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The Alphabet Effect: The Impact of the Phonetic Alphabet on the Development of Western Civilization
Describes the evolution of writing, compares the characteristics of Eastern and Western civilizations, and argues that the alphabet led to the development of linear logic
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 16, 2014
An interesting book that hypothesizes that the phonetic alphabet creates a more flexible thought process than a logography. I found his theories interesting, but some of his arguments less than satisfactory.
As a non-linguist, I do not have the training to know if his declarative statements about the nature of Chinese writing and Chinese scientific thinking are accurate or not. There is little evidence in the text to illustrate these statements further. That said, while I did not find his comparative analysis very well discussed - his analysis of how a phonetic alphabet can offer rewards beyond simple reading was through. His discussions on the limitations of an alphabet when not tied to a separate number system was surprisingly entertaining.
His discussion of how the Greeks (who used letters as their number system) never developed variable algebra was particularly funny. How can one solve 4 = 2 + X when X always means 600? Frankly it makes the Greek advances in mathematics even more impressive when you consider they were primarily discussed orally.
Of course any attempt to use a single vector to do a comparative analysis of different cultures over thousands of years is bound to be incomplete. It does an admirable job of providing one piece to that puzzle - but works even better as a love note to the alphabet itself.
As a special note, the last chapter discusses how the digital age changes how the alphabet is used and consumed. All books written in 1986 should have a chapter like this; as a time machine of naivety. I wonder how Dr. Logan might change this chapter 30 years later...
As a non-linguist, I do not have the training to know if his declarative statements about the nature of Chinese writing and Chinese scientific thinking are accurate or not. There is little evidence in the text to illustrate these statements further. That said, while I did not find his comparative analysis very well discussed - his analysis of how a phonetic alphabet can offer rewards beyond simple reading was through. His discussions on the limitations of an alphabet when not tied to a separate number system was surprisingly entertaining.
His discussion of how the Greeks (who used letters as their number system) never developed variable algebra was particularly funny. How can one solve 4 = 2 + X when X always means 600? Frankly it makes the Greek advances in mathematics even more impressive when you consider they were primarily discussed orally.
Of course any attempt to use a single vector to do a comparative analysis of different cultures over thousands of years is bound to be incomplete. It does an admirable job of providing one piece to that puzzle - but works even better as a love note to the alphabet itself.
As a special note, the last chapter discusses how the digital age changes how the alphabet is used and consumed. All books written in 1986 should have a chapter like this; as a time machine of naivety. I wonder how Dr. Logan might change this chapter 30 years later...
August 9, 2007
This is a fascinating little book. It hypothesizes that the use of a phonetic alphabet in the west, as compared with pictograms, led to a "linearized", deconstructing turn of mind that helped form western science, and analysis in general. In may be BS, but it is really interesting.
July 4, 2017
A very fascinating book. Will write a review later.
January 4, 2023
“The magic of the phonetic alphabet is that it is more than a writing system…�
Robert K. Logan believes that “The Impact of the Phonetic Alphabet on the Development of the Western Civilization� is responsible for more than just communication. In this book, he takes time to describe and support his theory.
It is always interesting to follow single theories and see how one can view the world. In “Guns Germs and Steel,� by Jared Damond, it’s how the world is built. My favorites are the ones in that economics shapes the world. Then there is “Newspeak�; if you cannot say it you cannot express it.
Back to the thrust of this book, a chapter list gives the best view of what Robert Logan is trying to say:
Chapter 1: Alphabet, Mother of Invention
Chapter 2: The Invention of the Mother of Invention
Chapter 3: A Comparison of Eastern and Western Writing Systems and Their Impact on Cultural Patterns
Chapter 4: The Development of Phonetic Writing and Codified Law in Mesopotamia
Chapter 5: Alphabet, Monotheism, and the Hebrews, the People of the Book
Chapter 6: The Phonetic Alphabet and the Origins of Greek Science and Logic
Chapter 7: The Impact of Alphabetic Writing on the Greek Spirit
Chapter 8: The Hellenistic and Roman World Empires
Chapter 9: The Arabs and Islamic Culture
Chapter 10: Numerical Notations and the Mystery of Zero
Chapter 11: The Middle Ages and the Return of Alphabetic Literacy
Chapter 12: The Printing Press: Enhancing the Alphabet Effect
Chapter 13: Print, the Alphabet, and Science
Chapter 14: The Social and Cultural Impact of the Printing Press
Chapter 15: The Alphabet in the Context of the Electronic Age of Information
For further reading, be sure to look at the source notes.
Robert K. Logan may be stretching it a bit but after reading this book you might look at the impact of the phonetic alphabet in a new light.
Robert K. Logan believes that “The Impact of the Phonetic Alphabet on the Development of the Western Civilization� is responsible for more than just communication. In this book, he takes time to describe and support his theory.
It is always interesting to follow single theories and see how one can view the world. In “Guns Germs and Steel,� by Jared Damond, it’s how the world is built. My favorites are the ones in that economics shapes the world. Then there is “Newspeak�; if you cannot say it you cannot express it.
Back to the thrust of this book, a chapter list gives the best view of what Robert Logan is trying to say:
Chapter 1: Alphabet, Mother of Invention
Chapter 2: The Invention of the Mother of Invention
Chapter 3: A Comparison of Eastern and Western Writing Systems and Their Impact on Cultural Patterns
Chapter 4: The Development of Phonetic Writing and Codified Law in Mesopotamia
Chapter 5: Alphabet, Monotheism, and the Hebrews, the People of the Book
Chapter 6: The Phonetic Alphabet and the Origins of Greek Science and Logic
Chapter 7: The Impact of Alphabetic Writing on the Greek Spirit
Chapter 8: The Hellenistic and Roman World Empires
Chapter 9: The Arabs and Islamic Culture
Chapter 10: Numerical Notations and the Mystery of Zero
Chapter 11: The Middle Ages and the Return of Alphabetic Literacy
Chapter 12: The Printing Press: Enhancing the Alphabet Effect
Chapter 13: Print, the Alphabet, and Science
Chapter 14: The Social and Cultural Impact of the Printing Press
Chapter 15: The Alphabet in the Context of the Electronic Age of Information
For further reading, be sure to look at the source notes.
Robert K. Logan may be stretching it a bit but after reading this book you might look at the impact of the phonetic alphabet in a new light.
July 5, 2019
More history than essay, more information than knowledge. The premise and scope of the book are larger than the space it actually manages to fill up - maybe too spread out in form to deliver the necessary content. A great generalistic read; falls short of the concise argument I thought it would push through.
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