Abstract

The expression preparatory field indicates a complex of experiences that contribute to the magmatic moment of the emergence of schizophrenic delusion. Although the scans of this pathway are difficult to isolate precisely and the nuances of the transitional sequences are very personal, descriptions of certain entry situations that correspond to the pre-stages of schizophrenic delusion can nevertheless be found in studies of classical psychopathology: perplexity, the delusional state of mind and the end-of-the-world experience. In the experience of the end of the world a new network of meanings emerges as an allusion and hint of a looming and imminent catastrophe. Excerpts from Bruno Callieri’s «Contributo allo studio psicopatologico dell’esperienza schizofrenica di fine del mondo» are republished here.