Part 1 Lacan on autism: Leon Brenner on his book 'The Autistic Subject'

Leon Brenner ( https://leonbrenner.com ) explains what is most distinctive about a Lacanian approach to autism. Autism, says Leon, is a mode of being rather than a diagnostic category. Rather than fitting within one of the three diagnostic structures outlined in Lacanian theory, autism must be seen as entailing its own specific mode of defense, namely what Brenner calls 'autistic foreclosure'. Brenner highlights the crucial role of the sign as opposed to the signifier in autism, refers to Lacan's comments on the 'verbosity of the autistic subject', and highlights the importance of objects in respect of autism. He moves on to describe the novel conceptualization of 'the rim' as a developmental domain of activity that makes forms of protection, exploration and pleasure collection possible for the autistic subject.