Afterwardsness
Encyclopedia
'In one sense, Freud's theory of deferred action can be simply stated: memory is reprinted, so to speak, in accordance with later experience'. It is, in other words, a 'mode of belated understanding or retroactive attribution of sexual or traumatic meaning to earlier events... Nachträglichkeit, translated as deferred action, retroaction, après-coup, afterwardsness'.
The same idea would feature prominently a couple of decades later in his study of the "Wolf Man": 'The effects of the scene were deferred, but...had the same effect as though it were a recent experience'. 'Thus although he never offered a definition, much less a general theory, of the notion of deferred action, it was indisputably looked on by Freud as part of his conceptual equipment'.
who brought the term back from obscurity after Freud's death - his translation in the French language as the « après-coup » fits into the context of his « return to Freud » (1953, « rapport de Rome » ) - and certainly French psychoanalysis
has since taken the lead in its explication. Lacan himself claimed in his Seminar that 'the real implication of the nachträglich, for example, has been ignored, though it was there all the time and had only to be picked up', while writing in Ecrits of '"Deferred action" (Nachtrag), to rescue another of these terms from the facility into which they have since fallen...they were unheard of at that time'.
’s contribution to the concept of the afterwardsness signifies «something very different »: With Jean Laplanche and in the relation to Freud (theory of the seduction, neurotica), Lacan's "Other" loses its capital letter of the "Symbolic", that links Lacan
to the (french) structuralism
( Saussure
's linguistics
, Lévi-Strauss's ethnology
), and that links also "Lacan" afterwards, in the history of the ideas (from the 1960s in France) - by "inversion in the opposite" (a "destiny of the drive
" in the psychoanalytic theory) - , to the french theory at the place of Jacques Derrida
's deconstruction
.
"Afterwardsness" becomes the key-concept in Laplanche’s « theory of the general seduction » (théorie de la séduction généralisée ) and of the corresponding importance of 'the act of psychic translation... of [enigmatic] deposits by the other' - an approach which develops further Freud’s letter 52/112 (to Wilhelm Fliess
). In his "Notes on Afterwardsness" (1992), based on a conversation of Jean Laplanche
with Martin Stanton
, there is an excellent definition of afterwardsness in Laplanche's sense, including the category of the enigmatic message, that highlights Laplanche's contribution to Freud's concept:
In Totem and Taboo he generalised the principle and 'depicted the social contract also as based on posthumous obedience to the father's authority' - offset at times by its converse, occasional Carnival
-like licence such as 'the memorial festival of the totem meal, in which the restrictions of deferred obedience no longer held'.
Freud
The psychoanalytical concept of afterwardsness ( Nachträglichkeit) appeared initially in Freud’s writings in the 1890s in the commonsense form of the German adjective-adverb "afterwards" or "deferred" (nachträglich): as Freud wrote in the unfinished and unpublished "A Project for a Scientific Psychology" of 1895, 'a memory is repressed which has only become a trauma after the event '. However the 'theory of deferred action had already been [publicly] put forward by Freud in the Studies on Hysteria (1895)', and in a paper of 1896 'he elaborates on the idea of deferred action: the pathogenic effect of a traumatic event occurring in childhood...[manifesting] retrospectively when the child reaches a subsequent phase of sexual development'.The same idea would feature prominently a couple of decades later in his study of the "Wolf Man": 'The effects of the scene were deferred, but...had the same effect as though it were a recent experience'. 'Thus although he never offered a definition, much less a general theory, of the notion of deferred action, it was indisputably looked on by Freud as part of his conceptual equipment'.
Lacan
It has been suggested that it was LacanLacan
Lacan is surname of:* Jacques Lacan , French psychoanalyst and psychiatrist** The Seminars of Jacques Lacan** From Bakunin to Lacan: Anti-Authoritarianism and the Dislocation of Power, a book on political philosophy by Saul Newman** Lacan at the Scene* Judith Miller, née Lacan...
who brought the term back from obscurity after Freud's death - his translation in the French language as the « après-coup » fits into the context of his « return to Freud » (1953, « rapport de Rome » ) - and certainly French psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis is a psychological theory developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud. Psychoanalysis has expanded, been criticized and developed in different directions, mostly by some of Freud's former students, such as Alfred Adler and Carl Gustav...
has since taken the lead in its explication. Lacan himself claimed in his Seminar that 'the real implication of the nachträglich, for example, has been ignored, though it was there all the time and had only to be picked up', while writing in Ecrits of '"Deferred action" (Nachtrag), to rescue another of these terms from the facility into which they have since fallen...they were unheard of at that time'.
Jean Laplanche
After Lacan’s « après-coup », Jean LaplancheJean Laplanche
Jean Laplanche is a French author, theorist and psychoanalyst. Laplanche is best known for his work on psychosexual development and Sigmund Freud's seduction theory, and has written more than a dozen books on psychoanalytic theory...
’s contribution to the concept of the afterwardsness signifies «something very different »: With Jean Laplanche and in the relation to Freud (theory of the seduction, neurotica), Lacan's "Other" loses its capital letter of the "Symbolic", that links Lacan
Lacan
Lacan is surname of:* Jacques Lacan , French psychoanalyst and psychiatrist** The Seminars of Jacques Lacan** From Bakunin to Lacan: Anti-Authoritarianism and the Dislocation of Power, a book on political philosophy by Saul Newman** Lacan at the Scene* Judith Miller, née Lacan...
to the (french) structuralism
Structuralism
Structuralism originated in the structural linguistics of Ferdinand de Saussure and the subsequent Prague and Moscow schools of linguistics. Just as structural linguistics was facing serious challenges from the likes of Noam Chomsky and thus fading in importance in linguistics, structuralism...
( Saussure
Saussure
People of the surname Saussure or de Saussure include* Horace-Bénédict de Saussure , Swiss physicist and Alpine traveller** Nicolas-Théodore de Saussure , chemist, son of Horace-Bénédict, and brother of Albertine...
's linguistics
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
, Lévi-Strauss's ethnology
Ethnology
Ethnology is the branch of anthropology that compares and analyzes the origins, distribution, technology, religion, language, and social structure of the ethnic, racial, and/or national divisions of humanity.-Scientific discipline:Compared to ethnography, the study of single groups through direct...
), and that links also "Lacan" afterwards, in the history of the ideas (from the 1960s in France) - by "inversion in the opposite" (a "destiny of the drive
Drive theory
The terms drive theory and drive reduction theory refer to a diverse set of motivational theories in psychology. Drive theory is based on the principle that organisms are born with certain physiological needs and that a negative state of tension is created when these needs are not satisfied...
" in the psychoanalytic theory) - , to the french theory at the place of Jacques Derrida
Jacques Derrida
Jacques Derrida was a French philosopher, born in French Algeria. He developed the critical theory known as deconstruction and his work has been labeled as post-structuralism and associated with postmodern philosophy...
's deconstruction
Deconstruction
Deconstruction is a term introduced by French philosopher Jacques Derrida in his 1967 book Of Grammatology. Although he carefully avoided defining the term directly, he sought to apply Martin Heidegger's concept of Destruktion or Abbau, to textual reading...
.
"Afterwardsness" becomes the key-concept in Laplanche’s « theory of the general seduction » (théorie de la séduction généralisée ) and of the corresponding importance of 'the act of psychic translation... of [enigmatic] deposits by the other' - an approach which develops further Freud’s letter 52/112 (to Wilhelm Fliess
Wilhelm Fliess
Wilhelm Fliess was a German Jewish otolaryngologist who practised in Berlin. On Josef Breuer's suggestion, Fliess attended several "conferences" with Sigmund Freud beginning in 1887 in Vienna, and the two soon formed a strong friendship...
). In his "Notes on Afterwardsness" (1992), based on a conversation of Jean Laplanche
Jean Laplanche
Jean Laplanche is a French author, theorist and psychoanalyst. Laplanche is best known for his work on psychosexual development and Sigmund Freud's seduction theory, and has written more than a dozen books on psychoanalytic theory...
with Martin Stanton
Martin Stanton
Martin Stanton is a writer, teacher and psychoanalyst. He is known for his pioneering work in establishing Psychoanalytic Studies as a distinct and thriving academic subject that is now taught in universities around the world - he founded the first prototype Centre for Psychoanalytic Studies at...
, there is an excellent definition of afterwardsness in Laplanche's sense, including the category of the enigmatic message, that highlights Laplanche's contribution to Freud's concept:
Deferred obedience
Closely related for Freud to deferred action was deferred obedience: again, 'a deferred effect...a "deferred obedience" under the influence of repression'. Thus for instance Freud explored the different phases of a man's infantile attitude to his father: 'As long as his father was alive it showed itself in unmitigated rebelliousness and open discord, but immediately after his death it took the form of a neurosis based on abject submission and deferred obedience to him'.In Totem and Taboo he generalised the principle and 'depicted the social contract also as based on posthumous obedience to the father's authority' - offset at times by its converse, occasional Carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
-like licence such as 'the memorial festival of the totem meal, in which the restrictions of deferred obedience no longer held'.