McLuhan on Aristotle

I’ve been reading Marshall and Eric McLuhan’s book Laws of Media at the same time as Aristotle. The beginning of the book traces the development of our concept of linear space which evolved with the use of the alphabet and contrasts with the previous oral culture: 

“There is much confusion among early commentators and later scholars about the various forms of space as well as other matters such as the nature of mimesis and of the logos. Aristotle and others were working with one foot in each world, as it were, using the new forms of awareness but trying to retain or update the ideas of the old oral culture.” 

I’ve been thinking while reading that there is simply no way for me to understand the culture which generated this work (and know we’re not trying to). This really brought home the fact that it was so entirely different. 

Until Tuesday,Sari

09. February 2009 by Arrian
Categories: Aristotle, Commentary | Tags: | Comments Off on McLuhan on Aristotle