Freud and Nietzsche on Sublimation

The notion of sublimation is essential to Nietzsche and Freud. However, Freud's writings fail to provide a persuasive notion of sublimation. In particular, Freud's writings are confused on the distinction between pathological symptoms and sublimation and on the relation between sublimation...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of Nietzsche studies no. 38; pp. 38 - 59
Main Author Gemes, Ken
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Pennsylvania State University Press 01.10.2009
Subjects
Desire
Ego
Emotional sublimation
Internalization
Nietzschean philosophy
Pathology
Psychoanalysis
Repression
Ressentiment
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Summary:The notion of sublimation is essential to Nietzsche and Freud. However, Freud's writings fail to provide a persuasive notion of sublimation. In particular, Freud's writings are confused on the distinction between pathological symptoms and sublimation and on the relation between sublimation and repression. After rehearsing these problems in some detail, it is proposed that a return to Nietzsche allows for a more coherent account of sublimation, its difference from pathological symptoms, and its relation to repression. In summary, on Nietzsche's account, while repression and pathological symptoms involve a disintegration (of the self), sublimation involves integration. The article concludes with a brief consideration of some post-Freudian accounts of sublimation that represent a return to a more Nietzschean approach.
ISSN:0968-8005
1538-4594