The Power of the Written Word: The Role of Literacy in the History of the Western Civilization (Studia Classica)

Synopsis

1. Introduction -- Statement Of Purpose And Plan -- Human Evolution And Language -- Urban Civilization -- History Of Written Systems -- 2. Mesopotamian Civilizations -- Cuneiform Writing -- Scribal Schools -- Bilingualism -- Development Of Mathematics, Astronomy, Law, Literature -- 3. The Aegean Bronze Age -- Cretan Civilization -- Seapower -- Wine, Oil And Palaces -- Linear A Script -- Mycenaean Greek And Linear B Tablets -- 4. The Greek Dark Age And Rebirth -- Loss Of Literacy -- Mycenaean Survivals In Oral Poetry -- The Greek Alphabet -- Greek Trade And Colonization -- Spread Of Literacy -- Law-codes, Poetry And Philosophy -- 5. Classical Greece -- The Fifth Century -- The Intellectual Revolution -- From Mythical To Logical Thought -- Literacy, The Catalyst -- Man's Self-discovery -- General Functional Literacy As Basis Of Democracy -- 6. The 4th Century -- Plato And Aristotle -- Standardization Of Letters And Spelling -- Universal Literacy -- Plato's Philosophy -- Aristotle And Alexander -- Aristotle's Scientific Method And Philosophy -- 7. The Hellenistic Period -- Alexander's Empire -- Hellenization -- The Successors -- The Alexandrian Library And Museum -- Philosophic Schools -- Greek Literacy Conquers The East -- 8. Hellenism And The Jews -- Hellenization Of The Jews -- Reaction And Revolt -- Jewish Independence -- Religious And Class Conflict -- Christianity And Roman Occupation -- Diaspora And The Bond Of Literacy 9. Hellenism And Roman Literacy -- Hellenization Of The Roman Elite -- Bilingual Education And Literacy -- Latin Literature -- Hellenistic Science: The Great Textbooks -- 10. Christianity And The Late Empire -- Pressure From Without And Internal Conflict -- The Eastern Religions, Sol Invictus -- Christianity -- From Persecuted To Dominant -- From Diocletian To Justinian -- Collapse Of The Western Empire -- 11. The Renaissance: Humanism -- Italian Origins -- Collection And Restoration Of Manuscripts -- The Impact Of Printing -- The European Community Of Learning -- Reformation -- Classicism -- 12. The Renaissance: Science -- From Printed Classical Texts To New Beginnings -- The Revival Of Medical Science -- The Copernican Revolution -- 13. From Copernicus To Newton -- Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler, Galileo -- 14. The 18th Century -- Experimental Science -- The Age Of Reason And American Literacy -- The American Revolution And Its Ancient Models -- 15. The 19th Century -- The Industrial Revolution -- Compulsory Education And Universal Literacy -- The Golden Age Of The Printed World -- Epilogue -- Present And Future -- The Historic Correlation Between Literacy And Intellectual Advance -- Cultural Benefits -- Literacy, Rationality And Logic -- Dissenting Voices -- Effects Of Literate Education On Brain Development -- Clinical Findings -- Recent Literature -- Literacy In The Electronic Age -- Appendix -- The Transmission Of The Great Hellenistic Textbooks To Renaissance Europe Alfred Burns. Bibliography: P. [337]-364.