Re-Establishing a Dialectic of Madness

Abstract

Historical evidence indicates that until the seventeenth century, a dialectical conception of madness existed; it combined the elements of loss of reason and idiocy with prophecy and clairvoyance. The onset of the Age of Reason marked the end of man's communication with madness and the accompanying dissolution of the dialectic--madness became solely a symbol of opprobrium and the insane were herded off into houses of confinement. Because mad people are returning to the streets again, it is important that we begin to explore the potential benefits that can be derived from re-establishing our communications with madness, i.e. reconstituting the dialectic. An examination of the formerly valued aspects of madness can serve as a useful point of departure.