La centralidad del concepto de delirio en el pensamiento de María Zambrano

This paper explores the concept of delirium and its pivotal role in María Zambrano’s philosophy. I argue that Zambrano attempts a re-evaluation of the categories of reason and delirium, so as to expose the limitations of Cartesian reason y propose poetic reason as an alternative to it. The relationship between delirium and reality as well as delirium and madness is analysed and reveals that, for Zambrano, the function of delirium is to enable to the liberation of the individual. In fact, this analysis concludes that delirium is the pre-requisite of freedom. Finally, I suggest that the potential for self-development and liberation which are inherent to poetic reason is rooted in the experience of delirium, because delirium is a necessary step to each awakening, that is, to each process of greater awareness and personal expansion.