Literate Mind versus Illiterate Mind
by Charley Pein Electronic EngineerIn seeing, visual instances enter the eyes one by one. They
are stored in memory. The instances and the manner they enter the eyes reflect the
(visual) thinking.
Text is composed of a limited number of symbols, whilst
non-text comprises an indefinite amount of instances. Clearly, symbols are
qualitatively recognizable and memorable.
They display clarity and linearity.
The mental processing of text is more efficient and effective, forming
procedures. Whereas symbols can be arranged into a whole book to reach
conclusions without chaos, a sequence of a few non-text instances would go into
disarray and fail to form a procedure. It is difficult to establish a long and
stable sequence of non-text instances. Although both literate and illiterate people
can perform creative thinking, text-encoded new thoughts are clearer, longer,
stable and much more likely to become reality. Since their new thoughts are
transient, illiterates are unlikely to try out new approaches. They usually do
things of brief duration.
The enhancement of the illiterate mind had already taken
place before the advent of written language. Non-text may be any or all things
in a visual field which comprises a large area. We usually focus on small interesting/critical
parts of it. The (non-text) objects that we focus on impress our mind, much
more than other areas do. Usually, these objects have salient features, such as
shape and contrast. Thus, they are easily recognized[1].
We see one object after another. By the time relationship, our mind is able to
remember the order of happenings, and to reason. That is to say, the human mind
operates in salient visual features, sequences of which make up the thinking
process.
This mental operating principle is maximized by written
language[2].
Lines of symbols in text pages make it feasible to speed up reading, thus speeding
up thinking. Thousands of symbols of interest in a book can be read without
moving the head. Generally, for
non-text, few interesting objects are found in a static visual field. They
enter the eyes at wider intervals. Moreover, there are no constraints for one
object to enter the eyes before another does, or for neighboring objects in the
sequence to be related. As a result, the objects are unlikely to form a logical
sequence. The efficacy (and efficiency) of the sequence is impaired. On the
contrary, symbols in text lines are arranged logically[3].
Movies (TVs, and the like) offer continuous interesting
pictures, aimed at overcoming the drawbacks of the static visual field. A
picture contains fewer objects than a visual field does. A sequence of pictures
forms a plot. They greatly strengthen the illiterate mind. However, within a picture,
there are a few salient objects. The way objects in the pictures form a
sequence is variable. In addition, the objects still have visual complexity. As
a result, the efficacy of the movie-made mind lacks behind the literate mind. Movies
provide rich content, but are not relied upon for working out solutions. Moreover,
incorporated speeches (standing for the texts) are essential for movies,
helping viewers in understanding the plot.
Albeit lacking logicality, the illiterate mind is natural
and indispensable. Obviously the merit
of non-text is its indefinitely rich content in an instance. Because of the
abundance, it is unstable. Also, because of the abundance, it is desirable. The
world itself is non-textual in nature. Hence, no pure literate minds exist. The
world is encoded in the literate mind. The non-text is often the goal of the literate
thinking. Illiterate people could have quicker minds and actions as they react to
visual instances without going through procedural textual thinking. Literates
possess both an illiterate mind and a literate mind that works in their own ways
while interacting with each other. The mind is like strings of symbols with the
non-text branching out.
The above explanations argue that visual features and their
sequences have an effect on the efficacy of the mind. The method of study is
quite simple: to analyze visual information and the timing it enters the eyes.
The principle is “fit for sequential seeing”. It is in line with the “fit for
reading” (legibility), which I described in the article “Visual Evolution of
Writing Systems towards Latin alphabet - A Hypothesis”.
The real world is non-textual. Humans naturally possess an
illiterate mind. With salient-featured symbols and their linear sequences in
pages, the literate mind is procedural and logical. Literacy enhances the efficacy
of thinking.
[1] In
the human-created world, salient visual features are omnipresent, e.g. the
shining surfaces, the prints on surfaces, the geometric outlines of products,
buildings and dresses. Nonlinguistic elements, such as figures and drawings,
often accompany the text. These enhance the illiterate mind.
[2] Mathematical expressions and computer
languages have the same function as that of written language.
[3]
Note that the sequential order is demonstrated not only (take English for
example) from left to right, then to the next line. Subheadings, formulas,
first sentences of paragraphs, etc. form other dimensions of sequences. There
are visual indicators, such as additional spaces, larger fonts or different font
types, numbering. That is to say, symbols of a common visual characteristic
form a sequence, in order to fulfill various functions, such as level of
abstraction, mathematical expression, and emphasis.
Sponsor Ads
Created on Dec 31st 1969 18:00. Viewed 0 times.