ABSTRACT
Two questions have often polarized the literature devoted to the emergence of writing systems: Can the history of writing systems be regarded as an evolutionary process? And does literacy have consequences for human cognitive abilities? In this chapter we œrst consider the mosaic of prehistoric developments that underwrite the creation of a social “problem space” in human societies that enable the possibility of writing. We then provide an “imaginative history” as to how this possibility was realized. From this general overview we turn to the two questions, arguing œrst that many features of this history of writing are best seen as examples of a cultural evolutionary process. Finally, we address the cognitive question, explaining how writing has in a very real sense transformed our cognitive abilities. This is particularly the case when one appreciates that cognitive systems are properly seen as being constituted by brain, body, and world-writing constitutes part of an extended human mind. Of necessity, ours is merely an overview and contributors to Goetzmann and Rouwenhorst (2005) and to Houston (2004) provide further detailed and nuanced treatments.
