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The Lacanian Subject not only provides an excellent introduction into the fundamental coordinates of Jacques Lacan's conceptual network; it also proposes original solutions to (or at least clarifications of) some of the crucial dilemmas left open by Lacan's work. -- Slavoj Zizek, Journal for Psychoanalysis of Culture and Society
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This book presents the radically new theory of subjectivity found in the work of Jacques Lacan. Against the tide of post-structuralist thinkers who announce "the death of the subject," Bruce Fink explores what it means to come into being as a subject where impersonal forces once reigned, subjectify the alien roll of the dice at the beginning of our universe, and make our own knotted web of our parents' desires that led them to bring us into this world.
Lucidly guiding readers through the labyrinth of Lacanian theory--unpacking such central notions as the Other, object a, the unconscious as structures like a language, alienation and separation, the paternal metaphor, jouissance, and sexual difference--Fink demonstrates in-depth knowledge of Lacan's theoretical and clinical work. Indeed, this is the first book to appear in English that displays a firm grasp of both theory and practice of Lacanian psychoanalysis, the author being one of the only Americans to have undergone full training with Lacan's school in Paris.
Fink Leads the reader step by step into Lacan's conceptual system to explain how one comes to be a subject--leading to psychosis. Presenting Lacan's theory in the context of his clinical preoccupations, Fink provides the most balanced, sophisticated, and penetrating view of Lacan's work to date--invaluable to the initiated and the uninitiated alike.
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A patient walks into his analyst's office and sits down in the armchair. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
A patient walks into his analyst's office and sits down in the armchair. Read the first page
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I read this book while writing my MA dissertation, which explored Lacan in great depth, and found it to be extremely helpful. Frink offers a very lucid and focussed explanation of Lacanian theory. In short, he covers all bases, from the 'unconscious structured like a language' to the 'objet a'.
What's more it does so in an original and thought-provoking way, in its own right. It elucidates Lacan's theories using mathmatical puzzles and formulae, as well as logical paradoxes and other examples in a far clearer way than Lacan ever did (at least it seems this way to a 'beginner').
This isn't really a development or application of Lacan, though, but neither is it an oversimplified 'introduction to...'.
Also, with Frink being a Lacanian psychoanalyst himself, this book reads Lacan in light of actual clinical practice, a perspective which is sadly lacking in the glut of literature/film studies/philosophy-related studies of Lacan.
I can't recommend this book enough for anyone trying to get their heads around this challenging thinker.
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
An excellent guide to a brilliant but difficult thinker. If you have read one of the earlier 'guide to' or 'introducing' books on Lacan, you will almost certainly want to read a book such as this before tackling Lacan head-on. Fink's writing is scholarly yet accessible and he works hard to keep true to Lacan's work in all its complexity, where many other authors have simplified (and dulled) the radicalism and expanse of Lacanian thought. Highly recommended. Top bannana!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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5 reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
THE Best Intro into Lacan Part 1
14 Mar 2005
Format:Paperback
Along with his book "A Clinical Introduction into Lacanian Psychoanalysis," this book by Bruce Fink makes us THE best introduction into Lacanian theory one can find in English. After reading this book I got a very good snap shot into what Lacan's entire project in fact is. To be sure, this book is not the end all of Lacan, for Lacan's project is vast in itself, nor does Fink intend it to be so. Rather, this book gives one some footing to engage the Seminars of Lacan. The strength of this book HAS TO BE its LUCIDITY and CLARITY. Fink certainly is a pedagogue and is very intend on explaining what Lacan is talking about. He is not going into obscurities to sound academic and difficult. NO: Fink is intending to give the English reader a picture of what is going on. He does this by grounding Lacan's theory in Freud. By doing this, we get a very good picture of how Lacan performed his now famous "return to Freud," and what that actually entails. After reading this book you will get the picture that one cannot read Lacan without Freud and that Freud himself loses something without Lacan. I highly recommend this book for anyone trying to get a foot into the door in Lacanian theory.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
A first-rate introduction to Lacanian thought
15 Aug 2005
Format:Paperback
Bruce Fink has done English speakers a great service in his works on Lacan. "The Master" is often disregarded and maligned for being impossible to understand, and whether or not you agree with those descriptions Lacan is made wholly intelligible in Fink's thoughtful studies.
The Lacanian Subject is a great intro to Lacan. The only better one that I've read is Fink's own A Clinical Introduction to Lacanian Psychoanalysis, which is aimed at clinicians but is a little bit gentler in its exposition of Lacanian theory. But The Lacanian Subject is a fantastic book, maintaining a balance between being comprehensible and challenging. It is neither a crude popularization or a bloodless academic treatise, instead being an engaging mix of theoretical exegesis and lively engagement.
Keep the title in mind when reading this book: more than anything it's a course in what subjectivity consists of for Lacan. Fink takes you through the concepts of the unconscious structured like a language, Lacan's three registers (imaginary, symbolic, and real), alienation, seperation, object (a), the phallus, the four discourses, and more with an eye towards the subject in Lacan: what is it and how does it differ from its conceptions in other schools of thought, psychoanalytic and otherwise.
I highly recommend reading this in conjunction with Fink's A Clinical Introduction to Lacanian Psychoanalysis. The two reinforce and illuminate each other, as the analytic situation makes more sense in light of the theory offered herein, and some of the complex formulations in this book will be easier to understand in light of how Lacanian analysis is practiced. The two works will provide a strong foundation for you to start tackling Lacan's famous seminars (and keep your eyes open for Fink's long-awaited new translation of Ecrits).
The Lacanian Subject is a great intro to Lacan. The only better one that I've read is Fink's own A Clinical Introduction to Lacanian Psychoanalysis, which is aimed at clinicians but is a little bit gentler in its exposition of Lacanian theory. But The Lacanian Subject is a fantastic book, maintaining a balance between being comprehensible and challenging. It is neither a crude popularization or a bloodless academic treatise, instead being an engaging mix of theoretical exegesis and lively engagement.
Keep the title in mind when reading this book: more than anything it's a course in what subjectivity consists of for Lacan. Fink takes you through the concepts of the unconscious structured like a language, Lacan's three registers (imaginary, symbolic, and real), alienation, seperation, object (a), the phallus, the four discourses, and more with an eye towards the subject in Lacan: what is it and how does it differ from its conceptions in other schools of thought, psychoanalytic and otherwise.
I highly recommend reading this in conjunction with Fink's A Clinical Introduction to Lacanian Psychoanalysis. The two reinforce and illuminate each other, as the analytic situation makes more sense in light of the theory offered herein, and some of the complex formulations in this book will be easier to understand in light of how Lacanian analysis is practiced. The two works will provide a strong foundation for you to start tackling Lacan's famous seminars (and keep your eyes open for Fink's long-awaited new translation of Ecrits).
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
The best introduction to Lacan
14 Dec 2007
Format:Paperback
This book is accused of being an oversimplification AND the only book on Lacan you'll ever need. It's neither. What you'll find in "The Lacanian Subject" is a very nice introduction written in very clear, succinct terms. It will not, of course, prepare you to be a practicing Lacanian, nor is it definitive. Fink, the author, says as much in his introduction. Think of the book as a first step towards a deeper understanding.
I believe the idea is that you read this book before moving onto Lacan's words themselves. Lacan is notoriously difficult and no matter how much some readers feel this misrepresents his ideas, I believe Lacan misrepresents his ideas even more when beginners attempt to understand what he is talking about without proper background knowledge. Read this, get some nice explanations that you can understand easily, and THEN pick up "Ecrits" and you'll read it much easier and get more out of it.
I'm putting all this emphasis on arguments saying the book is an oversimplification or a misrepresentation, but I'm not even sure I agree with those arguments at all. I've found this book to be quite consistent with my readings from Lacan directly, as well as the general theoretical discourse that surrounds him. Fink is extremely qualified to write this, as he is one of the foremost translators of Lacan's work in English. I will take his word over that of most others who merely "claim" to have an intimate understanding of Lacan.
The whole point is this: read critically - don't just passively absorb all the information. If you approach the book this way, I think you'll find a wealth of useful information. My specific interest in Lacan deals with psychoanalytic film theory and I can definitely recommend this to anyone interested in Lacan from that angle. It is certainly a great primer on Lacan so that when you go to read psychoanalytic film theorists directly (e.g. Metz, Mulvey, McGowan), you'll get much more out of the experience.
"The Lacanian Subject" is an extremely useful, accessible book. I recommend it to anyone interested in Lacan.
I believe the idea is that you read this book before moving onto Lacan's words themselves. Lacan is notoriously difficult and no matter how much some readers feel this misrepresents his ideas, I believe Lacan misrepresents his ideas even more when beginners attempt to understand what he is talking about without proper background knowledge. Read this, get some nice explanations that you can understand easily, and THEN pick up "Ecrits" and you'll read it much easier and get more out of it.
I'm putting all this emphasis on arguments saying the book is an oversimplification or a misrepresentation, but I'm not even sure I agree with those arguments at all. I've found this book to be quite consistent with my readings from Lacan directly, as well as the general theoretical discourse that surrounds him. Fink is extremely qualified to write this, as he is one of the foremost translators of Lacan's work in English. I will take his word over that of most others who merely "claim" to have an intimate understanding of Lacan.
The whole point is this: read critically - don't just passively absorb all the information. If you approach the book this way, I think you'll find a wealth of useful information. My specific interest in Lacan deals with psychoanalytic film theory and I can definitely recommend this to anyone interested in Lacan from that angle. It is certainly a great primer on Lacan so that when you go to read psychoanalytic film theorists directly (e.g. Metz, Mulvey, McGowan), you'll get much more out of the experience.
"The Lacanian Subject" is an extremely useful, accessible book. I recommend it to anyone interested in Lacan.
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