Battlefield of philosophy: lacanian atomism and the bet around object petit a

• Main Author: Claudio Reyes Lozano
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Universidad de Chile 2020-01-01
• Series: Resonancias: Revista de Filosofía
• Online Access: https://resonancias.uchile.cl/index.php/RSN/article/view/56221

At what moment does the emptiness appear in philosophy? When does it emerge as a philosophical object worthy of reflection? Under the backdrop of these questions I propose an initial thesis to begin this work: in the beginning, perhaps now also, philosophy tried to free itself from the problem of emptiness. Philosophical affirmation is a political statement that accounts for a battlefield: being is a weapon that must be used against an unfathomable enemy. The logos, as a fundamental instrument in this battle, must be constantly affirmed so that it does not fall into the trap of negativity. The problem of the clinamen is indicative of this battle over emptiness, being and materialism: Hegel spoke contemptuously of him; on the other hand, Deleuze made a formidable formulation based on the atomistic cause of Lucrecio, explaining a materialist policy. Finally, with Lacan we observe the invention of Democritus of the den: it produces a new object that, nevertheless, lies materialistically low since the dawn of philosophy. This is perhaps the place that psychoanalysis can occupy in the materialist discussion: to show that object, objet petit a, as a new tool in battle.