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Socrates seems here he is mostly expressing the frustration that he cannot entrain a book into his methods, and that their authors cannot keep pace with him in
by svnt 4y ago
Socrates seems here he is mostly expressing the frustration that he cannot entrain a book into his methods, and that their authors cannot keep pace with him in dialogue.
But that was never the point of writing. The point is to use some small fraction of sensory+cognitive function to give yourself access to a separable, durable, redundant, and location-independent form of information.
Not touched on here but in other recent books is the possible loss of sensory+cognitive function that comes with simply learning to read and write in the first place. It’s possible this is the origin of the myth of Odin sacrificing an eye to read the runes.
- wwweston 4y ago> the possible loss of sensory+cognitive function that comes with simply learning to read and write in the first place. I don't doubt this is possible but I'd love a cite to find out what the case looks like.
- svnt 4y agoOne place I’m sure I read it was in the first couple chapters of Joe Henrich’s The WEIRDest People in the World — hopefully he cites sources there. I can’t look up my notes just now but if I get a chance and find more I’ll post.
- wwweston 4y agoOddly, was just browsing in a library today and that title was one that caught my attention. Will have to check it out!