Dr. Richard Boothby: Rethinking the Origin of the Sacred

In this episode, I have an in-depth conversation with Dr. Richard Boothby. We discuss his marvelous book, “Embracing the Void: Rethinking the Origin of the Sacred.” Rick is a professor of philosophy at Loyola University Maryland. He is the author of Death and Desire: Psychoanalytic Theory in Lacan’s Return to Freud; Freud as Philosopher: Metapsychology after Lacan; Sex on the Couch: What Freud Still Has to Teach Us about Sex; and Blown Away: Refinding Life After My Son's Suicide. Dr. Todd McGowan has said this book is the best psychoanalytic take on religion. I have to agree. As we discuss in the episode, our conversation will likely frustrate the non-religious and religious alike. Some of the key moments in the episode include:  Freud’s approach to religion  Romain Rolland and the “oceanic feeling” Jacques Lacan the imaginary, the symbolic and the Real Das ding and its relationship to the religious impulse Greek polytheism Judaism Christianity An ethics of unknowing Negative capability And so much more! Book: https://www.amazon.com/Embracing-Void-Rethinking-Origin-Diaeresis/dp/0810145383 Blown Away Episode: https://www.quiqueautrey.com/podcast/episode/c483fdc2/dr-richard-boothby-finding-life-after-sons-suicide