The Interpretation Theory Of Lacan Desire Theory And Its Significance

At present, the focus of Chinese academic research about Zizek’s thought rests still on his peculiar theory of ideology, and on the psychoanalysis of his theoretical father, Jacques Lacan, by now the task of studying Lacanian theory of desire is still well under way. Even though some works already highlighted the role of Lacanian psychoanalysis in the hermeneutics of Zizek, their interpretation of Zizek is basically homogenous and fails to lay out a systemic perspective and convey an overall contemplation of his thought. Studies about the theoretical turn in Zizek’s interpretation of Lacan’s desire theory opened up an entire new perspective for the solution of the problems above mentioned, and therefore are to be considered worthful inasmuch they provide us with some valuable reference. Furthermore, these studies would help us in the task of appreciating the problem of human desire, while opposing nihilistic postmodern interpretations of desire.This paper is divided into five sections, the first part provides a brief summary on Lacanian theory of desire as a matter of hermeneutical inquiry in Zizek’s work, Lacanian theory draws on Kojeve’s dialectics of history and desire and on Saussurian structural linguistics. Lacan defines the "realm of desire" as the the acquired construct of alterity which has been repressed to the unconscious, and object a is the cause of desire. The desire of the other on one hand is replaced and filled by a phantom which acts like an "imaginative script", on the other hand, the desire suffers continually from the lacerating action and impact of death drive, by which the liberation and freedom of men are marked. Yet the desire for the other and death drive while opposing each other at the same time also showed some deep correlation and interdependency, each part relies on each other for existence, and each part is the premise and condition of the other’s existence. Lacan’s theory of desire takes in the results of previous theoretical discourses, integrating and developing it in a creative way in order to achieve the inheritance of pioneering theories and overstep it.The second part discusses Zizek’s attempts to expound Lacanian theory of desire before his theoretical turn. Zizek’s interpretation is based on a wide range of perspectives, ranging from Marx’s theory of ideology, Althusser’s theory of Ideological State Apparatuses, to Laclau and Mouffe’s theory of integrated leadership and radical democracy. Zizek holds that the so called illusion of ideology has to be interpreted as an image, by way of temptation and manipulation of men’s desire, it covers up its inherent cracks or inconsistencies, and builds up the entire body of social reality, which is perceived as real by the subject. The theory of radical political action instead is to be taken as the kind of action that stands outside the symbolic realm, and by means of reiteration tries to achieve the destruction of the symbolic order, at the same time radical political action is the object of rejection by the existing symbolic order, which constantly tries to erase it while actually creating the conditions of its reproduction. The phantom of ideology and radical political action are not only opposed, they also alternate each other in a mutual relationship, the theoretical developments concerning these two topics are part of a historicized and socialized interpretation of Lacanian theory of desire.The third part offers a more detailed analysis of the theoretical turn in Zizekian interpretation of Lacan’s theory of desire. After an initial turn in theoretical standpoints, Zizek went on in the proposal of a substantial amendment towards his previous views and ideas. Firstly, he reconstructed Lacan’s theory of desire, especially by "lifting the ban" on the possibility of encountering the "Real", this meant a structural reorganization of the theory of psychoanalysis from within, which constitutes Zizek’s very logical basis of a new clarification of Lacan’s desire theory. Zizek expands is tripartite interpretation, making this mediated theory of Lacanian desire the object of his study. Firstly, Zizek believes that the operational strategies of ideological fantasy shifted from camouflaged "temptation" to partial alienation. Secondly, Zizek’s definition of radical political action moved from sheer supportive recognition to the "minimum difference between a continuative (sustained) opposition taking all-embracing critique as leading factor, and a positive repetition. Thirdly, the relation between illusory ideology and radical political action has been changed from a relationship of mutual generation to a kind of "short-circuited" linking.The fourth section in intended to discuss the essential reasons and methodological purpose of Zizek’s theoretical turn in Lacanian hermeneutics. The core of Zizek’s turn lies on "identity", while the reasons that prompted his turn lie in the transmutation of real context. The context mainly includes the two aspects of the status of development in contemporary society and theoretical research, this two terms of discussions appear to be in stark contradiction with Zizek’s explanation of Lacanian theory before the theoretical turn, and this conflict seems to grow on a daily broadening basis. The turn in Zizek’s version of Lacan accounts partially for a reconsideration over the double dilemma of theory and reality.Yet, despite the elements of difference existing within the two versions of Zizek’s Lacanian hermeneutics, a main line of continuity could be easily found in the interpretive methodology of intertextuality applied to Lacanian theory of desire. This interpretation is not only an effective method to promote a deepening analysis of Lacanian’s thought in a variety of disciplines and fields, but also reveals the presence of similarities and differences in the theoretical literature concerning the problem of desire. On the other hand, the intertextual interpretive method did not pay full attention to the role and status of authors, which eventually led to the quandary of "the death of the author", engendering thus an "Achilles heel" for the method itself.In the fifth part, I try to assess the significance and the limitations inherent to the theoretical turn in Zizek’s interpretation of the Lacanian theory of desire. The importance of this turn is reflected in the aspects of its theoretical views and modes of thinking. Judging from its theoretical approach, the hermeneutics introduced by Zizek after this turn reveal to us three contradictory pairs ingrained in human desire, from the point of view of the mode of thinking, the turn displays the sublation and the negation of postmodern theories of desire. On the other hand, some limits are to be found in this theoretical turn, namely, Zizek seems to overstate the function of desire, while neglecting the decisive role of social and material conditions of production in social development, it denies the centrality of the realization of communism in the historical development of human society, furthermore, Zizek’s political stance seems to hover between the poles of "compromise" and "radicalism".The basic conclusion of this study could be summarized as follows:Lacanian theory of desire lies at the logical starting point of the whole theoretical framework of Zizek;s theory, which is built on this premise. From a diachronic point of view, the Zizekian interpretation of Lacan’s theory of desire presents a highly relevant theoretical turn, the period preceding this turn is fully summarized by "The Sublime object of Ideology", afterwards, Zizek’s theoretical system saw a gradual reorientation, as initially shown in "The Plague of Fantasies","The Ticklish Subject:The Absent center of Political Ontology" and "On Belief:Thinking in Action", the turn is then brought into full play in the foreword to the second edition of "For they know not what they do:Enjoyment as a Political factor", whereas the method of intertextual interpretation remains as an invariable element throughout the turn. For the Synchronic aspects, Zizek’s interpretation of Lacan desire theory is mainly present in the argumentation of Theory of Ideological Fantasy and The Radical Political Action Theory. The relation between the two is dialectical and inherently constitutive. While focusing on the opposition of the two aspects, we should realize even better how, when the discussion on one of the two aspects reaches a certain depth, it turns abruptly to the other, this "critical point" in theory is essential for us to gain an overall grasp on Zizek’s thought.