Raul Moncayo offers a nuanced interpretation of Jacques Lacan’s later work, particularly focusing on concepts such as the sinthome, jouissance, and nomination. In his book Lalangue, Sinthome, Jouissance, and Nomination, Moncayo elucidates how Lacan’s engagement with James Joyce’s writings led to the development of the sinthome as a unique, organizing structure that stabilizes an individual’s psyche. He emphasizes that the sinthome functions beyond traditional symptomatology, acting as a personal knot that ties together the Real, the Symbolic, and the Imaginary.
Furthermore, Moncayo explores the intersection of Lacanian psychoanalysis and Chan Buddhist thought. In Lacan and Chan Buddhist Thought: Reflections on Buddhism in Lacan’s Seminar X and Beyond, he examines how both traditions address the nature of desire and suffering. Moncayo highlights that Lacan’s concept of jouissance resonates with Buddhist notions of attachment and the cessation of suffering, suggesting that both frameworks offer pathways to understanding and mitigating human dissatisfaction.
In his clinical writings, Moncayo discusses the process of identification and non-identification in the context of the Oedipus complex. He proposes that recognizing the ‘emptiness’ at the core of the Oedipal structure allows individuals to move beyond fixed identifications, facilitating a more fluid and adaptive engagement with their desires and subjectivity.
Through these explorations, Moncayo bridges Lacanian theory with broader philosophical and cultural discourses, providing a comprehensive understanding of the later Lacan’s contributions to psychoanalysis and their relevance to both clinical practice and interdisciplinary studies.
