The Hour-Glass: Arte y conocimiento en la Filosofía de W.B.Yeats.

Abstract

This article puts forward the thesis that Yeats's theory of knowledge can be studied through his rejection of the universe of science. It is also suggested that his view of the limitations of positivist thought is metaphorically offered in The Hour-Glass, a play in which a confrontation between the rationalist perspective and the symbolist one is presented. The hypothesis that new modes of perception and expression are proposed in the text is also considered. The paper also claims that art is for Y eats a solution to the collapse of the scientific vision since it meets the requirements which are implicitly stated in The Hour-Glass. The essay goes on to suggest that poetry and, especially, theatre satisfy the demands of Yeatsian philosophy as perfect ways to acquire profound wisdom.