Question Details

Given below are two statements: one is labeled as assertion A and the other is labeled as reason R
Assertion (A): Jacques Lacan was radically critical of the esistium psychoanalytical theory.
Reason (R): Lacan was expelled from the international psychoanalytical association in 1959.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

Options

Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)

Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is NOT the correct explanation of (A)

(A) is true but (R) is false

(A) is false but (R) is true

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Correct Answer :

Option B

Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is NOT the correct explanation of (A)

Solution :

The correct answer is: Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is NOT the correct explanation of (A).

Step-by-step Explanation:

1. Analyzing Assertion (A):
Jacques Lacan was a French psychoanalyst and psychiatrist who gained prominence for his radical critique of the established ("existing") psychoanalytical theories of his time, particularly Ego Psychology, which was highly dominant in the mid-20th century. Lacan famously called for a "return to Freud," arguing that mainstream psychoanalysis had deviated from Freud's radical insights about the unconscious, language, and the decentralized subject. Therefore, Assertion (A) is true.

2. Analyzing Reason (R):
Lacan's unorthodox teaching practices, particularly his introduction of the "variable-length session" (short sessions), and his theoretical departures created severe friction with mainstream psychoanalysts. This conflict escalated within the Société Psychanalytique de Paris (SPP) and the International Psychoanalytical Association (IPA). By 1959, the IPA set strict conditions that effectively excluded Lacan from their recognized training programs, ultimately leading to his formal separation and expulsion from the IPA. Therefore, Reason (R) is also true as a historical fact.

3. Evaluating the Link between (A) and (R):
To determine if (R) is the correct explanation of (A), we must ask: Did Lacan criticize established psychoanalytical theory because he was expelled from the IPA?
The answer is no. Lacan's radical critique of existing psychoanalytic theory was the primary cause of the friction that eventually led to his expulsion. His criticism came first and was based on his intellectual and clinical views, not as a consequence of being expelled. Thus, while both statements are true, the Reason (R) does not explain the Assertion (A).