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The purpose of this thesis is to examine Donald Trump’s Immigration speech that was held September 1, 2016, in Phoenix, Arizona. The speech was a part of his campaign before he was elected president of America. The focus will be on how Donald Trump represents immigrants and talks about immigration. The research questions are how Donald Trump portrays immigrants and immigration and in what terms immigrants and immigration are argued to be a security risk for the country. The representation of the “Other” and Securitization are the theories that will be applied in the study of the speech. Discourse analysis will be used to find out what his messages are and what his perception of immigration is. The messages are based on the discourses that his language may produce through rhetoric which is the second method. The result of the analysis shows that he takes support from the discourses of “us” and “them”, security and nationalism that is a part of a larger political discourse. Immigrants are rhetorically framed as a security threat by describing them as criminals. He paints the picture of America having an immigration crisis. He mainly uses pathos, as a means of persuasion, to appeal to the audience’s emotions of anger, fear and frustration.

This thesis is an exploration of affect theory and emotional rhetoric in the 2016 Presidential Election, and specifically in Donald Trump’s candidacy, first through a series of rhetorical readings of Trump’s rhetoric on the campaign trail and after his election. The first section of this thesis focuses on Donald Trump and the various rhetorical spaces he uses to reach his supporters through affectual means. Next, I will apply affect theory to Trump’s political rhetoric in order to illustrate how affect is intrinsic to his rhetoric and how he communicates to his audience. I find that utilizing texts by cultural rhetoric critics, namely those which discuss affect theory and the culture of emotion such as Sara Ahmed’s The Cultural Politics of Emotion, and culture and rhetorical spaces in Julie Lindquist’s A Place to Stand: Politics and Persuasion in a Working Class Bar, allows us to better understand the underlying cultural impetuses which created the conditions for Donald Trump’s presidency. In the third section, I examine how these theoretical frameworks provide an understanding of how fake news contributed to the current American climate of a post-truth media culture. And in the final section, I explore how satirical rhetoric is employed both as a defense against and as a rhetorical utility for Donald Trump, namely in his use of carnivalesque techniques and rhetoric to appeal to his voter’s sense of rebellion against and cynicism toward the political establishment. In doing so, I argue that Trump’s use of affect, particularly in his targeted approach to appeal to his base’s existential, socio-economic, and racial fears, was essential to his success in the 2016 Presidential election. / Master of Arts

Compilation of two papers, the first of which was accepted for publication in the South African Journal of Philosophy in the second half of 2001. / Why metaphors have no meaning : considering metaphoric meaning in Davidson. -- Bare idea of a conceptual scheme : relativism, intercultural communication and Davidson. / Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: WHY METAPHORS HAVE NO MEANING: CONSIDERING METAPHORIC MEANING IN DAVIDSON Since the publication of Donald Davidson's essay 'What Metaphors Mean' (1984c) - in which he famously asserts that metaphor has no meaning - the views expressed in it have mostly met with criticism: prominently from Mary Hesse and Max Black. This article attempts to explain Davidson's surprise-move regarding metaphor by relating it to elements in the rest of his work in semantics, such as the principle of compositionality, radical interpretation and the principle of charity. I conclude that Davidson's views on metaphor are not only consistent with his semantic theory generally, but that his semantics also depend on these insights. Eventually, the debate regarding Davidson's views on metaphor should be conducted on the level of his views on the nature of semantics, the relationship between language and the world and the possibility of there existing something like conceptual schemes. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: THE BARE IDEA OF A CONCEPTUAL SCHEME: RELATIVISM, INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION AND DAVIDSON Donald Davidson's paper 'On the Very Idea of a Conceptual Scheme' ('OVICS') has become famous for the refutation accomplished in it of conceptual relativism. Via an argument that, essentially, all languages are intertranslatable, Davidson rejects the notion that different conceptual schemes can inhere in the supposed 'un-translatable' languages said to exist by, for instance, Whorf and Kuhn. Critics of Davidson's position have mainly focussed on practical issues, with many holding that his arguments in 'OVICS' ignore the realities of the real intercultural communication situation. In the present paper, I address criticisms of this sort. Davidson's arguments are reconstructed, with attention being paid to their dependence on the idea of practical application in the real intercommunication situation. With the aid of practical examples, the implications of elements of Davidson's philsophy of interpretation for intercultural communication are evaluated. Finally, radical interpretation is presented as a better model for intercultural dialogue than linguistically relativist ones. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: WHY METAPHORS HAVE NO MEANING: CONSIDERING METAPHORIC MEANING IN DAVIDSON Sedert die publikasie van Donald Davidson se opstel 'What Metaphors Mean' (1984c) - waarin hy die berugte stelling maak dat metafoor geen betekenis het nie - is sy sieninge meestal begroet met kritiek, ook van prominente figure soos Mary Hesse en Max Black. Hierdie artikel poog om 'n verduideliking te vind vir Davidson se verassende skuif aangaande metafoor, deur sy sieninge hieroor te kontekstualiseer teen die agtergrond van elemente uit die res van sy werk in semantiek, soos die beginsel van komposisionaliteit, radikale interpretasie en die beginsel van rasionele akkomodasie ('charity'). Ek kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat Davidson se sieninge aangaande metafoor nie slegs naatloos aansluit by sy algemene sieninge aangaande semantiek nie, maar dat die res van sy semantiese teorie ook afhang van sy sieninge aangaande metafoor. Uiteindelik behoort die debat rakende Davidson se sieninge aangaande metafoor gevoer te word op die vlak van die aard van semantiek, die verhouding tussen taal en die werklikheid en die moontlike bestaan van konseptueie skemas. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: THE BARE IDEA OF A CONCEPTUAL SCHEME: RELATIVISM, INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION AND DAVIDSON Donald Davidson se artikel 'On the Very Idea of a Conceptual Scheme' het beroemdheid verwerf as teenargument vir die idee van konseptuele relativisme. By wyse van 'n argument dat alle tale in beginsel vertaalbaar is, verwerp Davidson die idee dat verskillende konseptueie skemas kan skuilgaan in die veronderstelde 'onvertaalbare' tale waarvan daar sprake is by byvoorbeeld Whorf en Kuhn. Kritici van Davidson se posisie beperk hul hoofsaaklik tot praktiese besware en 'n vername aanklag teen Davidson is dat hy die realiteite misken van werklike interkulturele gesprek. In hierdie artikel spreek ek sodanige kritiek aan. Ek herkonstrueer Davidson se argumente en voer aan dat dit deurgaans afhanklik is van die idee van toepassing in 'n praktiese situasie van interkulturele dialoog. By wyse van praktiese voorbeelde evalueer ek die implikasies van Davidson se filosofie van interpretasie vir interkulturele kommunikasie. Laastens bied ek radikale interpretasie aan as 'n beter model vir interkulturele dialoog as linguisties relativistiese modelle.

[pt] A presente dissertação teve por objetivo ressaltar a relevância do conceito winnicottiano de criatividade no entendimento do mal-estar contemporâneo. Baseada em considerações feitas por autores das ciências sociais e da psicanálise, considerou que a sociedade atual tem potencializado uma forma particular de sofrimento psíquico, denominada, aqui, de embotamento criativo, que se caracteriza, principalmente, pelo sentimento de vazio existencial. Partindo da teoria winnicottiana, que destaca a importância do meio para a experiência criativa, o trabalho lançou a hipótese de que o cenário atual não estaria fornecendo o necessário suporte a tal experiência, induzindo à experiência subjetiva de desamparo, o que teria por corolário o embotamento criativo. Neste sentido, essa dissertação ressaltou não só a importância da teoria winnicottiana sobre a criatividade para a escuta clínica, como também a importância desta teoria como instrumental crítico privilegiado que permite questionar o mundo em que vivemos. / [en] The objective of the present dissertation was to emphasize the relevance of Winnicott's concept of creativity, in the understanding of contemporary discontent. Based on the sociological and psychoanalytical literature, this study considered that present society induces a peculiar form of psychic suffering here denominated as creative fragilty, mainly characterized by the feeling of existential emptiness. In accordance with Winnicott's theory, that emphasizes the importance of the environment for the building up of creative experience, this dissertation hypothesized that current society does not provide the necessary support for creativity, but on the contrary stimulates the experience of helplessness, which interferes with creativity. Therefore, this dissertation argued that the Winnicott

Busca uma visão mais global do fenômeno criativo e para tanto, elege como objeto de estudo a experiência criativa, já que os estudos habituais da criatividade se destinam à apreensão de seus aspectos de manifestação, a saber: a pessoa, o processo, o produto ou as circunstâncias ambientais envolvidas no acontecimento criador. O estudo baseia-se em entrevistas com pessoas de diferentes áreas profissionais, que relatam suas experiências com a criatividade e, utiliza como guia teórico, a teoria do desenvolvimento emocional de D.W.Winnicott, principalmente em virtude desta proposta teórica representar uma abordagem original do fenômeno criativo. Os relatos das entrevistas apresentam muitos dos temas presentes na teoria de Winnicott, como por exemplo, o Potencial Criativo, a Função da Criatividade e o Fator Facilitador da Afetividade. Os resultados da pesquisa mostram três novos elementos de compreensão da criatividade: a presença de um sentimento de apropriação que indica um compromisso com o processo criativo, a existência de uma ordem interna que rege as ações relacionadas à experiência e a existência de um espaço e um tempo próprios à atividade criadora. A partir da reflexão mais profunda dos resultados, o estudo ressalta a importância da relação entre a criatividade e o desenvolvimento das qualidades afetivas dos seres humanos, uma vez que ambos se encontram nas bases da evolução humana. / Search for a global vision of the creative phenomenon and for that selects as object of study the creative experience, once that usually such studies of creativity are addressed to the apprehension of its aspects of manifestation, as follows: the person, the process, the product or the ambient circumstances involved in the creating event. The study is based on interviews with people from different professional areas, reporting their experience with the creativy and, utilises as theoretical guide, the theory of the emotional development by D. W. Winnicott, mainly due to the fact that this theoretical proposal represents a original approach of the creative phenomenon. The reports from the interviews show many of existing themes at Winnicotts theory, such as, the Creative Potential, the Function of Creativity and the Facilitator Factor of the Affectiveness. The surveys result shows three new elements of comprehension of the creativity: the presence of a feeling of appropriation that indicates a compromise with the creative process, the existence of a internal order that guide the actions related to the experience and the existence of a space and a time pertaining to the creating activity. From a deeper refletion of the results, the study distinguishes the importance of the relationship between the creativity and the development of the human beings affective qualities, once that both them are met in the basis of the human evolution.

A Psicanálise Winnicottiana baseia-se na crença de que o viver criativo está ligado à saúde. Winnicott propôs as Consultas Terapêuticas, quando a psicoterapia não era possível e a pessoa poderia ser ajudada com poucos encontros. Criou o Jogo do Rabisco, no qual o contato entre terapeuta e paciente ocorre por meio de desenhos. Entende-se que a soma destas características permite uma articulação desta teoria à prática da Arteterapia, intervenção terapêutica que oferece recursos artísticos para facilitar expressão e comunicação. Objetivou-se com esta investigação, construir uma proposta de intervenção com famílias, em uma prática da Artepsicoterapia pautada na Psicanálise Winnicottiana, para aplicação no contexto institucional. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa em Psicologia Clínica, por meio da qual foram atendidas 10 famílias clientes de uma instituição de atenção à violência familiar. O processo psicoterapêutico familiar foi empreendido com a oferta de recursos artísticos disponíveis em uma caixa artística composta por diferentes materiais expressivos e presente nas sessões. Escolheu-se três famílias para aprofundamento da compreensão do processo, com foco na importância dos encontros iniciais na construção do processo terapêutico familiar, no emprego da Arteterapia como facilitadora da comunicação de pensamentos e sentimentos no setting e nos limites e alcances desta forma de terapia. Percebeu-se que as famílias tiveram dificuldades em aderir à intervenção, com interrupções precoces dos atendimentos. Entende-se que este abandono pode ter ocorrido devido à proposta de reflexão sobre as vivências da família, às dores resultantes da violência e pelo questionamento acerca dos papéis que cada pessoa ocupa na família. O uso dos materiais artísticos facilitou e enriqueceu as contribuições das crianças e adolescentes. Complementou também a compreensão dos adultos, com suas escassas, mas reveladoras produções, além de ampliar o entendimento da dinâmica familiar. Apesar das dificuldades encontradas, relacionadas especialmente com o foco na família como o paciente da sessão, na atenção psicológica em instituições para casos de violência familiar, considera-se que observar a família como o paciente é necessário. Por fim, assinalase que a Arteterapia pôde ser uma facilitadora do processo psicoterapêutico das famílias, pois minimiza resistências e amplia o entendimento do grupo, com maiores ganhos proporcionados pela intervenção. / The Winnicotts Psychoanalysis is based on the belief that the creative life is related to health. Winnicott has proposed the Therapeutic Consultations, when the psychotherapy was not possible and the person could be helped with just a few meetings. He has created the Squiggle Game, in which the contact between therapist and patient occurs through drawings. It is understood that the sum of these features allows an articulation of this theory to the practice of Art Therapy, a therapeutic intervention that offers artistic resources to facilitate expression and communication. It was aimed on this research to build a proposal of intervention with families, in a practice of Art Psychotherapy guided by Winnicotts Psychoanalysis, applied to an institutional context. This is a qualitative research in Clinical Psychology, through which 10 families were attended, clients of an institution of attention of family violence cases.. The family psychotherapeutic process was undertaken with the provision of artistic resources available in an \"art box\" consisted of different expressive materials and available in the consultations. It was chose three families to deepen the understanding of the process, focusing on the importance of the initial meetings in the construction of the family therapeutic process, with the use of Art Therapy as a facilitator of communication of thoughts and feelings and on the limits and scope of this form of therapy. It was noticed that families had difficulties to join the intervention, with early discontinuation of care. It is understood that this interruption may have occurred due to the proposal to reflect on family experiences, the pain resulted from the violence and the questions about the roles that each person occupies in the family. The use of artistic materials facilitated and enriched the contributions of children and adolescents. It also supplemented the understanding of adults, with its rare but revealing productions, in addition to improve the understanding of family dynamics. Despite the difficulties encountered, particularly related with the focus on the family as the sessions patient, in psychological care in institutions for family violence cases, it is considered that observing the family as the patient is indeed necessary. Finally, it was noted that the Art Therapy could be a facilitator of the psychotherapeutic process with these families, because it minimizes the resistance and increases the understanding of the group, with higher gains provided by the intervention.

O presente trabalho, que se insere num conjunto de pesquisas voltadas à busca e fundamentação teórica de enquadres clínicos diferenciados capazes de responder a necessidades emocionais e existenciais geradas pela vida contemporânea, apresenta a narrativa de uma experiência clínica não convencional bem como reflexões que esta suscita, numa interlocução muito próxima com o pensamento de Winnicott. A estrutura do texto busca manter-se fiel, enquanto narrativa e reflexão, ao modo concreto como foi realizado o trabalho, na medida em que consistiu numa sucessão de encontros: com os adolescentes, com a memória do acontecido que foi registrado por escrito pela psicanalista após cada encontro, com os textos finalizados de cada peça, com demais psicanalistas do “Ser e Fazer": Laboratório de Saúde Mental e Psicologia Clínica Social e com a obra winnicottiana. Inspirando-se no jogo de rabiscos, o enquadre diferenciado pesquisado caracteriza-se pelo emprego do teatro da espontaneidade como procedimento “apresentativo-expressivo" de maneira a estabelecer um campo lúdico capaz de sustentar o acontecer adolescente. Tendo à disposição uma mala contendo objetos variados adequados à confecção de fantasias, é oferecida aos jovens a oportunidade de um brincar que consiste na possibilidade de produção coletiva de dramatizações. No intuito de oferecer ao leitor uma noção do tipo de experiência clínica estudada, são apresentados relatos de nove peças que abordam os temas do casamento e da morte. Pode-se constatar que esses encontros favorecem o estabelecimento de um diálogo lúdico entre os jovens, oferecendo-lhes a oportunidade de expressar alguns dos dramas que os preocupam no momento e de experimentar novas formas de ser e de agir perante as questões levantadas. Uma vez que não se tratou de produzir conhecimento sobre psicologia da adolescência, mas de estudar a fecundidade clínica de um enquadre diferenciado, não há pretensão de trazer conclusões sobre a adolescência ainda que o teatro da espontaneidade tenha permitido vislumbrar os dramas enfrentados pelos jovens. É legítima a conclusão de que se trata de enquadre de trabalho adequado e poderoso, porque, por meio do brincar, permite expressão, surpresa e articulação simbólica de aspectos de self. / This work is part of researches interested in developing different clinic features of work based on theory, and capable to attend emotional and existential necessities created by contemporary life. It presents the narrative of a non-conventional clinic experience, and the reflections that came up during that experience, in a very close interaction with Winnicott´s thoughts. The structure of the text, in what it concerns the narrative and the reflections, tries to follow very closely, the way this work has been accomplished, consisting of a succession of different meetings: with the teenagers, with the memories of what happened during the plays while writing down the experience after each play, with other psychoanalysts from: “Ser e Fazer": Laboratory of Mental Health and Social Clinic Psychology, and with Winnicott´s thoughts. Inspired in the squiggle game, this different kind of work that has been developed, is characterized by the use of the Theatre of Spontaneity as a “Presentation-Expression" procedure in order to establish a playful atmosphere capable of supporting the teenager happening. Using a suitcase full of several different objects available for the creation of costumes, the teenagers have the opportunity of acting some plays in group. Nine narratives of plays about weddings and death are presented in order to give the reader a better idea of the clinic experience we have been studying. It is possible to observe that these meetings provide the establishment of a playful dialogue among the teenagers, offering them the opportunity for expressing some of the dramas that worry them, and for trying new ways of being and of behaving in front of the situations brought up in the group. Since the focus of this study is not to produce psychological know-how about adolescence, but to study the acceptance of this different clinical feature of work, there aren’t any intentions of bringing any conclusion about adolescence, even though the theatre of spontaneity has permitted observing some of the dramas those teenagers have been facing. It’s correct to conclude that it refers to a very powerful and suitable clinical proposal of work, since, by playing, it permits expression, surprise and symbolic articulation of self-aspects.

O interesse por este trabalho surgiu de nossa experiência com casos de adoção no Grupo Acesso Estudos, Pesquisa e Intervenção em Adoção, no Instituto Sedes Sapientiae. Lá acompanhamos casos com abruptas retiradas de crianças dos abrigos, para inserção nas famílias adotivas, sem prévia preparação. Esta exposição de crianças a delicadas experiências de abandono psíquico demonstrou a necessidade de estudarmos este tema. Pretendemos abordar a adoção de crianças entre dois a cinco anos, buscando focalizar o momento específico de seu desligamento do abrigo e a entrada na família adotiva. Procuraremos investigar quais as angústias presentes neste momento de rupturas de vínculos significativos e que impõe a necessidade de construção de novos investimentos afetivos. Utilizaremos, para esta pesquisa, o método psicanalítico, através do qual analisaremos relatos transcritos do atendimento psicoterápico de uma criança que nos procurou, buscando ser ajudada na colocação em família adotiva. Os atendimentos tiveram início quando a criança ainda encontrava-se no abrigo e estenderam-se até a chegada na família adotiva. O trabalho baseou-se em referenciais psicanalíticos, sendo também esta a referência teórica para a compreensão da paciente. Procuraremos demonstrar como uma criança adotada pode experimentar significativas descontinuidades, decorrentes de rupturas de seus vínculos anteriores, e que a elaboração psíquica destas perdas deve ser levada em conta no processo de adoção, podendo interferir no estabelecimento das novas relações familiares. Além disso pretendemos investigar a função do setting terapêutico como um espaço possibilitador de transicionalidade, na passagem para a família adotiva. / Our interest on this topic resulted from our experience with adoption cases seen at Grupo Acesso Adoption Studies, Research and Intervention, at the Sedes Sapientiae Institute. This group gives support to children who have been abruptly withdrawn from social care to be inserted into an adoptive family, without being prepared for this change. We believe the exposure of such children to a delicate situation of psychological neglect should be further analyzed. This study analyses the adoption of children with ages ranging from two to five years, focusing particularly on the moment when the child leaves social care to become a member of the adoptive family. We will investigate the type of distress that occurs at this moment where significant bonds will be disrupted and the construction of new emotional investment will be required. Psychoanalytical methodology will be used to analyze the psychotherapeutical follow-up reports of a child who was brought for support during the adoption process. Our work was based on psychoanalytical references which were also used as theoretical background to understand the patient. We intend to demonstrate that an adopted child may experience significant disruption as a result of the discontinuation of previous affectional bonds, and that psychological preparation for this loss should be provided during the adoption process, as it may interfere with the development of new family ties. Furthermore, we investigate the role played by therapeutic support as a setting that enables transicional phenomena on the way to becoming a member of an adoptive family

Este trabalho surgiu a partir da experiência como psicóloga do Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia do Hospital das Clínicas da faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo. Mais especificamente ao longo dos anos trabalhando no Grupo de Prótese e Órteses, com pessoas que sofreram amputação de um ou mais membros. A perda de uma parte do corpo implica alterações significativas na vida de um indivíduo, sendo que as amputações decorrentes de acidentes em geral têm a característica de serem súbitas e imprevisíveis, ocasionando mudanças bruscas para as quais não existe preparo possível. A principal questão que norteou este trabalho diz respeito às conseqüências psíquicas que uma perda física pode ocasionar. Procurou-se compreender de que forma, diante de uma ruptura no corpo, há uma interferência na organização psíquica e na maneira pela qual o indivíduo percebe o mundo e se percebe nele; isso, durante o período de reabilitação. Buscou-se refletir sobre um momento de perda da integridade corporal e seus reflexos na unidade psicossomática, a partir de casos clínicos, tendo como referência a psicanálise winnicottiana. Dessa forma, levou-se em conta o percurso do desenvolvimento emocional segundo a teoria do amadurecimento pessoal de D.W.Winnicott para se refletir acerca da possível relação existente entre o estágio alcançado nas tarefas próprias do desenvolvimento normal pelo indivíduo e as conseqüências em termos da continuidade ou não do processo de amadurecimento após a amputação. Para esta investigação utilizou-se o método clínico e o referencial psicanalítico, sendo que para a análise da questão proposta neste trabalho foram apresentados quatro casos clínicos. A perda de uma parte do corpo ocasionou mudanças em todos os indivíduos que fizeram parte deste estudo. Mudou o corpo, a forma de se locomover, o trabalho, o sustento pessoal e familiar, o contato social. Porém a maneira por meio da qual cada um percebeu, significou e vivenciou essa perda e essas mudanças não foi equivalente nem determinada pela qualidade da perda. Assim, concluímos que as conseqüências psíquicas de uma perda física serão aquelas relativas às condições que cada indivíduo tem de elaborar imaginativamente essa perda e transformá-la em vivência, experiência, história pessoal e interpessoal. A articulação da teoria com a análise e discussão do material clínico permitiu perceber que não é possível caracterizar uma clínica dos amputados. Isso porque o que temos são tantas clínicas quanto nos for possível conhecer os indivíduos amputados em seu processo de amadurecimento pessoal anteriormente à amputação. Ou seja, uma amputação não direciona incondicionalmente o modo de um indivíduo estar no mundo, mas implica alterações significativas em sua existência, o que remete à necessidade de reformulações em sua identidade para incluir essa nova dimensão de experiência. A dificuldade em realizar a elaboração imaginativa dessa perda, pode tornar a amputação um acontecimento não integrado na vida de uma pessoa, com conseqüências prejudiciais à sua saúde e ao seu desenvolvimento. / This work arose from the experience as a psychologist in the Institute of Orthopedist and Traumatology of the Hospital das Clinicas of the faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo. More specifically along the years working on the Group of Prothesis and Orthesis, with people that suffered amputation of one or more members. The loss of a part of the body involves significant changes in the life of a person. The amputations originated from accidents in general have a characteristic of being sudden and unpredictable causing abrupt alterations in which no preparation is made possible. The main subject which directed this work concerns the psychic consequences that a physical loss causes. We intend to understand in what way, from a rupture of the body, there is the interference of the psychic organization and in what way the person notices the world and perceives himself in it; this, during the period of rehabilitation. We wanted to reflect about the moment of the loss of the integrity of the body and its reflexes on the psychosomatic unit, from clinical cases, with the theoretical reference of maturing of D. W. Winnicott. In this way, we took into account the course of the emotional development according to the theory of personal maturing to reflect about the possible relation existing between the stages reached on the proper tasks of the normal development of the person and the consequences in terms of continuity or not of the process of maturing after the amputation. For this investigation we used the clinical method and the psychoanalysis reference. For the analysis of the subject proposed in this work we presented four clinical cases. The loss of a part of the body caused changes in all of the persons which were part of this study. Changed the body, the way to move, the job, the personal and family maintenance, the social contact. In the other hand the way through which each one perceives, signifies and lives this loss and these changes was not equivalent nor determined by the quality of the loss. This way, we conclude that the psychic consequences of a physical loss are those related to the conditions that each person has to elaborate imaginatively the loss and transform it in a way of life, experience, personal and interpersonal story. The articulation of the theory with the analysis and discussion of the clinical material permitted to notice that it is not possible to characterize a clinic of the amputated. This because what we have are as many clinics as we are able to know the amputated persons in their process of personal maturing previous to the amputation. Or else, an amputation does not direct unconditionally the way that a person exists in the world, but implies in significant alteration of his existence, what refers to a need of reformulations in his identity to include this new dimension of experience. The difficulty in accomplishing the imaginative elaboration of this loss, can transform the amputation in a non integrated occurence in the life of a person, with bad consequences to his health and to his development.