Imagine Eeyore telling you, "You're a real friend." If you heard him say that, it'd be obvious from his intonation and mannerisms that he was being sarcastic. H

Imagine Eeyore telling you, "You're a real friend." If you heard him say that, it'd be obvious from his intonation and mannerisms that he was being sarcastic. However, simply reading the quote, the meaning is unclear, or seems opposite of what was intended. How do you seek the "best conclusions" without understanding intention, or the illocutionary force, of the speech act? The necessity of interpretation to understand written texts is what led to the Protestant Reformation. Later, Francis Bacon applied interpretation beyond religious texts to the "Book of Nature", which was the precursor to the Scientific Revolution. The cognitive effect of written language is fascinating and completely frames modern ways of thinking. If you find this interesting, check out The World on Paper by David Olson.