Aphanisis
Encyclopedia
Aphanisis is the psychological
term used to denote the disappearance of sex
ual desire. It comes from the Greek aphanes, meaning 'invisible'. According to the theories of Ernest Jones
, who coined the term in 1927, aphanisis is the foundation of all neuroses
.
Aphanisis is an important concept in Lacanian psychoanalysis (cf. The Four Fundamental Concepts of Psychoanalysis), although, following Jones, Lacan appropriated and altered the term's meaning somewhat substantially. In Lacanian theory, aphanisis describes the process through which a subject is eclipsed behind any signifier used to conceive of her. The subject as such is, accordingly, barred, a mere interstice; the signifier reigns supreme. Barred and riven by the Other (of language), a subject has no choice but to conceive of herself vis-a-vis something other than herself, something 'outside' or radically separated from her. In this very process of conceiving of herself, of making herself thinkable, and thus communicable, a subject accomplishes her own radical alienation. Because the Other is the sole means through which a 'subject' can be rendered thinkable, aphanisis, the disappearance or the fading of the subject behind any signifier used to conceive of it, is an essential concept for understanding subjectivity and the peril of the subject's fundamental emptiness.
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
term used to denote the disappearance of sex
Sex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
ual desire. It comes from the Greek aphanes, meaning 'invisible'. According to the theories of Ernest Jones
Ernest Jones
Alfred Ernest Jones was a British neurologist and psychoanalyst, and Sigmund Freud’s official biographer. Jones was the first English-speaking practitioner of psychoanalysis and became its leading exponent in the English-speaking world where, as President of both the British Psycho-Analytical...
, who coined the term in 1927, aphanisis is the foundation of all neuroses
Neurosis
Neurosis is a class of functional mental disorders involving distress but neither delusions nor hallucinations, whereby behavior is not outside socially acceptable norms. It is also known as psychoneurosis or neurotic disorder, and thus those suffering from it are said to be neurotic...
.
Aphanisis is an important concept in Lacanian psychoanalysis (cf. The Four Fundamental Concepts of Psychoanalysis), although, following Jones, Lacan appropriated and altered the term's meaning somewhat substantially. In Lacanian theory, aphanisis describes the process through which a subject is eclipsed behind any signifier used to conceive of her. The subject as such is, accordingly, barred, a mere interstice; the signifier reigns supreme. Barred and riven by the Other (of language), a subject has no choice but to conceive of herself vis-a-vis something other than herself, something 'outside' or radically separated from her. In this very process of conceiving of herself, of making herself thinkable, and thus communicable, a subject accomplishes her own radical alienation. Because the Other is the sole means through which a 'subject' can be rendered thinkable, aphanisis, the disappearance or the fading of the subject behind any signifier used to conceive of it, is an essential concept for understanding subjectivity and the peril of the subject's fundamental emptiness.