The Locus of Judgement in Lacan's Ethics

Neill, Calum

Abstract

This article seeks to redress an often elided aspect of Lacan’s treatment of ethics; the importance of judgement to the possibility of ethical action. Where writers like Žižek and Zupančič have presented the act as something akin to an asubjective miracle that imposes on the subject, this article will argue for an understanding that locates judgement and hence subjective reflection as crucial to Lacan’s ethical project. Placing the act in the context of the emergence of subjectivity, the article shows how judgement can be seen to be already evident in Lacan’s appropriation of Freud’s Wo Es war, soll Ich werden. This results in an understanding of ethics that always already entails responsibility for the judgement one would make in assuming one’s position of subjectivity.

Citation

Neill, C. (2005). The Locus of Judgement in Lacan's Ethics. Journal for Lacanian studies, 3, 85-100

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: 2005-11
• Deposit Date: Jun 5, 2009
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 5, 2009
• Print ISSN: 1477-3635
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 3
• Pages: 85-100
• Keywords: Ethics; Lacan; Judgement; Responsibility; Moral philosophy; Freud's "Wo es war, soll Ich werden"; Subjectivity; Action
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/2607
• Publisher URL: http://karnacbooks.metapress.com/home/main.mpx
• Contract Date: Jun 5, 2009