Rozin, V. M. Evolution of the Book in the Western Cultural Environment (From a Clay Book to EBook)

Abstract: The article is devoted to the evolution of book from the moment when it was first created in the culture of the Ancient World and up to the present. One of the prerequisites for creating a book was the invention and development of the written language and the other prerequisite was the development of personality and society. At the first stages of the development the book ensured the consolidation of society. Later the book gained other functions such as virtual traveling, entertainment, knowledge and education. The appearance of book had a considerable influence on the humanity and formed different realities of his consciousness as well as new abilities. At the beginning of the Modern Period new readers and new requirements for a book appeared which resulted in creating a printing machine and a new type of book (technology development played an important role in that process). The last part of the article is devoted to the second technical revolution which, in its turn, resulted in the creation of a eBook and Internet. The author discusses the reasons why eBook is now superseding a paper book. The research provided in the article involved problematisation and situational analysis and was entirely based on the method of pseudo-getic analysis allowing to perform the cultural and historical reconstruction of a book. As a result of the research, the author shows that a great evolution the book has had. The main drivers of the development have been the cultural shift, technological inventions, problems and requirements of the society and personality. The ebook has led not only to the consolidation of the society and realization of personality but also constituted some sides of human consciousness and abilities.

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