An ethic to serve the subject

Abstract

This paper aims at discussing the fundaments of psychoanalysis, in order to give an overview of how the psychoanalyst operates in his/her practice, thus delineating what is known as a clinic of desire – the traditional device of psychoanalysis, seeking to understand the way in which the analytical device operates with the subject under analysis, as well as, envision possible scopes and limitations of this métier. To do so, we will also discuss, briefly, the formation of the subject with which psychoanalysis exerts its clinical work, understanding that this subject is, for psychoanalysis, built. Thus, it is pertinent to conduct a reflection, in the form of a critical analysis, both from a cultural perspective, as taking the psychoanalytic framework of the theoretical, technical and practical point of view, in order to understand what some authors have discussed about the position taken by the subject in contemporary times, as well as by the psychoanalyst facing the conflicts that this subject brings to his/her clinic. In this sense, texts of Freud and Lacan, who contributed to build this same theoretical framework were used. As well as texts of secondary references, commentators who explore and clarify themes and concepts developed by Freud and Lacan throughout their theoretical constructs.