Wahnsinn und Ekstase

›Wahnsinn‹ (insanity) is an enigmatic term with a huge variety of meanings. This variety ranges from labelling mental illnesses or behaviour which is incomprehensible, unreliable or dangerous, to positive attributes ('wahnsinnig gut' i.e. 'extremely great'). In case studies, this volume examines the pre-history of ›Wahnsinn‹ before the age of reason ('Zeitalter der Vernunft', Foucault). It does so by looking at how texts from the Christian Ancient World and the Middle Ages stage abnormal behavior which can be traced back to perception disorder or mental disorientation, or how this behavior is attributed to certain characters. Thus, the prime focus of this examination tackles the question how ›Wahnsinn‹ is functionalised, and also analyses the role which is played by the socio-cultural backgrounds as well as the philosophical and theological context, and the context of medical history.