The Writing on the Wall

How Asian Orthography Curbs Creativity

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Anthropology, Reference & Language, Reference
Cover of the book The Writing on the Wall by William C. Hannas, University of Pennsylvania Press, Inc.
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: William C. Hannas ISBN: 9780812202168
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press, Inc. Publication: March 26, 2013
Imprint: University of Pennsylvania Press Language: English
Author: William C. Hannas
ISBN: 9780812202168
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press, Inc.
Publication: March 26, 2013
Imprint: University of Pennsylvania Press
Language: English

Students in Japan, China, and Korea are among the world's top performers on standardized math and science tests. The nations of East Asia are also leading manufacturers of consumer goods that incorporate scientific breakthroughs in telecommunications, optics, and transportation. Yet there is a startling phenomenon known throughout Asia as the "creativity problem." While East Asians are able to use science, they have not demonstrated the ability to invent radically new systems and paradigms that lead to new technologies. In fact, the legal and illegal transfer of technology from the West to the East is one of the most contentious international business issues. Yet Asians who study and work in the West and depend upon Western languages for their research are among the most creative and talented scientists, no less so than their Western counterparts.

William C. Hannas contends that this paradox emerges from the nature of East Asian writing systems, which are character-based rather than alphabetic. Character-based orthographies, according to the author, lack the abstract features of alphabetic writing that model the thought processes necessary for scientific creativity. When first learning to read, children who are immersed in a character-based culture are at a huge disadvantage because such writing systems do not cultivate the ability for abstract thought. Despite the overwhelming body of evidence that points to the cognitive side-effects, the cultural importance of character-based writing makes the adoption of an alphabet unlikely in the near future.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Students in Japan, China, and Korea are among the world's top performers on standardized math and science tests. The nations of East Asia are also leading manufacturers of consumer goods that incorporate scientific breakthroughs in telecommunications, optics, and transportation. Yet there is a startling phenomenon known throughout Asia as the "creativity problem." While East Asians are able to use science, they have not demonstrated the ability to invent radically new systems and paradigms that lead to new technologies. In fact, the legal and illegal transfer of technology from the West to the East is one of the most contentious international business issues. Yet Asians who study and work in the West and depend upon Western languages for their research are among the most creative and talented scientists, no less so than their Western counterparts.

William C. Hannas contends that this paradox emerges from the nature of East Asian writing systems, which are character-based rather than alphabetic. Character-based orthographies, according to the author, lack the abstract features of alphabetic writing that model the thought processes necessary for scientific creativity. When first learning to read, children who are immersed in a character-based culture are at a huge disadvantage because such writing systems do not cultivate the ability for abstract thought. Despite the overwhelming body of evidence that points to the cognitive side-effects, the cultural importance of character-based writing makes the adoption of an alphabet unlikely in the near future.

More books from University of Pennsylvania Press, Inc.

Cover of the book The Capture of Constantinople by William C. Hannas
Cover of the book Tragicomic Redemptions by William C. Hannas
Cover of the book Warner Mifflin by William C. Hannas
Cover of the book Mortal Remains by William C. Hannas
Cover of the book Conduct Becoming by William C. Hannas
Cover of the book Her Life Historical by William C. Hannas
Cover of the book Making Love in the Twelfth Century by William C. Hannas
Cover of the book Nature and Culture in the Early Modern Atlantic by William C. Hannas
Cover of the book The Color Revolutions by William C. Hannas
Cover of the book The Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Human Rights by William C. Hannas
Cover of the book Becoming Penn by William C. Hannas
Cover of the book Torture by William C. Hannas
Cover of the book Alliterative Revivals by William C. Hannas
Cover of the book The Origins of Freemasonry by William C. Hannas
Cover of the book Last Things by William C. Hannas
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy