Propædia

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One of three parts of the 15th edition of Encyclopædia Britannica

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::summary One of three parts of the 15th edition of Encyclopædia Britannica ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Encyclopaedia_Britannica_15_with_2002.jpg" caption="Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15th edition" alt="Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15th edition"] ::

The one-volume Propædia is the first of three parts of the 15th edition of Encyclopædia Britannica, intended as a compendium and topical organisation of the 12-volume Micropædia and the 17-volume Macropædia, which are organised alphabetically. Introduced in 1974 with the 15th edition, the Propædia and Micropædia were intended to replace the Index of the 14th edition; however, after widespread criticism, the Britannica restored the Index as a two-volume set in 1985. The core of the Propædia is its Outline of Knowledge, which seeks to provide a logical framework for all human knowledge. However, the Propædia also has several appendices listing the staff members, advisors and contributors to all three parts of the Britannica.

The last edition of the print Britannica was published in 2010.

''Outline of Knowledge''

Like the Britannica as a whole, the Outline has three types of goals:

The Outline has 167 sections, which are categorised into 41 divisions and then into 10 parts. Each part has an introductory essay written by the same individual responsible for developing the outline for that part, which was done in consultation and collaboration with a handful of other scholars. In all, 86 men and one woman were involved in developing the Outline of Knowledge.

The Outline was an eight-year project of Mortimer J. Adler, published 22 years after he published a similar effort (the Syntopicon) that attempts to provide an overview of the relationships among the "Great Ideas" in Adler's Great Books of the Western World series. (The Great Books were also published by the Encyclopædia Britannica Inc.) Adler stresses in his book, A Guidebook to Learning: For a Lifelong Pursuit of Wisdom, that the ten categories should not be taken as hierarchical but as circular.

::quote[attribution="[[Mortimer J. Adler]], in ''A Guidebook'', pp. 91–2"] The whole of the Propædia's synoptic outline of knowledge deserves to be read carefully. It represents a twentieth-century scheme for the organisation of knowledge that is more comprehensive than any other and that also accommodates the intellectual heterodoxy of our time. ::

Contents

1. Matter and Energy

The lead author was Nigel Calder, who wrote the introduction "The Universe of the Physicist, the Chemist, and the Astronomer".

  • 1.1 Atoms
    • 1.1.1 Structure and Properties of Atoms
    • 1.1.2 Atomic Nuclei and Elementary Particles
  • 1.2 Energy, Radiation, and States of Matter
    • 1.2.1 Chemical Elements: Periodic Variation in Their Properties
    • 1.2.2 Chemical Compounds: Molecular Structure and Chemical Bonding
    • 1.2.3 Chemical Reactions
    • 1.2.4 Heat, Thermodynamics, Liquids, Gases, Plasmas
    • 1.2.5 The Solid State of Matter
    • 1.2.6 Mechanics of Particles, Rigid and Deformable Bodies: Elasticity, Vibration, and Flow
    • 1.2.7 Electricity and Magnetism
    • 1.2.8 Waves and Wave Motion
  • 1.3 The Universe
    • 1.3.1 The Cosmos
    • 1.3.2 Galaxies and Stars
    • 1.3.3 The Solar System

2. The Earth

The lead author was Peter John Wyllie, who wrote the introduction "The Great Globe Itself".

3. Life

The lead author was René Dubos, who wrote the introduction "The Mysteries of Life".

4. Human Life

The lead author was Loren Eiseley, who wrote the introduction "The Cosmic Orphan".

  • 4.1 The Development of Human Life
  • 4.2 The Human Body: Health and Disease
    • 4.2.1 The Structures and Functions of the Human Body
    • 4.2.2 Human Health
    • 4.2.3 Human Diseases
    • 4.2.4 The Practice of Medicine and Care of Health
  • 4.3 Human Behavior and Experience
    • 4.3.1 General theories of human nature and behavior
    • 4.3.2 Antecedent conditions and developmental processes affecting a person's behavior and conscious experience
    • 4.3.3 Influence of the current environment on a person's behavior and conscious experience: attention, sensation, and perception
    • 4.3.4 Current Internal states affecting a person' behavior and conscious experience
    • 4.3.5 Development of Learning and Thinking
    • 4.3.6 Personality and the Self: Integration and Disintegration

5. Society

The lead author was Harold D. Lasswell, who wrote the introduction "Man the Social Animal".

  • 5.1 Social Groups: Ethnic groups and Cultures
    • 5.1.1 Peoples and Cultures of the World
    • 5.1.2 The Development of Human Culture
    • 5.1.3 Major Cultural Components and Institutions of Societies
    • 5.1.4 Language and Communication
  • 5.2 Social Organization and Social Change
    • 5.2.1 Social Structure and Change
    • 5.2.2 The Group Structure of Society
    • 5.2.3 Social Status
    • 5.2.4 Human Populations: Urban and Rural Communities
  • 5.3 The Production, Distribution, and Utilization of Wealth
    • 5.3.1 Economic Concepts, Issues, and Systems
    • 5.3.2 Consumer and Market: Pricing and Mechanisms for Distributing Goods
    • 5.3.3 The Organization of Production and Distribution
    • 5.3.4 The Distribution of Income and Wealth
    • 5.3.5 Macroeconomics
    • 5.3.6 Economic Growth and Planning
  • 5.4 Politics and Government
    • 5.4.1 Political Theory
    • 5.4.2 Political Institutions: the Structure, Branches, & Offices of Government
    • 5.4.3 Functioning of Government: the Dynamics of the Political Process
    • 5.4.4 International Relations: Peace and War
  • 5.5 Law
    • 5.5.1 Philosophies and Systems of Law; the Practice of Law
    • 5.5.2 Branches of Public Law, Substantive and Procedural
    • 5.5.3 Branches of Private Law, Substantive and Procedural
  • 5.6 Education
    • 5.6.1 Aims and Organization of Education
    • 5.6.2 Education Around the World

6. Art

The lead author was Mark Van Doren, who wrote the introduction "The World of Art".

  • 6.1 Art in General
    • 6.1.1 Theory and Classification of the Arts
    • 6.1.2 Experience and Criticism of Art; the Nonaesthetic Context of Art
    • 6.1.3 Characteristics of the Arts in Particular Cultures
  • 6.2 Particular Arts

7. Technology

The lead author was Lord Peter Ritchie-Calder, who wrote the introduction "Knowing How and Knowing Why".

  • 7.1 Nature & Development of Technology
    • 7.1.1 Technology: Its Scope and History
    • 7.1.2 The Organization of Human Work
  • 7.2 Elements of Technology
    • 7.2.1 Technology of Energy Conversion and Utilization
    • 7.2.2 Technology of Tools and Machines
    • 7.2.3 Technology of Measurement, Observation, and Control
    • 7.2.4 Extraction and Conversion of Industrial Raw Materials
    • 7.2.5 Technology of Industrial Production Processes
  • 7.3 Fields of Technology

8. Religion

The lead author was Wilfred Cantwell Smith, who wrote the introduction "Religion as Symbolism".

9. History

The lead author was Jacques Barzun, who wrote the introduction "The Point and Pleasure of Reading History".

  • 9.1 Ancient Southwest Asia, North Africa, and Europe
    • 9.1.1 Ancient Southwest Asia and Egypt, the Aegean, and North Africa
    • 9.1.2 Ancient Europe and Classical Civilizations of the Mediterranean to AD 395
  • 9.2 Medieval Southwest Asia, North Africa, and Europe
    • 9.2.1 The Byzantine Empire and Europe from AD 395–1050
    • 9.2.2 The Formative Period in Islamic History, AD 622–1055
    • 9.2.3 Western Christendom in the High and Later Middle Ages 1050–1500
    • 9.2.4 The Crusades, the Islamic States, and Eastern Christendom 1050–1480
  • 9.3 East, Central, South, and Southeast Asia
    • 9.3.1 China to the Beginning of the Late T'ang AD 755
    • 9.3.2 China from the Late T'ang to the Late Ch'ing AD 755–1839
    • 9.3.3 Central and Northeast Asia to 1750
    • 9.3.4 Japan to the Meiji Restoration 1868, Korea to 1910
    • 9.3.5 The Indian Subcontinent and Ceylon to AD 1200
    • 9.3.6 The Indian Subcontinent 1200–1761, Ceylon 1200–1505
    • 9.3.7 Southeast Asia to 1600
  • 9.4 Sub-Saharan Africa to 1885
    • 9.4.1 West Africa to 1885
    • 9.4.2 The Nilotic Sudan and Ethiopia AD 550–1885
    • 9.4.3 East Africa and Madagascar to 1885
    • 9.4.4 Central Africa to 1885
    • 9.4.5 Southern Africa to 1885
  • 9.5 Pre-Columbian America
    • 9.5.1 Andean Civilization to AD 1540
    • 9.5.2 Meso-American Civilization to AD 1540
  • 9.6 The Modern World to 1920
    • 9.6.1 Western Europe 1500–1789
    • 9.6.2 Eastern Europe, Southwest Asia, and North Africa 1480–1800
    • 9.6.3 Europe 1789–1920
    • 9.6.4 European Colonies in the Americas 1492–1790
    • 9.6.5 United States and Canada 1763–1920
    • 9.6.6 Latin-America and Caribbean to 1920
    • 9.6.7 Australia and Oceania to 1920
    • 9.6.8 South Asia Under European Imperialism 1500–1920
    • 9.6.9 Southeast Asia Under European Imperialism 1600–1920
    • 9.6.10 China until Revolution 1839–1911, Japan from Meiji Restoration to 1910
    • 9.6.11 Southwest Asia, North Africa 1800–1920, Sub-Saharan Africa 1885–1920: Under European Imperialism
  • 9.7 The World Since 1920
    • 9.7.1 International Movements, Diplomacy and War Since 1920
    • 9.7.2 Europe Since 1920
    • 9.7.3 The United States and Canada Since 1920
    • 9.7.4 Latin American and Caribbean Nations Since 1920
    • 9.7.5 China in Revolution, Japanese Hegemony
    • 9.7.6 South and Southeast Asia: the Late Colonial Period and Nations Since 1920
    • 9.7.7 Australia and Oceania Since 1920
    • 9.7.8 Southwest Asia and Africa: the Late Colonial Period and Nations since 1920

10. Branches of Knowledge

The lead author was Mortimer J. Adler, who wrote the introduction "Knowledge Become Self-conscious".

Contributors to the ''Outline of Knowledge''

::data[format=table title="'''Table 2: Contributors to the Outline of Knowledge in the ''Propædia'''''The dates of death in Table 2 were taken from the 2007 version of the ''Propædia'', except recent (post-1999) deaths which were not noted."]

NameDate of birthDate of deathPart of OutlineDescriptionIndexMortimer J. AdlerCharles Van DorenWilliam J. GormanA. G. W. CameronFarrington DanielsMorton HamermeshVincent E. ParkerRichard J. ChorleyWilliam Stelling von ArxPeter John WyllieN. J. BerrillVincent DethierLouis S. GoodmanGarrett HardinErnst Walter MayrJohn Alexander MooreTheodore T. PuckBirgit VenneslandPaul B. WeiszRalph H. WetmoreEmil H. WhiteWilfrid Edward Le Gros ClarkRussell S. FisherF. Clark HowellGregory A. KimbleErich KlinghammerWarren Sturgis McCullochWilliam J. McGuirePeter MedawarWilliam J. BaumolDaniel BellGuiliano H. BonfanteKenneth E. BouldingLewis A. CoserSigmund DiamondCarl J. FriedrichPaul MundyKenyon E. PooleC. Herman PritchettSol TaxCharles Raymond WhittleseyRudolf ArnheimRobert Jesse CharlestonClifton FadimanFrancis FergussonJohn GloagRichard GriffithRichard HoggartEdward LockspeiserRoy McMullenLeonard B. MeyerMichael MorrowBeaumont NewhallHerbert ReadRichard RoudGeorge SavageWolfgang StechowJoshua C. TaylorEverard M. UpjohnPierre VerletRené WellekGlynne William Gladstone WickhamRaymond (Henry) WilliamsPaul S. WingertBruno ZeviKonstantinos Apostolos DoxiadisEugene S. FergusonMelvin KranzbergHarvey G. MehlhouseRobert Smith WoodburyArthur Llewellyn BashamJames T. BurtchaellJ. V. Langmead CasserleyIchiro HoriJaroslav Jan PelikanJakob Josef PetuchowskiJacques BarzunOtto Allen BirdWing-Tsit ChanWilliam Herbert DrayNorwood HansonJ. H. HexterErnan V. McMullinKarl MengerArthur Norman PriorNicholas RescherSeymour Schuster
19022001All PartsEditor1
19262019All PartsAssociate editor; Editorial Vice President of Encyclopædia Britannica Inc. (1973–1982)2
1982All PartsAssociate editor; Senior Fellow of the Institute for Philosophical Research3
19252005Matter and EnergyProfessor of Astronomy, Harvard University4
18891972Matter and EnergyProfessor of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison5
19152003Matter and EnergyProfessor of Physics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis (1975–1986)6
19141997Matter and EnergyEmeritus Professor of Physics, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona; Dean, School of Science (1967–1977)7
19272002The EarthProfessor of Geography, University of Cambridge; Fellow of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge8
19161999The EarthSenior Scientist, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (1968–1978)9
1930The EarthProfessor of Geology and Chairman, Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology10
19031996Life on EarthStrathcone Professor of Zoology, McGill University (1946–1965)11
19151993Life on EarthGilbert L. Woodside Professor of Zoology, University of Massachusetts Amherst (1975–1993)12
19062000Life on EarthDistinguished Professor of Pharmacology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City13
19152003Life on EarthEmeritus Professor of Human Ecology, University of California, Santa Barbara14
19042005Life on EarthAlexander Agassiz Professor Emeritus of Zoology, Harvard University15
19152002Life on EarthEmeritus Professor of Biology, University of California, Riverside16
19162005Life on EarthProfessor of Biology, Biophysics and Genetics; Distinguished Professor of Medicine, University of Colorado, Health Sciences Center; Director, Eleanor Roosevelt Institute for Cancer Research17
19132001Life on EarthHead, Vennesland Research Laboratory, Max Planck Society (1970–1981); Director, Max Planck Institute for Cell Physiology, Berlin (1968–1970)18
19192012Life on EarthProfessor of Biology, Brown University19
18921989Life on EarthEmeritus Professor of Botany, Harvard University20
Life on EarthD. Mead Johnson Professor of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University21
18951971Human LifeProfessor of Anatomy, University of Oxford22
1985Human LifeChief Medical Examiner, State of Maryland; Professor of Forensic Pathology, University of Maryland Medical School, Baltimore23
19252007Human LifeProfessor of Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley24
19172006Human LifeEmeritus Professor of Psychology, Duke University25
19302011Human LifeAssociate Professor of Psychology, Purdue University26
18991969Human LifeStaff member, Research Laboratory of Electronics, MIT (1952–1969)27
19252012Human LifeProfessor of Psychology, Yale University28
19151987Human LifeNobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, 1960; Jodrell Professor of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy, University College London (1951–1962); Director, National Institute, Mill Hill, London (1962–1971); Scientific staff member, Medical Research Council, England (1971–1984)29
19222017Human SocietyProfessor of Economics, New York University; Emeritus Professor of Economics, Princeton University30
19192011Human SocietyHenry Ford II Professor Emeritus of Social Science, Harvard University31
Human SocietyFormer Professor of Linguistics, University of Turin32
19101993Human SocietyDistinguished Professor of Economics, University of Colorado, Boulder33
19132003Human SocietyDistinguished Professor Emeritus of Sociology, SUNY, Stony Brook34
19201999Human SocietyGiddings Professor Emeritus of Sociology, Columbia University35
19011984Human SocietyEaton Professor of the Science of Government, Harvard University (1955–1971)36
Human SocietyProfessor of Sociology and Chairman, Department of Criminal Justice, Loyola University Chicago37
19091988Human SocietyProfessor of Economics, Northwestern University38
Human SocietyEmeritus Professor of Political Science, University of California, Santa Barbara and University of Chicago39
19071995Human SocietyProfessor of Anthropology, University of Chicago (1948–1976); Director, Center for the Study of Man, Smithsonian Institution40
19001979Human SocietyEmeritus Professor of Finance and Economics, University of Pennsylvania41
19042007ArtEmeritus professor of Psychology of Art, Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, Harvard University42
19161994ArtKeeper, Department of Ceramics, Victoria and Albert Museum (1963–1976)43
19041999ArtMember, Board of Editors, Encyclopædia Britannica44
19041986ArtProfessor of Comparative Literature, Rutgers University (1953–1969); Professor of Comparative Literature, Princeton University (1973–1981)45
18961981ArtNovelist and writer on architecture and industrial design46
19121969ArtCurator, Museum of Modern Art Film Library (1951–1965); Lecturer on Motion Pictures, Wesleyan University (1967–1969)47
19182014ArtProfessor of English, University of Birmingham (1962–1973); Warden, Goldsmiths' College, University of London (1976–1984)48
19051973ArtOfficier d'Académie, Paris; Writer and broadcaster on music.49
1984ArtAuthor, critic, and art historian50
19182007ArtBenjamin Franklin Professor of Music and Humanities, University of Pennsylvania51
19291994ArtMusic editor, Encyclopædia Britannica; Director, Musica Reservata, London52
19081993ArtDirector, Eastman Kodak House (1958–1971); Visiting Professor of Art, University of New Mexico (1971–1984)53
18931968ArtWatson Gordon Professor of Fine Art, University of Edinburgh (1931–1933); editor, The Burlington Magazine (1933–1939); Charles Eliot Norton professor of Poetry, Harvard University (1953–1954)54
19291989ArtProgram Director, London (1959–1963) and New York (1963–1987) Film Festivals; Film critic, The Guardian (1963–1969)55
1982ArtArt consultant; author of Porcelain Through the Ages, Pottery Through the Ages, and other works56
18961974ArtProfessor of Fine Arts, Oberlin College (1940–1963)57
1981ArtWilliam Rainey Harper Professor of Humanities and Professor of Art, University of Chicago (1963–1974); Director, National Collection of Fine Arts, Smithsonian Institution58
19031978ArtProfessor of Fine Arts, Columbia University (1951–1970)59
19081987ArtChief Curator, Cluny Museum (1945–1965); Chief Curator, National Museum of Sèvres Porcelain (1945–1965); Chief Curator of Art Objects from the Middle Ages to the Modern Period, Louvre Museum (1945–1965)60
19031995ArtSterling Professor of Comparative Literature, Yale University (1952–1972)61
19222004ArtEmeritus Professor of Drama, University of Bristol; Dean, Faculty of Arts (1970–1972)62
19211988ArtProfessor of Drama, University of Cambridge (1974–1983); Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge (1961–1988)63
19001974ArtProfessor of Art History and Archaeology, Columbia University64
19182000ArtProfessor of Architectural History, University of Rome (1963–1979)65
19141975TechnologyChairman, Doxiadis Associates International; Chairman, Board of Directors, Doxiadis Associates, Inc.; Washington D.C. Chairman, Board of Directors, Athens Technological Organization; President, Athens Center of Ekistics66
19162004TechnologyEmeritus Professor of History, University of Delaware; Curator of Technology, Hagley Museum, Greenville Delaware67
19171995TechnologyCallaway Professor of the History of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology (1972–1988)68
TechnologyVice President, Western Electric Company, New York City (1965–1969); President (1969–1971); Chairman of the Board (1971–1972)69
1983TechnologyProfessor of the History of Technology, MIT70
19141986ReligionProfessor of Asian Civilizations, Australian National University71
19342015ReligionProfessor of Theology, University of Notre Dame; Provost (1970–1977)72
19091978ReligionProfessor of Apologetics, Seabury-Western Theological Seminary73
1974ReligionProfessor of the History of Religions, Seijo University and Kokugakuin University74
19232006ReligionSterling Professor of History, Yale University; President, American Academy of Arts and Sciences75
19251991ReligionSol and Arlene Bronstein Professor of Judeo-Christian Studies, Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati (1981–1991)76
19072012The History of MankindUniversity Professor Emeritus, Columbia University; Dean of Faculties and Provost (1958–1967)77
19142009The Branches of KnowledgeEmeritus Professor of Arts and Letters, University of Notre Dame78
19011994The Branches of KnowledgeProfessor of Chinese Philosophy and Culture, Dartmouth College (1942–1966); Anna R. D. Gillespie Professor of Philosophy, Chatham University (1966–1982)79
19212009The Branches of KnowledgeEmeritus Professor of Philosophy and of History, University of Ottawa80
19241967The Branches of KnowledgeProfessor of Philosophy, Yale University (1963–1967)81
19101996The Branches of KnowledgeCharles L. Stillé Professor of History, Yale University, (1967–1978); Distinguished Historian in residence, Washington University in St. Louis (1978–1986)82
19242011The Branches of KnowledgeProfessor of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame83
19021985The Branches of KnowledgeProfessor of Mathematics, Illinois Institute of Technology (1946–1971)84
19141969The Branches of KnowledgeFellow, Balliol College, University of Oxford; Professor of Philosophy, Manchester University (1959–1966)85
19282024The Branches of KnowledgeUniversity Professor of Philosophy, University of Pittsburgh; editor, American Philosophical Quarterly86
19262020The Branches of KnowledgeProfessor of Mathematics, Carleton College87
::

Section 4.2.1 uses transparencies of organ systems originally commissioned by Parke-Davis. Similar in design to the three-dimensional Visible Man and Visible Woman dolls designed by sculptor Marcel Jovine, successive plastic sheets reveal different layers of human anatomy.

Legacy

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Encyclopaedia_Britannica_Ultimate_Reference_Suite_BrainStormer.jpg" caption="Ultimate Reference Suite"] ::

DVD-edition Ultimate Reference Suite included the BrainStormer, is a tool for browse topics in the encyclopaedia by using a dynamic index (graphical interface of dynamic Mind Maps, with highlighting in different colours: people, places, things, and related concepts), based on Propædia and TheBrain software. Britannica.com includes simple list pages roughly corresponding to chapters of Propædia.

References

category:Encyclopædia Britannica

References

  1. [https://hbr.org/2013/03/encyclopaedia-britannicas-president-on-killing-off-a-244-year-old-product?referral=00134 ''Encyclopædia Britannica's President on Killing Off a 244-Year-Old Product'']([https://web.archive.org/web/20140226130121/http://hbr.org/2013/03/encyclopaedia-britannicas-president-on-killing-off-a-244-year-old-product/ar/1?referral=00134 archived] in 2014), Jorge Cruz, ''Harvard Business Review'' March 2013
  2. [https://web.archive.org/web/20130213194301/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-07/encyclopaedia-britannica-s-transformation.html ''Encyclopaedia Britannica's Transformation''],{{dead link. (June 2021([https://web.archive.org/web/20140703151050/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-07/encyclopaedia-britannica-s-transformation.html archived] in 2014) (transcript of a podcast) Bloomberg, cited 6 February 2014)
  3. Adler, Mortimer J.. (2007). "Circle of Learning". [[Encyclopædia Britannica Inc.]].
  4. The dates of death in Table 2 were taken from the 2007 version of the ''Propædia'', except recent (post-1999) deaths which were not noted.

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