Avatars of the Word
Summary
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Avatars of the Word by James J O'donnell
The written word has been a central bearer of culture since antiquity. However, its position is now being challenged by the powerful media of electronic communication. In this book James O'Donnell takes a reading on the promise and the threat of electronic technology for our literate future. O'Donnell reinterprets today's communication revolution through a series of refracted comparisons with earlier revolutionary periods: the transition from oral to written culture, from the papyrus scroll to the codex, from copied manuscript to print. His portrayals of these analogous epochal moments suggest that our steps into cyberspace are not as radical as we may think. Observing how technologies of the world have affected the shaping of culture in the past, and how technological transformation has been managed, we regain models that can help us navigate the electronic transformation now underway. Concluding with a focus on the need to rethink the modern university, O'Donnell specifically addresses learning and teaching in the humanities, proposing ways to seek the greatest benefit from electronic technologies while steering clear of their potential pitfalls.James J. O'donnell is a classicist who served for ten years as Provost of Georgetown University and is now University Librarian at Arizona State University. He is the author of several books including Augustine, The Ruin of the Roman Empire, and Avatars of the Word. He is the former president of the American Philological Association, a Fellow of the Medieval Academy of America, and the chair of the Board of Directors of the American Council of Learned Societies. He is seen here at an ancient monastery on the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire, in Syria.
SKU | GOR004247288 |
ISBN 13 | 9780674055452 |
ISBN 10 | 0674055454 |
Title | Avatars of the Word |
Author | James J O'donnell |
Condition | very good |
Binding type | Hardback |
Publisher | Harvard University Press |
Year published | 1998-06-25 |
Number of pages | 228 |
Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
Note | This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us |