Platos Views on the Technology of Writing Essay example

Platos Views on the Technology of Writing In the book Phaedrus Plato offers a lot of criticism for a writing technology that not many of us would ever think as writing technology, let alone criticize it. This writing technology is none other than writing itself. When people think of writing technology they mostly think of the printing press, the computer, the typewriter and such. Yet no one stops to think of writing. Writing has had such a major impact on society that who would ever think that the one of the greatest minds of all time opposed it. Plato was not just a crazy old man afraid of change; his criticism can still be applied today. For many people, writing has always been around. It’s hard to†¦show more content†¦For example, in school when students take notes in class they don’t bother to memorize the information right away as they are listening to it. Students rely on the fact that they took notes and can refer to the notes later on. Consider a student getting ready to do their homework. The first thing that student will probably do is look at his/her assignment book where she wrote down what the assignments are for each class and when they are due. Planners are widely used by students to remember all the assignments for each of their classes and due dates. Many people also use planners for their jobs and daily activities. Some of these people could not function without a planner. Not many people think of planners or notes as promoters of forgetfulness, but they are. Just think of how many people could not remember a spouse’s birthday or an anniversary if the y didn’t have it written down somewhere. Think of how many late assignments student would turn in because they relied solely on memory. Forgetfulness was not the only thing Plato was worried about when it came to writing. He was also concerned about how permanent writing was. When you look at the difference between writing and speech a major difference is how variable speech can be. Plato saw this as a benefit not a detriment. When someone gives a speech there are many people present who serve as witnesses. These people can argue with the orator or point out mistakes.Show MoreRelated The Power Of Writing Essay995 Words   |  4 PagesThe Power Of Writing When I entered this class I didn’t think that we would be discussing the concept of writing. In fact, I never thought the concept of writing was that complicated enough to be discussed in a classroom setting. However, as demonstrated throughout history different forms of communication, such as writing, have shaped and evolved human interaction and invoked societal change. For example, in Walter Ong’s essay, â€Å"Writing is a Technology that Restructures Thought,† Ong acknowledgesRead MorePlato And His Influences On Plato s Philosophy1370 Words   |  6 Pagestheir own impact on Platonic ideas or theory. 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