The chapters of this volume were originally contributions pre­ sented at a seminar entitled "The Written Code and Conceptions of Reality" held on the island of Sydkoster in August, 1985. The seminar was financed by a grant to the editor from The Swedish Council for Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences. The word-processing of manuscripts was carried out by Chri­ stine Aranda, Maria Axelson, Marianne Axelson and Lotta Strand, who carried the major burden. Their help in this project, as well as in many other common concerns, is deeply appreciated. The preparation of a book that is a collective enterprise is, in some respects, greatly facilitated by modern word-processing. When it comes to putting together the final product, however, the limita­ tions of technologies are easily recognized as a result of the compli­ cations that arise from the variation in systems used by con­ tributors. Lotta Strand was responsible for the coordination neces­ sary for completing the final version of the manuscript. Without her patient efforts and skills in this new type of literacy, word­ processing technology would have been an obstacle rather than an asset. Excellent bibliographic assistance was provided by Christina Brage, Lennart Eriksson and Inger Karlsson of the library at the Departments of Theme Studies of the University Library of Lin­ koping. Linguistic advice on the chapters written by contributors who were not wise enough to be born with English as their mother tongue was given by Alex de Courcy.

The Written World: Introduction.- 1 Literate Conceptions and Conceptions of Literacy.- 1 On Literacy and the Myth of Literal Meaning.- 2 The Impact of Literacy on the Conception of Language: The Case of Linguistics.- 3 Literacy Practices and Literacy Myths.- 4 Language Practices and the Visibility of Language. Reflections on the Great Divide in the Light of Ethiopian Oral Traditions.- 5 Computer Literacy and Procedural Knowledge.- 6 Writing, Time and Memory in the Perspective of Socio-cultural Evolution.- 2 Literate Practices and Human Cognitive Repertoires.- 7 Interpreting Texts and Interpreting Nature: The Effects of Literacy on Hermeneutics and Epistemology.- 8 Learning to Read - Some Possible Consequences for Thinking.- 9 Entrance into the "World of Knowledge" - Pre-school Children's Conceptions of Learning.- 10 Towards an Anatomy of Academic Discourse: Meaning and Context in the Undergraduate Essay.- 11 A Text and Its Meanings: Observations on How Readers Construe What Is Meant from What Is Written.- 12 Insight into Understanding.- Author Index.