Clinical and Experimental Psychology

What's in it: Desire or Desire and Ethics?

Vera Marta Reolon^{* *}Correspondence: Vera Marta Reolon, Department of Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul - PUC/RS, Brazil, Email:

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Introduction

To be recognized as desiring beings with value, we need the foundational mark of the Love of the Other, which provides the maternal imprint essential for our identity and independence. Without this mark, we remain dependent on others for guidance.

In the early stages of psychic development, the ego transfers its identity to a composite figure representing both parents, which influences our sense of self.

Understanding ethics in psychoanalysis involves examining Desire, especially in the context of post-modernity characterized by perversion and psychosis. The existence of human desire depends on how individuals relate to signifiers, creating internal division and tension.

If psychoanalysis is centered on the ethics of Desire, how does it align with post-modern times? Does it contribute to the rise of individualism and egocentrism? Ethics in psychoanalysis is complex, as it seeks the Good while addressing the unconscious. The question is whether psychoanalysis's approach to ethics, rooted in Desire and love, is applicable and ethical in contemporary society.

Desire/Desire and ethics

In postmodern times, it's vital to explore the relationship between ethics, desire, and psychoanalysis, especially as psychoanalysis, focused on neurosis, seems outdated compared to contemporary issues like psychosis and perversion. This study aims to analyze psychoanalysis as an ethical institution and its relevance today.

Psychoanalysis, which interprets individual and social phenomena through the unconscious, must rethink its theories alongside philosophy to address modern ethical concerns. The ethics of psychoanalysis center on Desire as a key element of identity and personal fulfillment, but this raises questions about its impact on individualism and societal values.

Ultimately, the study examines how psychoanalysis and philosophy intersect to reflect on ethics, Desire, and their implications for contemporary society, aiming to reconcile personal desires with broader social contexts.

Conclusion and Implication

It appears that ethics and desire face significant conflicts when we examine postmodern structures, particularly perversion and psychosis. In my view, psychoanalysis has not yet sufficiently tackled or transformed the foundational principles of ethics, legality, and politics, especially in areas profoundly impacted by intense geopolitical events and the theological echoes of sovereignty. These events, often the most traumatic of our times, highlight a need for psychoanalysis to engage more deeply with the concept of cruelty, both within its own framework and beyond.

Psychoanalysis, despite its profound and irreversible contributions, risks becoming outdated and irrelevant if it does not address these contemporary issues. If psychoanalysis does not adapt to these changes, it may be left behind, exposed to various misappropriations and distortions, or remain stuck in the conditions of its origins. This stagnation would leave it unresponsive to the current realities and complexities of modern society.

The fundamental questions are: How does psychoanalysis engage with ethics in its practice? What is the nature of the relationship between the analyst and the patient, and how is transference shaped by their preexisting ethical understandings? If psychoanalysis does not account for the ongoing transformations in society, it will continue to be seen as outdated and irrelevant.

This study aims to explore these issues and contribute to a potential rethinking of psychoanalytic ideas and theories that have remained static since their inception in the late nineteenth century. By addressing these questions, the work seeks to reformulate the ethics of psychoanalysis from being centered solely on Desire to fostering a broader, more integrated desire for ethics.

In conclusion, this research aims to address how psychoanalysis can evolve and remain relevant by shifting its focus from Desire alone to a more comprehensive approach to ethics, considering the profound changes and challenges of postmodernity.