A World of Ideas : The Dictionary of Important Ideas and Thinkers (Paperback)

~ Chris Rohmann (Author)
Key Phrases: United States, World War, Middle Ages (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com 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 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

This handy guide covers more than 400 theories, philosophies, ideologies, beliefs, and thinkers in the sciences, arts, and social sciences. In his preface, Rohmann, the former editor of The Oxford Guide to Classical Mythology in the Arts, defines an idea as "a theoretical construct, a belief or guiding tenet, an essential concept in a field of study, an ideological proposition, an influential thought or opinion." Rohmann developed this resource after finding inadequate dictionary and encyclopedia definitions for dialectical materialism. Alphabetically arranged by idea or thinker, it is cross-referenced within the text and the index. Typical entries include the history, meaning, and context of ideas as varied as aesthetics, chaos theory, federalism, and Rastafarianism. More than 100 intellectual figures such as Aquinas, Sartre, Piaget, and Machiavelli are described insightfully and succinctly. Unfortunately, the scant three-page bibliography does not adequately reference the breadth and scope of the material presented here. For smaller collections without major philosophical or religious reference works.AElizabeth Connor, Medical Univ. of South Carolina, Charleston
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (October 31, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345437063
• ISBN-13: 978-0345437068
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #470,673 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thinkers and Thoughts of All Times, March 30, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: A World of Ideas: A Dictionary of Important Theories, Concepts, Beliefs, and Thinkers (Hardcover)

Chris Rohmann wanted a definition of dislectic materialism. His response - a book discussing terms and people from religion, philosophy, psychology, economics, politics, history, art, literature, and science in a dictionary format. But it is much more! Some entries are up to two pages in length - far beyond a traditional terse dictionary definition. Unlike a dictionary it has a "Key Terms and Proper Names" index that guides you to related articles. Also, typographical techniques within the context of the articles alert you to related entries. Accompanying some entries are feature articles that are set off in boxes contributing to this book's visual appeal. The articles I read impressed me by being comprehensive, concise, yet intelligible. If I already knew something about a topic, the discussion reaffirmed my understanding. Articles about terms/people unknown to me were informative and understandable. Rohmann recommends the book for the non-academic, like himself, but I would contend that the potential user have a certain level of sophistication. First, a need or a want for the information within the covers of the book, and secondly, a basic understanding of the vocabulary in the numerous fields covered would be necessary. So, I recommend this book for everyone who is curious, and for everyone who needs to know about the world of important theories, concepts, beliefs, and thinkers!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything I Always Wanted to Know, But Was Afraid to Ask, January 30, 2001

By	Katherine Mayfield "kmayfield" - See all my reviews

This review is from: A World of Ideas: A Dictionary of Important Theories, Concepts, Beliefs, and Thinkers (Hardcover)

"A World of Ideas" is an excellent reference book for anyone who wants to know more about philosophies, ideas, beliefs, and perspectives from numerous cultures through centuries of thought. Many of the ideas the author chose are subjects that I've wanted to understand for years. Several times I've found myself reading with my fingers stuck in different parts of the book because there are so many aspects to the entries that I want to find out more about. The entries are clear and very layperson-intelligible.

This "dictionary of ideas" is handily presented in alphabetical order, and the cross-referencing is extremely well done. And I love the fact that all of the different and sometimes opposing viewpoints are presented with equal weight -- nothing is put forward as being better or worse or right or wrong. It is truly clear information with no editorializing, no slant to prejudice a reader. It lets us make our own choices, and that is a great gift when it comes to presenting information.

The best part about it for me is that when I went to school, I always knew that they didn't offer information about the most interesting stuff, and I never knew where to find it. I've finally found it: "A World of Ideas" satisfies my intense curiosity about the infinitely diverse viewpoints through the centuries and around the world.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Needed This One Years Ago, December 7, 2002

By A Customer

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading or studying - period. I had returned to college after a twelve year absence to study history (I'd studied business before, yuck) and found many concepts, names, and ideas either new to me or fairly well forgotten. "A World of Ideas" became an absolute life-saver and, furthermore, a book that I began to peruse out of enjoyment and interest.

Contrary to another review, there is a list of sources for further reading. However, I doubt the mere 28 books listed will satisfy most needs, a fuller more specific listing would have been the icing on the cake. I usually reference "A World of Ideas" to clarify ideas from specific readings. In this case, the book in hand will usually have additional sources available in its notes and bibliography. Also, if you are taking a class, you can ask your professor. They love talking with interested students and can steer you towards appropriate books, or away from less useful ones.

I am unable to convey how helpful this book has been for me now, nor how strongly I wish that I had had it when I was in high school, or even before. If you crinkled your brow when Gore said, "... the zeitgeist", or if Hegelian dialectic sounds like a Greek waterway, then get this book.