Hermitix An Introduction to Jacques Lacan with Todd McGowan
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Oct 8, 2025 Join Todd McGowan, a noted academic and author on psychoanalysis and film theory, as he delves into Jacques Lacan's groundbreaking ideas. Discover how McGowan's personal journey with Lacan transformed his thinking. He argues for simplification to make Lacan accessible, tackles the intersection of psychoanalysis and politics, and debates individual versus collective interpretations of Lacanian thought. Plus, insights on Lacan's unique view of truth and the challenges of living without foundational fictions await you!
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Book Collaboration Turned Solo
- Todd McGowan recounts being asked to co-write the Cambridge book after his collaborator Mari Rudy died before contributing.
- He finished his portion alone out of obligation and respect, describing the editor as understanding.
Žižek Revealed Lacan's Hegelian Turn
- McGowan first dismissed Lacan after struggling with poor translations and the Écrits.
- Slavoj Žižek's Sublime Object of Ideology revealed Lacan's link to German idealism and Hegel, which converted him.
Lacan As Covert Philosopher
- McGowan frames Lacan primarily as a philosopher-theorist rather than a clinician.
- Lacan's key contribution is integrating the Freudian unconscious into philosophical accounts of subjectivity, especially Hegelian frameworks.
