The Logic of Writing and the Organization of Society

Jack Goody, Goody, John Rankine Goody

Cambridge University Press, 18. 12. 1986 - 213 strán (strany)

This book assesses the impact of writing on human societies, both in the Ancient Near East and in twentieth-century Africa, and highlights some general features of social systems that have been influenced by this major change in the mode of communication. Such features are central to any attempt at the theoretical definition of human society and such constituent phenomena as religious and legal systems, and in this study Professor Goody explores the role of a specific mechanism, the introduction of writing and the development of a written tradition, in the explanation of some important social differences and similarities. Goody argues that a shift of emphasis from productive to certain communicative processes is essential to account adequately for major changes in human societies. Whilst there have been previous descussions of the effect of literacy upon social organisation, no study has hitherto presented the general synthesis developed here.

Čo hovoria ostatní

LibraryThing Review

Prehľad pre používateľa  - thcson - LibraryThing

The author makes use of an impressive breadth of material on oral societies and the adoption of writing in different sectors of society. But unfortunately he can't sustain a clear direction and sense ...

LibraryThing Review

Prehľad pre používateľa  - jaygheiser - LibraryThing

Somewhat up & down. Lots of interesting ideas, but sometimes it really gets bogged down in tedious detail.

Obsah

• The word of God: 1
• The concept of athe religion: 4
• Change: 6
• Obsolescence: 8
• Incorporation or conversion: 10
• Cognitive contradictions in the general and the specific: 13
• priests and intellectuals: 16
• Endowment and alienation: 18
• The twin bureaucracies: 19
• Organizational and structural autonomy: 20
• spirit cults and world religions: 22
• Writing and religion in Ancient Egypt: 26
• Writing and religion in other early civilizations: 35
• Ritual and writing: 42
• The word of mammon: 45
• The origin of writing and the ancient economy: 48
• Writing and the temple economy: 55
• Writing and the palace economy: 62
• Writing and the mercantile economy: 71
• Writing and individual transactions: 77
• Writing and the economy in Africa: 82
• The state the bureau and the file: 87
• Bureaucracies: 89
• The administration of early states with writing: 92
• The administration of states without writing: 99
• Writing in the colonial and national administrations: 113
• Writing and the political process: 119
• The letter of the law: 127
• The definition of law: 129
• The expansion of writing and law in medieval England: 159
• The letter and the spirit of the law: 165
• Ruptures and continuities: 171
• Notes: 186
• Bibliography: 194
• Index: 206

Bibliografické informácie

• Názov: The Logic of Writing and the Organization of Society; Studies in Literacy, the Family, Culture and the State
• Autori: Jack Goody, Goody, John Rankine Goody
• Vydanie: ilustrované, dotlač
• Vydavateľ: Cambridge University Press, 1986
• Kód ISBN: 0521339626, 9780521339629
• Dĺžka: 213 strán (strany)