2024-25 Events

Date: November 19, 2024
Time: 4:00p.m.
Location: Clemens 904

Both psychoanalysis and Talmud (without articles) are interpretative practices. Both have in common that their interpretations are perceived by laypeople as implausible, even ridiculous (or funny) - which has led to anti-Semitic hostility in both cases. In contrast to other common practices of interpreting literary texts or other works of art, however, neither Talmud nor psychoanalysis is concerned with determining the “actual meaning” or “true sense” of a dream or a biblical sentence, but rather with initiating a transformative process. The seminar will address this process with the help of Freud's book on jokes.

Dr. Daniel Strassberg practices psychoanalysis and teaches philosophy at the Medical Faculty of University of Zürich. He authors Madness in Philosophy: Crazy Mind from Plato to Deleuze [Der Wahnsinn der Philosophie. Verrückte Vernunft von Platon bis Deleuze, Chronos: Zürich] (2014) and Spectacular Machines. A History of Affect and Technology [Spektakuläre Maschinen. Eine Affektgeschichte der Technik, Matthes & Seitz: Berlin] (2022)

Co- sponsored by Center for the Study of Psychoanalysis & Culture and Dr. Harold J. Levy and Arlyne G. Levy Lecture and Conference Fund Jewish Thought

Free and open to the public.
Free parking after 3:00pm if available