY series, insinuations: philosophy, psychoanalysis, literature
Publisher: State University of New York Press
Published: 2009
Place of publication: Albany
Language: eng
Number of pages: 346
ISBN-13: 9781438426099
Subjects: Lacan, Jacques, -- 1901-1981; Psychoanalysis -- Moral and ethical aspects; Psychoanalysis -- Philosophy
Work titles: Eros & ethiek.
Description: "In Eros and Ethics, Marc De Kesel patiently exposes the lines of thought underlying Jacques Lacans often complex and cryptic reasoning regarding ethics and moraliry in his seventh seminar, The Ethics of Psychoanalysis (1959-1960). In this seminar, Lacan arrives at a rather perplexing conclusion: that which, over the ages, has been supposed to be "the supreme good" is in fact nothing but "radical evil"; therefore, the ultimate goal of human desire is not happiness and self-realization, but destruction and death. And yet, Lacan hastens to add, the morality based on this conclusion is far from being melancholic or tragic. Rather, it results in an encouraging ethics that for the first time in history gives full moral weight to the erotic. De Kesel's close reading uncovers the real scope of Lacan's criticism regarding the moralizing ethics of our time, and is one of the rare books that gives the reader full access to the letter of the Lacanian text."--Jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.