Schiller's Concept of Alienation Revisited: the Quest for Wholeness

Kubota examines Schiller's Letters on the Aesthetic Education of Man, and revisits his concept of alienation, a key to understanding his controversial rhetoric. Kubota argues that his terminology - in which words have many meanings - may be understood in light of Schiller's dualistic view of humanity and his historical view of human progress. In his view of dualism and dialectic progress, Schiller sees either a fragmented of united human condition, and changes the meaning of his words depending on which era or state he is discussing. He holds that the aesthetic (holistic) education of man is vital in overcoming alienation, and contends we should use what he calls the play drive, a mental state equidistant from sense and reason, in all aspects of life, just as artists do when realizing the combination of mind and matter. For Schiller, ultimate social reform must start from the foundation of such a synthesized psyche, since this is the only way to build the bridge between the ideal and real, to realize humanity's dream of freedom.