Thou shalt not covet…- the concept of "das Ding" in Lacan’s "Ethics of psychoanalysis" and "Kant with Sade”

Abstract

Our goal in this article is an attempt to describe the concept of "das Ding" in the teaching of Lacan. Unlike other terms present in the Lacanian dictionary for most of his teaching, das Ding appears to be a terminological ephemeris that appears suddenly and then disappears suddenly. We want to point out, however, that the elusiveness of this concept is only apparent. Das Ding was not only important for Lacan's foundation of the "ethics of psychoanalysis", but it was his first attempt to solve the problem of the Real, the consequences of this attempt were also present in his later teaching. In the article we will trace the Freudian sources of this concept and indicate its importance for Lacanian ethics in the context of both the Seminar on Ethics and in Kant with Sade.