The themes of Dr. Franke's Evolution of Writing class often cross over with those of Writing in Cyberspace. A particularly interesting point that we've been discussing lately in class is the idea of hierchical v. associative logic, as well as linear v. multilinear reading and writing. Hypertext has been at the heart of this discussion. In theory, it links us to connected pages that are not dependent on the main idea of the first page, but can stand on their own.
Sometimes I find hypertext distracting. It can be difficult to focus on one article when underlined words are emphasized so frequently in a sentence, almost implying that you're missing out by not clicking on them. Hypertext can also easily lead the reader astray, if the reader chooses to keep clicking and finding tangential concepts to explore.
Yet such "surfing" can also prove educational. Today I decided to explore what the news was on Long Island, so I went to newsday.com. In the "World" section, beyond news on Iraq, I found an article about British people being allegedly kidnapped from Ethiopia by people of Eritrea. That was a new name. I googled it for an answer and found it on Wikipedia. This search then led to Oriental Orthodoxy. I got as far as Ecumenical council, and then realized that I had to find some sort of focus in my life.
While entertaining to find new facts, I often stray too far from my purpose and find that I've lost time in which I could have been "useful." I don't think we can abandon the purely linear page/book just yet. We need something that will keep our attention in line, after all.
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How do you know the difference between linear and associative logic? Isn't it always "one point leads to another"? Isn't linear logic just a matter of perspective?
That is, think of it literally. Linear logic is two-dimensional, right? Imagine if you can, flipping that line to reveal a third, fourth or more dimensions (there's no reason why "space of logic" should be limited to the number of dimensions we enounter in the physical world, is there?). Suddenly what seemed straight and narrow might be replete with incongruity.
I agree there is a kind of pragmatism to the illusion of a straight line, but in the end the straight line is more virtual than the internet. It doesn't exist here in the interdimensional spaces of materiality.
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