Philip P. Wiener

This is still the only fully multi-disciplinary reference work, exploding across the burning bushes of science, literature, religion, art, and the twigs between. With a 479 page Index. Contains an "Analytical" Table of Contents, as well as an Index of each article.

The Preface points out the diffusion of ideas in 3 directions: horizontally across disciplines, vertically in time, and "in depth" by analysis of the internal structure of the pervasive "pivotal" ideas. (viib) Compare Lovejoy's "unit-ideas" of plenitude, continuity, and gradation in The Great Chain of Being. These 244 listed studies include cross-cultural comparison within a period, historical tracing of ideas, and explications of the meaning of the selected pivotal ideas.

A few cautions on use: I keep the Index at hand while working on an idea; it helps to see where some of the references go. But note that while the Index is comprehensive, it makes no intelligent distinctions between the mere appearance of a word and the quality of reference -- For example [not criticism]: the "slavery" sub-topic under China has 2 references, neither of which actually cite information about slavery in China. One mentions an Italian's Chinese slave, and the other mentions as if in passing the reduction of the overcrowded poor to slavery.)

Finally, a New Edition updated in 2005 is now available on the Web.… (más)