RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here
April 5, 2016 at 3:38 am
(This post was last modified: April 5, 2016 at 3:48 am by Alex K.)
(March 3, 2016 at 8:11 am)Alex K Wrote: After having read the Pinker book I wrote about upthread, I now went to the source which provides a more in-depth (albeit arguably less funny) description with more emphasis on the philosophical background
So far it looks quite promising.
I have now finished it and can recommend it wholeheartedly, to aspiring science writers in particular, but really to all others as well. The authors present a rather clear analysis of different (mostly, but not necessarily non-fic) writing styles based on many examples, and how writing style is more than merely superficial choices of stylistic elements, but originates from certain decisions concerning fundamental questions about the attitude of the author towards the subject and the audience.
The "classic style" they themselves promote, assumes - for the sake of the text at hand - that the author knows a "truth" about a topic, which is knowable by the writer and reader, which can be adequately expressed by language and does not rely on personal revelation or secret knowledge of the author (this is in contrast to e.g. romantic writing styles which do not assume that the subject can even by adequately conveyed by language, nor is necessarily clearly knowable, or e.g. the writings of a religious figure describing personal divine revelations). This is the set of deep stylistic decisions they, a bit facetiously, call the "theology" behind the style. In their "classic style", this truth is presented to the reader as one would show a real object and point out its features, even if the text is about an abstract concept. It was pioneered by 18th century French writers such as Laplace, but is very much timely - it is diametrically opposed to obscurantist or pretentious writing.
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psalm 14, KJV revised edition