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INSTITUTIONS AS PROSTITUTION: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF GILLES GRELET AND JACQUES LACAN

Mariia Panasiuk

Conference proceedings: Sammlung wissenschaftlicher Arbeiten «ΛΌГOΣ» zu den Materialien der IX internationalen wissenschaftlich-praktischen Konferenz «Grundlagen der modernen wissenschaftlichen Forschung» (Zürich, Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft; 6. Februar, 2026)

Section: Philosophy and Political science

Publication date: 2026/02/06

Pages: 212-220

DOI: 10.36074/logos-06.02.2026.038

ISBN: 978-617-8440-87-9

Publisher: BOLESWA Publishers

Language: en

PDF for indexing Original PDF in OJS archive DOI

Abstract

This essay delves into Gilles Grelet's radical anti-philosophical framework, where institutions are metaphorically conceptualized as forms of prostitution, embodying transactional compromises that alienate individuals from authentic existence. Drawing primarily from his seminal work, Theory of the Solitary Sailor (2022), Grelet's philosophy advocates a gnostic rebellion against the "world-thought" inherent in traditional philosophy and societal structures. In juxtaposition, Jacques Lacan's psychoanalytic theory positions institutions within the Symbolic order, viewing them as essential yet inherently flawed mechanisms that structure subjectivity through lack and desire, as elaborated in his seminars and institutional endeavors. Through a comparative examination, this analysis uncovers convergences in their critiques of institutional authority and divergences in their proposed escapes: Grelet's absolute solitary withdrawal versus Lacan's dialectical navigation of the Symbolic. Utilizing Chicago-style citations, the essay integrates primary texts, secondary interpretations, and philosophical contextualization to argue that both thinkers offer profound insights into the alienating dynamics of institutions, with relevance for contemporary debates on subjectivity, power, and resistance. The discussion is structured in the Oxford tradition of philosophical essays, emphasizing textual exegesis, historical situating, and argumentative rigor.

Author affiliations

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