After Class 02/17/10

Today we discussed how printmaking began and the impact it had on the world. The invention of the printing press changed the world forever. Before Gutenberg created it, books and manuscripts were rare and tiresome materials to reproduce. There was a very high rate of illiteracy. The only medium in which people understood the same symbols was through playing cards.
Once printmaking began it was a very expensive process. It required several people's efforts. There had to be a paper and parchment maker, typfounder, printer, designer, wood cutter, illuminator, and book binder.
However as this process was perfected and printing could be done at faster speeds, more books and posters could be created. Illustrations were reproduced and people were able to learn better about a variety of subjects from mathematics to anatomy once there was visual representations to refer to along with the text. This led to an increase in literacy. Durer created an illustration of a rhinoceros and for the first time Europeans were able to see this magnificent creature. Printing changed the way people thought about the world and what it was made up of.
The most amazing outcome I find that the invention of the printing press had was the beginnings of thought and logic. People were finally able to write down their ideas, and this led to an increase in individual thought. The most notable example of this to the Christian church is Martin Luther's led Protestant Reformation. Because he had the ability to write his own works and compare those to others he was able to create new thoughts about Christianity that had not yet been explained. It is also important to note that the printing press was invented right before the Renaissance period. Europe had gone through some very difficult time (Dark Ages, Plague) and the printing press was a sort of light that shown unto the world. It allowed thoughts, ideas, and literature to spread across the world. It is one of the greatest inventions of mankind. I would be curious to know what kind of impact the printing press had on changing the education system. Also, what happened to scribes since their services were no longer needed? I would also be curious to question how public records benefited or changed. Since more reproductions of paper could be made (filing taxes, marriage license, etc.) did society become much more organized? This topic is fascinating I could ponder all day about the impacts of the printing press.