(Pre-Oedipal Phase) (Mirror Stage) -infant is unable to distinguish Mirror Stage -a linguistic dimension but -not synonymous with reality itself from its mother’s body or -part of the infant’s development from 6-18 not equivalent to language -exterior to Symbolic to recognize the lines of months -existence of mutual -no differences or oppositions demarcation between itself and -infants recognize themselves and their differences (e.g. presence – unlike symbolic, no divisions objects in the world environment in the mirror (literal) from the absence) -impossible to imagine, to -a world consisting wholly of age of about 6 months -the domain of culture and integrate into the Symbolic, to images (hence “imaginary) -conflict bet. subject and image: the child social structures, pre- attain In Lacan’s view, the subject sees the image in the mirror as a whole, w/c defined social roles and -where words and categories is empty, fluid, and without contrasts with his lack of body coordination gender differences, the fail an axis or center, and is (fragmented body) world of objects, and -has to come after the always recreated with -the subject identifies with the image, language, morality, law, Symbolic because we will not leading to the formation of the ego conscience be able to recognize it what exceeds his own -the ego is a product of misunderstanding -where the Other (language without the binaries that we nature and grasp. For him, (meconnaissance), a false recognition and law) is inscribed are used to thinking in terms an individual’s relation to Imaginary -social “I” of objects is mediated by -based on the formation of the ego in the mirror stage desire and struggle. -the self becomes alienated from itself through the introduction of the imaginary to the subject -realm of surface appearances; the field of images, imagination -where the other is inscribed (the other is the other who is not really the other, but the counterpart/specular image/specular “I”)
Stages of Higher Knowledge: The Authorized New Translation from the Original German Formerly Translated by the Title 'Gates of Knowledge' A supplement to 'Knowledge of Higher Worlds'