Writing as a Reflection of the Civilization from Antiquity to the Modern Times

Abstract

In the paper, a short discussion on the role of writing in the history of humanity is presented. The origins of writing are analyzed and some facts of modern script inventions are found to confirm its two-fold nature, both from economical (trade) and spiritual (religious) needs. Similar development of writing in different world regions and identical internal structure of logographic scripts can be the evidence for the universality of human thinking.   A correlation between the types of civilization and the “philosophy” of writing is pointed.

Cuvinte-cheie: scris, civilizaţie, Antichitate, modernitate

REZUMAT

În articol, este abordat rolul scrisului în istoria omenirii. Originea scrisului este analizată de rând cu unele inovaţii contemporane în acest domeniu pentru a demonstra caracterul biaspectual al acestuia, motivat atât de necesităţile economice (comerciale), cât şi de cele spirituale (religioase). Evoluţia similară a sistemelor de scriere în diferite regiuni ale lumii şi structura internă identică a logografurilor pot fi dovada universalităţii gândirii umane. Se pune accentul şi pe corelaţia dintre tipurile de civilizaţie şi filozofia scrisului.

LANGUAGES OF PUBLICATION

English (main text and corpus); Greek, Latin, Ewe, Chinese, Phoenician, Semitic Akkadian, Assyrian, Mayan, Apache etc. (corpus)

UDC: 003.08

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Received: July 10, 2011 | Reviewed: July 20, 2011| Accepted for publication: July 29, 2011

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