Michael Billing Lacan and the Theory of “Mirror Stage” (Lacan’s Mistakes: Examples and Evidence) (Translated by Konyaev, S. N. and Sultanova, M. A.)

Abstract: In his article Michael Billing shows that Lacan made the distinction between “mirror stage” facts and his own theoretical interpretation of those obvious facts. Billing focuses on facts. According to the author, when facts generate doubts, theoretical interpretation of these facts becomes weak, too. This is quite a typical approach in psychology. Psychological ideas must be based on observations of human actions and should not be based on pure theory. However, Lacan was rather critical about that approach. He started his theory about the splitting of the ego feeling quite confident that was what a child actually did in front of the mirror. In other words, Lacan’s theory about the “ideal reflection” is based on Lacan’t confidence that his interpretation of observed actions were absolutely correct. At the same time, Lacan did not provide any evidence of the mirror reflection giving to a child his idea image. Lacan’s beliefs are not convincing and neither is his statement about what is actually going on in a child’s mind when he sees his reflection in the mirror. Michael Billing establishes that today many cultural theorists use Lacan’s conception so that their reasoning, at its best, becomes purely metaphorical or, at its worst, has no evident retain to actual human behavior. Michael Billing proves that Lacan’s concept of the relation between language and unconsciousness had an overly general nature and therefore does not help us to understand what people say and what they do when they say it. Moreover, the author provides proof that Lacan’s reputation does not allow to develop the critics of his theory even despite the fact that Lacan’s theory has more unclear provisions than clear ones.

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