Freudian Psychoanalysis and Fetishism: From normal to pathological sexuality

This dissertation investigates Sigmund Freud’s theory of fetishism by discussing two major philosophical problematics. These problematisations are discussed in terms of 1) how Freud’s theory of fetishism challenges the status of perversions as pathological, and 2) how Freud’s thoughts on fetishism can explain whether human sexuality is dependent of a sexual object. The main argument of the structure in which this dissertation is organized is the influence of the ideas of the French psychologist, Alfred Binet, on Freud’s psychoanalytic thinking on fetishism. It is argued that in his work, Freud evolves Binet’s ideas and conceptualizations with a view to solve problems caused by fetishism in Freud's psychoanalytic theory of the topic. This dissertation also claims that the influence of Binet’s ideas on fetishism in Freud’s psychoanalytic thinking can be likewise seen in Freud’s theory of perversion and in his overall theory of psychopathology. Lastly, this dissertation discusses the ideas of the French psychoanalyst, Jacques Lacan, on fetishism. It is discussed that Lacan's ideas on the topic are linked to a theorization on subjectivity and on the object of human desire. Here, this dissertation discusses the difference between Freud's and Lacan's theory on fetishism as well as the fact that Lacan's psychoanalytic thinking on fetishism and other topics is also engaged with evolving Binet's ideas.