What effects has writing had on human thought processes?
Five effects are:
1-Writing can slow down thought processes since writing takes more time than speaking.
2-Writing can clarify thought processes since writing often affords a communicator time to think about what he or she wants to say.
3-Writing can extend the lifespan of thought processes because one’s ideas can outlive him or her via writing.
4-Writing can expand the geographic reach of thought processes because one person’s writing can travel to more places than an individual can.
5-Writing can improve the accuracy in thought processes because there is a referential record.
Does it weaken memory?
My intuition suggests in general writing weakens memory related to words. However, conversely if someone is devoted to memorize a particular text, writing can facilitate a more accurate memorization of that text. Or if someone references a written text frequently the person may memorize the text through frequent exposure.
If so, does this matter?
This is a great question. Aligned with Ong’s statement in “Oral Cultures and Early Writing” that indices in printed books were a large selling point for quickly referencing information, if we believe we can find any piece of information in writing within a few minutes then I suspect we are less likely to commit those thoughts to our minds. And if such information no longer resides in our minds then perhaps this comes at the sacrifice of making conscious and subconscious connections between ideas. However, if a person reads an exceptional or transformative idea then a person may remember this, in which case writing may create a setting where people remember what they consider most important.
Is rote learning of any use in literate cultures with easy and affordable access to various methods of information storage? (i.e., Is there any pedagogical merit in requiring students to memorize information such as mathematical formulas or literary texts?)
Yes for now, at least until the availability of information is accessible almost instantly and machines have not replaced humans. In addition as stated above to making connections between ideas in our minds, there are still situations, for example surgery and speed chess, in which mastery requires memorization and fast recall. Also, while knowing where to reference useful written content efficiently is a valuable skill, I suspect that memorization facilitates a quicker path to understanding and mastery than referencing written content.
What form(s) of thinking has writing facilitated? In what ways has this been beneficial or detrimental for humanity?
While the point is tautological, writing facilitates historical thought. Also if, as Ong states in “Oral Cultures and Early Writing” that people in oral cultures tend to not memorize longer texts word for word, then writing also facilitates scientific thinking, particularly where such thought requires detail and precision. For example, while inventing the wheel may be possible without writing, it is difficult to envision inventing a rocket without writing technology.
Writing certainly facilitates the spread of ideas and ideologies. While many of these, such as hand washing before surgery and the equality of all humans, have disseminated through writing and benefited humans, there have also been written ideas, such as racism, which have been detrimental.
How has the technology of writing changed the act of teaching?
Writing largely changed teaching because it introduced literacy as a prerequisite to learning written knowledge; thus the advent of writing changed teaching because thereafter teachers needed to instruct learners in literacy if learners were to learn through reading. In this way, teaching and learning through written text became more of an elite and privileged activity because literacy was a costly gateway into learning. However, as writing became more widespread and literacy increased, writing changed teaching because a teacher could reach a larger audience via writing. Writing also has changed teaching because it allows for records of learners— examinations, documentation of learning, papers, essays, and dissertations, for example.