Deleuze and Desire

A close reading of Deleuze’s major text on desire
The engagement of Deleuze with psychoanalysis has led to the development of a remarkable and highly influential theory about human desire. The most systematic account of this theory, crucial for anyone interested in the work of Deleuze and Guattari, can be found in the discussion of the dynamic genesis of sense, a pivotal part of Deleuze’s The Logic of Sense.
In Deleuze and Desire Piotrek Świątkowski picks up the challenge to provide an ad literam commentary of this text. Świątkowski makes use of a broad range of examples, from psychoanalytic case studies to art, literature, and film, and analyses in an accessible and clear way the impact of the work of psychoanalysts such as Melanie Klein on Deleuze.

This publication is GPRC-labeled (Guaranteed Peer-Reviewed Content).

Acknowledgements
Abbreviations

Chapter 1
Introduction
1. Debate
2. The dynamic genesis and Melanie Klein
3. Approach and organisation of the text

Chapter 2
Schizoid position
1. Introduction
2. Fundamental concepts
3. The dynamism of the paranoid-schizoid position according to Melanie Klein
4. The simulacrum and Plato
5. The schizoid position
6. Artaud, language and schizophrenia
7. Conclusion

Chapter 3
Depressive position
1. Introduction
2. The manic-depressive position of Melanie Klein
3. The depressive position according to Deleuze: the object of the heights
4. Good object as lost object
5. Lack and affirmation in the depressive position
6. Body, language and the depressive position
7. Conclusion

Chapter 4
Sexual-perverse position
1. Introduction
2. Pre-genital phase of the sexual-perverse position: surface of the body
3. The physical surface and the defusion of the drives
4. Sexual position -; discussion with Laplanche and Pontalis
5. Pre-genital sexuality -; relation towards structures
6. Genital sexuality
7. The Oedipus complex
8. The genital phase of the sexual-perverse position: relationship to structures
9. Conclusion

Chapter 5
Oedipus complex and beyond
1. Introduction
2. Oedipal desire and narcissism
3. Castration complex
4. Emergence of the metaphysical surface
5. The decline of the good intentions
6. Metaphysical surface and the drives
7. The crack in the metaphysical surface -; the dangers of the post-castration phase
8. Conclusion

Chapter 6
The phantasm
1. Introduction
2. The phantasm and the body
3. The quasi-cause and the ideational surface
4. Psychoanalysis as science of events
5. The phantasm and the ego in psychoanalysis
6. Neutral energy and disjunctive synthesis
7. Love and nationalism

Chapter 7
Conclusion
1. Psychoanalysis
2. Philosophical implications
3. The Logic of Sense and the collaboration with Guattari

References
Index

Piotrek Świątkowski

Piotrek Świątkowski is associated researcher at the Centre for Contemporary European Philosophy of Radboud University Nijmegen.