Friday, March 14, 2008

The invention of the printing press is perhaps one of the more underrated phenomena of this period, because we today take it so much for granted that it is hard for us to imagine the transition for those going through it. Within a very short time, people had to come to terms with an entirely new world of production and dissemination of texts. Today's reading is designed to call our attention to this process.

Homework questions:

1. What is Elizabeth Eisenstein saying in her article about the impact of the changes that occurred with the invention of printing, and the speed with which these changes took effect?  First, look at the comparison between the master printer and the scribe, the work environment, and the process of production.

2. Look at readership and literacy.  What were the kinds of things being published?  Who were the different groups of readers for different printed works?

3. What did this advance mean for the dissemination of knowledge?  What skills or habits were lost?

4. What do you think the role of technology is in spurring changes in the way people live and think?  Look at the example of the internet today. How rapidly has it developed, and how does it continue to develop?  How has it changed people's habits--the way people learn, interact, and think? [pretty soon I won't be able to ask students this question because there will be no one left who even remembers what life was like before the internet.  I'm not sure all of you remember!]

Laurel Carrington carringt@stolaf.edu
Most recent update: January 23, 2008

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