Propædia


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:
According to Mortimer J. Adler, the designer of the Propædia, all articles in the full Britannica were designed to fit into the Outline of Knowledge.
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 that attempts to provide an overview of the relationships among the "Great Ideas" in Adler's Great Books of the Western World series. 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.

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 Particles1.2 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 Motion1.3 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".2.1 Earth's Properties, Structure, Composition

3. Life

The lead author was René Dubos, who wrote the introduction "The Mysteries of Life".3.1 The Nature and Diversity 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
  • * 4.1.1 Human Evolution
  • * 4.1.2 Human Heredity: the Races4.2 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 Health4.3 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 Communication5.2 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 Communities5.3 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 Planning5.4 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 War5.5 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 Procedural5.6 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

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 Work7.2 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 Processes7.3 Fields of Technology
  • * 7.3.1 Agriculture and Food Production
  • * 7.3.2 Technology of the Major Industries
  • * 7.3.3 Construction Technology
  • * 7.3.4 Transportation Technology
  • * 7.3.5 Technology of Information Processing and of Communications Systems
  • * 7.3.6 Military Technology
  • * 7.3.7 Technology of the Urban Community
  • * 7.3.8 Technology of Earth and Space Exploration

8. Religion

The lead author was Wilfred Cantwell Smith, who wrote the introduction "Religion as Symbolism".8.1 Religion in General

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 3959.2 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 1050–14809.3 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 16009.4 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 18859.5 Pre-Columbian America
  • * 9.5.1 Andean Civilization to AD 1540
  • * 9.5.2 Meso-American Civilization to AD 15409.6 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 Imperialism9.7 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".10.1 Logic

Contributors to the ''Outline of Knowledge''

NameDate of birthDate of deathPart of OutlineDescriptionIndex
Mortimer J. Adler19022001All PartsEditor1
Charles Van Doren19262019All PartsAssociate editor; Editorial Vice President of Encyclopædia Britannica Inc. 2
William J. Gorman1982All PartsAssociate editor; Senior Fellow of the Institute for Philosophical Research3
A. G. W. Cameron19252005Matter and EnergyProfessor of Astronomy, Harvard University4
Farrington Daniels18891972Matter and EnergyProfessor of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison5
Morton Hamermesh19152003Matter and EnergyProfessor of Physics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 6
Vincent E. Parker19141997Matter and EnergyEmeritus Professor of Physics, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona; Dean, School of Science 7
Richard J. Chorley19272002The EarthProfessor of Geography, University of Cambridge; Fellow of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge8
William Stelling von Arx19161999The EarthSenior Scientist, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution 9
Peter John Wyllie1930The EarthProfessor of Geology and Chairman, Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology10
N. J. Berrill19031996Life on EarthStrathcone Professor of Zoology, McGill University 11
Vincent Dethier19151993Life on EarthGilbert L. Woodside Professor of Zoology, University of Massachusetts Amherst 12
Louis S. Goodman19062000Life on EarthDistinguished Professor of Pharmacology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City13
Garrett Hardin19152003Life on EarthEmeritus Professor of Human Ecology, University of California, Santa Barbara14
Ernst Walter Mayr19042005Life on EarthAlexander Agassiz Professor Emeritus of Zoology, Harvard University15
John Alexander Moore19152002Life on EarthEmeritus Professor of Biology, University of California, Riverside16
Theodore T. Puck19162005Life on EarthProfessor of Biology, Biophysics and Genetics; Distinguished Professor of Medicine, University of Colorado, Health Sciences Center; Director, Eleanor Roosevelt Institute for Cancer Research17
Birgit Vennesland19132001Life on EarthHead, Vennesland Research Laboratory, Max Planck Society ; Director, Max Planck Institute for Cell Physiology, Berlin 18
Paul B. Weisz19192012Life on EarthProfessor of Biology, Brown University19
Ralph H. Wetmore18921989Life on EarthEmeritus Professor of Botany, Harvard University20
Emil H. WhiteLife on EarthD. Mead Johnson Professor of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University21
Wilfrid Edward Le Gros Clark18951971Human LifeProfessor of Anatomy, University of Oxford22
Russell S. Fisher1985Human LifeChief Medical Examiner, State of Maryland; Professor of Forensic Pathology, University of [Maryland, Baltimore|University of Maryland] Medical School, Baltimore23
F. Clark Howell19252007Human LifeProfessor of Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley24
Gregory A. Kimble19172006Human LifeEmeritus Professor of Psychology, Duke University25
Erich Klinghammer19302011Human LifeAssociate Professor of Psychology, Purdue University26
Warren Sturgis McCulloch18991969Human LifeStaff member, Research Laboratory of Electronics, MIT 27
William J. McGuire19252012Human LifeProfessor of Psychology, Yale University28
Peter Medawar19151987Human LifeNobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, 1960; Jodrell Professor of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy, University College London ; Director, National Institute, Mill Hill, London ; Scientific staff member, Medical Research Council, England 29
William J. Baumol19222017Human SocietyProfessor of Economics, New York University; Emeritus Professor of Economics, Princeton University30
Daniel Bell19192011Human SocietyHenry Ford II Professor Emeritus of Social Science, Harvard University31
Guiliano H. BonfanteHuman SocietyFormer Professor of Linguistics, University of Turin32
Kenneth E. Boulding19101993Human SocietyDistinguished Professor of Economics, University of Colorado, Boulder33
Lewis A. Coser19132003Human SocietyDistinguished Professor Emeritus of Sociology, SUNY, Stony Brook34
Sigmund Diamond19201999Human SocietyGiddings Professor Emeritus of Sociology, Columbia University35
Carl J. Friedrich19011984Human SocietyEaton Professor of the Science of Government, Harvard University 36
Paul MundyHuman SocietyProfessor of Sociology and Chairman, Department of Criminal Justice, Loyola University Chicago37
Kenyon E. Poole19091988Human SocietyProfessor of Economics, Northwestern University38
C. Herman PritchettHuman SocietyEmeritus Professor of Political Science, University of California, Santa Barbara and University of Chicago39
Sol Tax19071995Human SocietyProfessor of Anthropology, University of Chicago ; Director, Center for the Study of Man, Smithsonian Institution40
Charles Raymond Whittlesey19001979Human SocietyEmeritus Professor of Finance and Economics, University of Pennsylvania41
Rudolf Arnheim19042007ArtEmeritus professor of Psychology of Art, Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, Harvard University42
Robert Jesse Charleston19161994ArtKeeper, Department of Ceramics, Victoria and Albert Museum 43
Clifton Fadiman19041999ArtMember, Board of Editors, Encyclopædia Britannica44
Francis Fergusson19041986ArtProfessor of Comparative Literature, Rutgers University ; Professor of Comparative Literature, Princeton University 45
John Gloag18961981ArtNovelist and writer on architecture and industrial design46
Richard Griffith19121969ArtCurator, Museum of Modern Art Film Library ; Lecturer on Motion Pictures, Wesleyan University 47
Richard Hoggart19182014ArtProfessor of English, University of Birmingham ; Warden, Goldsmiths' College, University of London 48
Edward Lockspeiser19051973ArtOfficier d'Académie, Paris; Writer and broadcaster on music.49
Roy McMullen1984ArtAuthor, critic, and art historian50
Leonard B. Meyer19182007ArtBenjamin Franklin Professor of Music and Humanities, University of Pennsylvania51
Michael Morrow19291994ArtMusic editor, Encyclopædia Britannica; Director, Musica Reservata, London52
Beaumont Newhall19081993ArtDirector, Eastman Kodak House ; Visiting Professor of Art, University of New Mexico 53
Herbert Read18931968ArtWatson Gordon Professor of Fine Art, University of Edinburgh ; editor, The Burlington Magazine ; Charles Eliot Norton professor of Poetry, Harvard University 54
Richard Roud19291989ArtProgram Director, London and New York Film Festivals; Film critic, The Guardian 55
George Savage1982ArtArt consultant; author of Porcelain Through the Ages, Pottery Through the Ages, and other works56
Wolfgang Stechow18961974ArtProfessor of Fine Arts, Oberlin College 57
Joshua C. Taylor1981ArtWilliam Rainey Harper Professor of Humanities and Professor of Art, University of Chicago ; Director, National Collection of Fine Arts, Smithsonian Institution58
Everard M. Upjohn19031978ArtProfessor of Fine Arts, Columbia University 59
Pierre Verlet19081987ArtChief Curator, Cluny Museum ; Chief Curator, National Museum of Sèvres Porcelain ; Chief Curator of Art Objects from the Middle Ages to the Modern Period, Louvre Museum 60
René Wellek19031995ArtSterling Professor of Comparative Literature, Yale University 61
Glynne William Gladstone Wickham19222004ArtEmeritus Professor of Drama, University of Bristol; Dean, Faculty of Arts 62
Raymond (Henry) Williams19211988ArtProfessor of Drama, University of Cambridge ; Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge 63
Paul S. Wingert19001974ArtProfessor of Art History and Archaeology, Columbia University64
Bruno Zevi19182000ArtProfessor of Architectural History, University of Rome 65
Konstantinos Apostolos Doxiadis19141975TechnologyChairman, 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
Eugene S. Ferguson19162004TechnologyEmeritus Professor of History, University of Delaware; Curator of Technology, Hagley Museum, Greenville Delaware67
Melvin Kranzberg19171995TechnologyCallaway Professor of the History of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology 68
Harvey G. MehlhouseTechnologyVice President, Western Electric Company, New York City ; President ; Chairman of the Board 69
Robert Smith Woodbury1983TechnologyProfessor of the History of Technology, MIT70
Arthur Llewellyn Basham19141986ReligionProfessor of Asian Civilizations, Australian National University71
James T. Burtchaell19342015ReligionProfessor of Theology, University of Notre Dame; Provost 72
J. V. Langmead Casserley19091978ReligionProfessor of Apologetics, Seabury-Western Theological Seminary73
Ichiro Hori1974ReligionProfessor of the History of Religions, Seijo University and Kokugakuin University74
Jaroslav Jan Pelikan19232006ReligionSterling Professor of History, Yale University; President, American Academy of Arts and Sciences75
Jakob Josef Petuchowski19251991ReligionSol and Arlene Bronstein Professor of Judeo-Christian Studies, Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati 76
Jacques Barzun19072012The History of MankindUniversity Professor Emeritus, Columbia University; Dean of Faculties and Provost 77
Otto Allen Bird19142009The Branches of KnowledgeEmeritus Professor of Arts and Letters, University of Notre Dame78
Wing-Tsit Chan19011994The Branches of KnowledgeProfessor of Chinese Philosophy and Culture, Dartmouth College ; Anna R. D. Gillespie Professor of Philosophy, Chatham University 79
William Herbert Dray19212009The Branches of KnowledgeEmeritus Professor of Philosophy and of History, University of Ottawa80
Norwood Hanson19241967The Branches of KnowledgeProfessor of Philosophy, Yale University 81
J. H. Hexter19101996The Branches of KnowledgeCharles L. Stillé Professor of History, Yale University, ; Distinguished Historian in residence, Washington University in St. Louis 82
Ernan V. McMullin19242011The Branches of KnowledgeProfessor of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame83
Karl Menger19021985The Branches of KnowledgeProfessor of Mathematics, Illinois Institute of Technology 84
Arthur Norman Prior19141969The Branches of KnowledgeFellow, Balliol College, University of Oxford; Professor of Philosophy, Manchester University 85
Nicholas Rescher19282024The Branches of KnowledgeUniversity Professor of Philosophy, University of Pittsburgh; editor, American Philosophical Quarterly86
Seymour Schuster19262020The 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

-edition Ultimate Reference Suite included the BrainStormer, is a tool for browse topics in the encyclopaedia by using a dynamic index, based on Propædia and TheBrain software. Britannica.com includes simple list pages roughly corresponding to chapters of Propædia.