The Singularity of Being presents a Lacanian vision of what makes each
of us an inimitable and irreplaceable creature. It argues that, unlike
the "subject" (who comes into existence as a result of symbolic
prohibition) or the "person" (who is aligned with the narcissistic
conceits of the imaginary), the singular self emerges in response to a
galvanizing directive arising from the real. This directive carries the
force of an obligation that cannot be resisted and that summons the
individual to a "character" beyond his or her social investments.
Consequently, singularity expresses something about the individual's
non-negotiable distinctiveness, eccentricity, or idiosyncrasy at the
same time it prevents both symbolic and imaginary closure. It opens to
layers of rebelliousness, indicating that there are components of human
life exceeding the realm of normative sociality.
Written with an unusual blend of rigor and clarity, The Singularity of
Being combines incisive readings of Lacan with the best insights of
recent Lacanian theory to reach beyond the dogmas of the field. Moving
from what, thanks in part to Slavoj Zizek, has come to be known as the
"ethics of the act" to a nuanced interpretation of Lacan's "ethics of
sublimation," the book offers a sweeping overview of Lacan's thought
while making an original contribution to contemporary theory and ethics.
Aimed at specialists and nonspecialists alike, the book manages to
educate at the same time as it intervenes in current debates about
subjectivity, agency, resistance, creativity, the self-other
relationship, and effective political and ethical action. By focusing on
the Lacanian real, Ruti honors the uniqueness of subjective experience
without losing sight of the social and intersubjective components of
human life.
