From orality to writing to Wittgenstein Created by Brett Oppegaard for Washington State University's DTC 375 class, spring 2009

Important human developments 4.6 billion years ago – Earth formed 160,000 years ago – Oldest human fossils found (speech among humans began) 30,000 years ago – First cave paintings 5,000 to 7,000 years ago – First writing systems appeared, starting as pictographs in Sumeria 5,000 years ago – Phoenicians develop an alphabet; Egyptians create heiroglyphs Courtesy of About.com

Important human developments 776 B.C. – Homing pigeons used to tell Athens who won the Olympics 530 B.C. – First library opens 500 B.C. – Papyrus rolls and early parchments were developed into the first portable and light writing surfaces 105 B.C. – Tsai Lun of China invents paper Courtesy of About.com

Important human developments 1455 A.D. – Gutenberg invents his printing press 1714 – Henry Mill patents a typewriter 1814 – Joseph Niépce creates first photo 1877 – Thomas Edison patents the phonograph 1910 – Edison, again, invents the first talking picture 1914 – First cross continental telephone call made Courtesy of About.com

Kenneth Burke's definition of man Man is the symbol-using (symbol-making, symbol- misusing) animal Inventor of the negative Separated from his natural condition by instruments of his own making Goaded by the spirit of hierarchy And rotten with perfection.

Wittgenstein's “Philosophical Investigations” 'Language games' And extra credit opportunity!