"The Borromean Knot of Jacques Lacan; Or, How to Beat Your Death Drive" a lecture by Aron Dunlap

In this lecture Shimer College Prof. Aron Dunlap presents the elements of the basic psychic map developed by the French psychoanalyst and Freudian Jacques Lacan. Lacan called this map a Borromean knot, because of its three interlocking rings--the registers of the Symbolic, Imaginary and Real--which he represented by an image reminiscent of the coat of arms of the Italian Borromeo family. In many ways Lacan's Borromean knot is centered around the disabling fact of death, represented in the objet petit a, but a later conception of Lacan, that of the sinthome, allows a more redemptive portrayal of human psychic destiny. Professor Dunlap illuminates these concepts through a discussion of Hans Holbein's The Ambassadors, a painting which powerfully conveys the glories of Renaissance learning, the inescapable specter of death, and the half-hidden hope of the cross. If you enjoyed this talk, please subscribe to Shimer College’s Youtube channel to be updated on more talks, lectures, and symposia from Shimer. These videos are part of Shimer's "Bright Ideas thought Series from Chicago" initiative. About Shimer College: Located minutes from the Loop in Chicago, Shimer College is an independent, four-year liberal arts college that enrolls approximately 150 students. Founded in 1853 as the Mount Carroll Seminary, Shimer today provides a comprehensive, regularly-reviewed core curriculum that brings foundational books of the liberal arts to bear on the pressing problems of our time. Shimer College is committed to a primary-source, textbook-free curriculum, seminars of twelve or fewer students, and an ethos of community and service within a diverse group of students, teachers, scholars, and staff. Shimer offers traditional four-year degrees as well as early entrance and transfer pathways. To learn more about Shimer or to schedule a visit, check out our website at www.shimer.edu .