Abstract

MIJOLLA-MELLOR, Sophie de. Sublimation and pleasure of thought.Translated byBeatriz Helena Peres Stucchi. Rev. bras. psicanál [online]. 2011, vol.45, n.1, pp.37-49. ISSN 0486-641X.

The notion of sublimation in psychoanalysis occupies a paradoxical position: never having been completely defined by Freud from a metapsychological point of view, it is nonetheless indispensable to the theoretical premise, from an individual point of view as well as a collective one, as it supposedly explains the libidinal investment in goals and objectives which are not original to the drives. It holds the same importance as repression, because it constitutes either the positive outlet in adult life in opposition to neurosis, or the precocious and creative alternative in childhood. Much discussed from Freud's days to ours, the idea of sublimation has not undergone great modifications, in spite of successive contributions which dealt with certain aspects of it, and added others. More than a notion, it is of an organizational concept which is at the same level as the concept of drive, around which gravitate the ponderings about feelings of fondness and friendship, social ties, professional activity, as well as artistic, literary, scientific, and sports-related achievements, not to mention the pleasure felt by adults and children alike when they face conundrums and try to solve them, and also the pleasure of thought. The author strives to summarize the contributions proposed to brainstorm this notion.

Keywords : pleasure of thought; artifices of civilization; sexual-magical myth; knowledge necessity; mood work; truth; domination drive.

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