Propædia facts for kids
The Propædia is the first of three main parts of the famous Encyclopædia Britannica. The other two parts are the 12-volume Micropædia and the 17-volume Macropædia. The Propædia acts like a guide, helping you find your way through all the information in the other two parts. It also helps organize everything you can learn in the Britannica.
It was first added in 1974 with the 15th edition of the encyclopedia. At first, it replaced the old index. But many people missed the index, so Britannica brought it back in two separate books in 1985. The most important part of the Propædia is its Outline of Knowledge. This outline tries to sort out all the different things we know. The Propædia also lists the people who worked on and helped create all three parts of the Britannica.
Students can use the Propædia to get an idea of what topics exist before they even start looking for details. Once they see what they might want to learn about, they can then go to the other volumes to find the actual information.
What is the Outline of Knowledge?
The Outline of Knowledge has ten main parts. Each part starts with an essay to explain what it's about. Below is a table showing these ten parts. It lists the main subjects covered in each part and who helped write the main ideas for it.
| Part | Title | Major subjects | # of Divisions | # of Sections | Total # | Lead author |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part One | Matter and Energy | Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy | 3 | 2,8,3 | 13 | Nigel Calder |
| Part Two | The Earth | Geology, Geography, Oceanography | 4 | 4, 3, 2, 3 | 12 | Peter John Wyllie |
| Part Three | Life on Earth | Taxonomy, Molecular and cell biology, Physiology, Neuroscience, Ecology | 5 | 3, 3, 9, 2, 5 | 22 | René Dubos |
| Part Four | Human Life | Human evolution, Medicine, Psychology | 3 | 2, 4, 6 | 12 | Loren Eiseley |
| Part Five | Human Society | Sociology, Economics, Politics, Law, Education | 6 | 4, 4, 6, 4, 3, 2 | 23 | Harold D. Lasswell |
| Part Six | Art | Classification; criticism; various arts | 2 | 3, 9 | 12 | Mark Van Doren |
| Part Seven | Technology | History and elements of technology; various technologies | 3 | 2, 5, 8 | 15 | Lord Peter Ritchie Calder |
| Part Eight | Religion | General observations; various religions | 2 | 2, 9 | 11 | Wilfred Cantwell Smith |
| Part Nine | The History of mankind | History organized by continent and epoch | 7 | 2, 4, 7, 5, 2, 11, 8 | 39 | Jacques Barzun |
| Part Ten | The Branches of Knowledge | Logic, Mathematics, Science, Humanities, Philosophy, Library science | 6 | 2, 3, 7, 2, 3, 1 | 18 | Mortimer J. Adler |
Who Helped Create the Propædia?
Many smart people, including professors and experts from different fields, helped create the Propædia. They made sure the information was correct and well-organized. Here are some of the key people who worked on it:
| Name | Role in Propædia |
|---|---|
| Mortimer J. Adler | Editor for all parts of the Outline. |
| Charles Van Doren | Associate editor and a Vice President at Encyclopædia Britannica Inc. |
| William J. Gorman | Associate editor and Senior Fellow of the Institute for Philosophical Research. |
| Jacques Barzun | Lead author for "The History of Mankind" and a University Professor Emeritus. |
| René Dubos | Lead author for "Life on Earth" and a well-known biologist. |
| Loren Eiseley | Lead author for "Human Life" and an anthropologist. |
| Harold D. Lasswell | Lead author for "Human Society" and a political scientist. |
Related Pages
See also
In Spanish: Propædia para niños
