Walter J. Ong-s classic work provides a fascinating insight into the social effects of oral, written, printed and electronic technologies, and their impact on philosophical, theological, scientific and literary thought.
This thirtieth anniversary edition - coinciding with Ong-s centenary year - reproduces his best-known and most influential book in full and brings it up to date with two new exploratory essays by cultural writer and critic John Hartley.
Hartley provides:
- A scene-setting chapter that situates Ong-s work within the historical and disciplinary context of post-war Americanism and the rise of communication and media studies;
- A closing chapter that follows up Ong-s work on orality and literacy in relation to evolving media forms, with a discussion of recent criticisms of Ong-s approach, and an assessment of his concept of the -evolution of consciousness-;
- Extensive references to recent scholarship
