A World of Ideas: A Dictionary of Important Theories, Concepts, Beliefs, and Thinkers - Hardcover

Rohmann, Chris

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0345390598 ISBN 13: 9780345390592

Publisher: Ballantine Books, 1999

Synopsis

How do you keep up in the age of information when there's so much to know and so little time? Here's the ideal solution: a practical book of knowledge offering in-depth analysis, detailed interpretation, and penetrating insight into the key concepts, the most influential minds, and the major intellectual movements in history. A World of Ideas is an essential tool for anyone who wants to be fully informed and stay ahead of the curve in today's world.

Now you can get to the bottom of the big bang theory; find out where Freud's ideas were coming from, and where Einstein's may ultimately take us; demystify surrealism and survivalism, nature and nurture, communism and capitalism. With hundreds of in-depth entries, drawn from a wide range of fields--including religion, philosophy, psychology, economics, politics, history, art, literature, and science--A World of Ideas enables you to turn immediately to the term in question for a comprehensive description of its history, meaning, and context.

- Hundreds of entries, alphabetically arranged, with key words and concepts highlighted and cross-referenced
- Reviewed and approved by an academic board of leading scholars
- A unique emphasis on multicultural influences and the long-neglected impact of women on the history of ideas
- An extensive bibliography of further readings and resources

Here are the concepts that shaped civilization . . . the minds that made history . . . the thinkers, the thoughts, and the theories--everything you need to know to fully understand the world we live in. Concise and authoritative, meticulously researched and lucidly written, this invaluable resource is sure to become a standard reference for years to come.

About this title

Review:

Sure, you can throw around words like deconstruction and solipsism in conversation, and pick up what you need to know about them from context, but wouldn't it be great if there were a dictionary of concepts important to thinkers? That's what writer Chris Rohmann thought, so he researched and put together A World of Ideas, with 444 entries covering 333 ideas and 111 individuals who influenced the history of thought. You'll find everything from the ancients to the present day, with a deliberate widening of the scope to include women and non-Western thinkers, though, as Rohmann says, "the ideas that are our cultural currency are still predominantly those of 'western civilization'." Covering science, politics, and philosophy, A World of Ideas has "relativism" next to "relativity," with concise definitions and explorations of their histories and effects on modern thought. It's great to find a volume that acknowledges and even embraces the cross-currents between science and the humanities, and while there's no room for exhaustive detail--only 111 thinkers from all of history!--the superior quality of the entries and the extensive cross-indexing still make this both useful and unique. Whether you're pursuing graduate studies or just want to get the skinny on the "mind/body problem," you'll find your answer somewhere in A World of Ideas. --Rob Lightner

From the Back Cover:

THE THINKERS, THE THOUGHTS, AND THE THEORIES YOU NEED TO KNOW TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD WE LIVE IN.

With The Dictionary of Important Ideas and Thinkers, you can get to the bottom of the big bang theory; find out where Freud's ideas were coming from, and where Einstein's might take us; demystify surrealism and structuralism, communism and capitalism. Prepared with the assistance of an academic board of leading scholars, this invaluable reference includes
-- Hundreds of entries, alphabetically arranged, with key words and concepts highlighted and cross-referenced -- more than two thousand in all
-- Special emphasis on multicultural influences and contemporary thought
-- A comprehensive index giving easy access to all essential terms and names

The Dictionary of Important Ideas and Thinkers is an indispensable resource for the curious reader.

Selected by the Book-of-the-Month Club and the Quality Paperback Book Club

About this edition

• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0345390598
• ISBN 13: 9780345390592
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 496