Cornelius Castoriadis The Subversion of the Imaginary

Abstract

The following article raises the thinking of Cornelius Castoriadis to emphasizethe importance of the imaginary in the creation of societies, as a referenceof subjectivity and a basis of autonomy. First, the article suggests therelation between the unconscious and the institutionalized representationslike language using the psychoanalysis theory. Then, it remarks on the significanceof imagination in the constitution of knowledge and thinking, as acreator of society, not just as a copy of it. Finally, in a political approach, the article talks about the reflexive faculty of individuals for the formation ofautonomous societies which have influence in the distribution of power.