Psychoanalysis and cybernetics: Lacan machines

This paper deals with Jacques Lacan's understanding and application of cybernetics, focusing on the role played by mathematicians Guilbaud and Riguet. I state that there is a mix-up in Lacan's discourse: where the cybernetic theme is mentioned, the true idea does not occur; and where it does, it is not explicit. Recent psychoanalytic literature is then consulted regarding the ignorance of the contribution of cybernetics and cognitivism to the epistemological renewal of psychoanalysis performed by the "retour a Freud", and the potential consequences of this ignorance. (C) 2007 Elsevier Masson SAS. Tous droits reserves.