Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Jul 1975

The Logos of Computer Logorrhea

Jere Jones City University of New York ; A. Richard Shriver Honeywell (United States) ; Nicholas Lambesis Honeywell (United States)

Abstract

Cybernetics, the “science” relating the modus operandi of computing machines to man, has fostered a number of myths that cloud the way we talk about computers. And even though these cybernetics myths are not always taken seriously by the philosopher, engineer, or computer programmer, a misleading and imprecise vocabulary of computer logorrhea has evolved which threatens to obscure man's ability to use the electronic computing machine as a tool. This paper represents an inquiry into the roots of several cybernetics-related misconceptions and some of the consequent anthropomorphic nonsense and grammatical falacies which permeate our thinking and our language.

Journal
Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published
1975-07-01
DOI
10.2190/9l2k-gwfb-g285-32e3
CompPile
Search in CompPile ↗
Open Access
Closed
Topics
argument digital rhetoric
Export
BibTeX RIS

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (0)

No articles in this index cite this work.

References (13)

  1. 10.5962/bhl.title.166289
     ↗
  2. Ellul Jacques (1972)
    The New Technology and Human Values
  3. Crosson Fredrick J. (1967)
    Philosophy and Cybernetics
  4. Jaki Stanley L. (1969)
    Brain, Mind and Computers
  5. Jaspers Karl (1957)
    Man in the Modern Age
Show all 13 →
  1. Mumford Lewis (1966)
    The Myth of the Machine: Technics and Human Development
  2. Rose J. (1969)
    Survey of Cybernetics
  3. Russel Bertrand (1945)
    A History of Western Philosophy
  4. Scriven Michael (1964)
    Mind and Machines
  5. 10.7312/taub90714
     ↗
  6. Turing A. M. (1964)
    Mind and Machines
  7. Wiener Norbert (1948)
    Cybernetics
  8. Wittgenstein Ludwig (1958)
    The Blue and Brown Books
CrossRef global citation count: 0 View in citation network → Build reading path →

Related Articles

  1. Written Communication Feb 2026
    Exploring the Relationship Between Plan Features and Argument Essay Performance ↗
    Yi Song; Paul Deane; Chen Li
    genre theory argument digital rhetoric
  2. Assessing Writing Jan 2026
    The effects of online resource use on L2 learners’ computer-mediated writing processes and written products ↗
    Honglan Wang; Jookyoung Jung
    revision argument assessment digital rhetoric multilingual writers grammar and mechanics affect and writing
  3. Argumentation Sep 2025
    Reconstructing Resistance: Pragmatic Argumentation Against Scientific Metaphor ↗
    Andreas Bilstrup Finsen; Jean Wagemans
    discourse analysis argument digital rhetoric
  4. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly Jun 2025
    “Follow-up the Email”: Upward Directed Persuasion in the Contemporary Workplace ↗
    Nelson Lamar Reinsch; Jeanine Warisse Turner
    argument digital rhetoric
  5. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly Dec 2024
    Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving in the Age of ChatGPT: Experiential-Bibliotherapy-Blogging Project ↗
    Daneshwar Sharma
    argument digital rhetoric social media artificial intelligence