Let´s learn a little more about the Encyclopedia, one of the most important Enlightenment legacies. Two French philosophers, Denis Diderot and Jean Rond D´Alembert had the idea of compiling all world´s knowledge in one book. This was the origin of the Encyclopedia as we knew it, before Wikipedia appeared.
QUESTION 1
What does the word "Encyclopedia" mean?
QUESTION 2
Prior to the French Encyclopedia, there were some other projects of compiling knowledge in the past. What was the first of these projects, during the Roman Empire?
QUESTION 3
In the 7th century a Visigothic bishop wrote a 20 volume work that included all the knowledge of that period. Who was this wise man? What was the title of his work?
QUESTION 4
The Chinese also wrote their own encyclopedic book in the 15th century. How many volumes did this reference book have? How many copies of this book were made? What happened to this work?
QUESTION 5
What was the origin of the project of the French Encyclopedia?
QUESTION 6
Why was the publication of the Encycopledia so controversial?
QUESTION 7
Why was the Encyclopedia included in the Index of Forbidden Books in 1759?
QUESTION 8
Diderot and D´Alembert got the support of some important figures in the French court. One of them was the king´s mistress. She promoted culture and art and there is a legend that tells that she loved taking a specific drink and she was involved in the design of a piece of crockery. Who was this woman? What piece of crockery was inspired on her?
QUESTION 6
Why was the publication of the Encycopledia so controversial?
QUESTION 7
Why was the Encyclopedia included in the Index of Forbidden Books in 1759?
QUESTION 8
Diderot and D´Alembert got the support of some important figures in the French court. One of them was the king´s mistress. She promoted culture and art and there is a legend that tells that she loved taking a specific drink and she was involved in the design of a piece of crockery. Who was this woman? What piece of crockery was inspired on her?
1 comment:
Really disappointing. Nobody wants to learn more about one of the most important projects of mankind.
Anyway, these are the answers:
QUESTION 1
Encyclopedia comes from Greek and it means "circular knowledge or learning"
QUESTION 2
Naturalis Historia of Pliny the Elder.
QUESTION 3
Saint Isidore of Seville wrote the Etymologiae or Origenes
QUESTION 4
The Yongle encyclopedia had 11,095 handwritten volumes and it was written between 1403 and 1408. Only another copy was made. After a fire in 1557 the Emperor ordered a third copy. The surviving volumes (less than 400) are in libraries and private collections.
QUESTION 5
André Le Breton, a French publisher, wanted to translate the Cyclopedia, a British book published 1728. He hired Diderot and D´Alembert, but they completely changed the original project
QUESTION 6
It caused controversy due to its attacks to superstitions, Catholicism and in favour for religious tolerance.
QUESTION 7
They praised Protestant thinkers and they defied Catholic dogma by classifying Religion as a branch of philosophy and not as the last resource of knowledge and moral.
QUESTION 8
Madame Pompadour. She liked champagne a lot and the legend says that champagne glass was modelled over her perfect breast.
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