Ideas that changed the world / Felipe Fernández-Armesto.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Fernández-Armesto, Felipe.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Civilization--History.

Civilization.

History.

Diffusion of innovations--History.

Diffusion of innovations.

World history.

Physical Description:

400 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 25 cm

Edition:

First American edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : DK Publishing, 2003.

Summary:

Authoritative, Compelling, provocative: internationally respected historian Felipe Fernandez-Armesto introduces you to the key historical and philosophical notions that have shaped our world since the dawn of civilization. Over 175 of the world's most pivotal ideas are crystallized and clearly explained -- from cannibalism to zen, from time to the unconscious, from logic to chaos theory. The author's wide-ranging and unashamedly personal analysis is accompanied by a stimulating mix of contemporary and historical images, bringing often hard-to-grasp concepts vividly to life. Chronologically Arranged, the format of this book nevertheless allows you to start at the beginning or dip in at any point. The connections between ground-breaking ideas are highlighted throughout, along with expert suggestions for thought-provoking further reading.

Contents:

1 The Mind of the Hunter 30,000-10,000 BC 8

Excavating the Earliest Ideas 10

Eating People 12

Give Me a Sign 14

Parting the Mist 16

All Things Invisible 18

Fly Like an Eagle 20

The Vision Thing 22

The Golden Key 24

May the Force... 26

No Dice 28

Around the Clock 30

Mighty and Dreadful 32

Buried Goods 34

The Family Silver 36

Take, Eat 38

A Family Affair 40

Pieture This 42

Reading the Stars 44

Seeing Double 46

Good and Evil 48

Black Magic 50

Animal Magic 52

Eat, Drink 54

Fair Exchange 56

2 Out of the Mud 10,000-1,000 BC 58

From Settlement to Civilization 60

Drowning the Deer 62

Written on the Wind 64

Outside Eden 66

Lords of Creation 68

The Curse of Work 70

God Is a Woman 72

Just Like a Woman 74

No Mercy 76

Take a Letter 78

Watching the Flock 80

Divine Majesty 82

Universal Rule 84

Getting Together 86

Written in Stone 88

A Golden Age 90

Conquering Death 92

Judgment Day 94

Deo Volente 96

Dreamtime 98

3 Thus Spake Zarathustra 1,000 BC-0 AD 100

The Age of Sages 102

All Is One 104

Books of Truth 106

The New Illusion 108

All Change 110

Time's Arrow 112

Exquisite Reason 114

Not a Horse 116

Man Is the Measure 118

Count on This 120

If x then y 122

Matter Matters 124

Smashing Atoms 126

Against Supernature 128

Nothing Matters 130

The Scientific Method 132

Good Humors 134

Ethical Beings 136

Top Ape 138

Return of the Soul 140

Happiness First 142

A Capital Idea 144

Legalism 146

Rule of the Best 148

Human Bondage 150

Philosopher-Kings 152

The Great Void 154

Power of Thought 156

No God but God 158

Love Above 160

4 Thinking Religions 0-1400 AD 162

The Rise of the Great Faiths 164

Big Brotherhood 166

Word Made Flesh 168

One in Substance 170

God's Free Love 172

Lightning Flash 174

Dumbing Up 176

Damned Time 178

Wicked World 180

Center of the World 182

This Is my Body 184

Render unto Caesar 186

Islam 188

I Am the State 190

The Social Charter 192

Scattered Grains 194

Noble Education 196

Noblesse Oblige 198

Love Conquers All 200

Impossibilism 202

Mu 204

Sacred Art 206

Holy Terror 208

Christian Soldiers 210

5 Back to the Future 1400-1800 212

Back to the Future 214

Fool's Gold 216

Small World 218

Here Comes the Sun 220

Prove Me Wrong 222

Cogito Ergo Sum 224

Fallen Apple 226

Invisible Powers 228

Little Pests 230

State First 232

Brotherhood of Man 234

Law of Nations 236

Nasty, Brutish, Short 238

Heaven's Order 240

Price for Everything 242

Tight Money 244

Laissez-Faire 246

Workers Unite 248

Neverland 250

Getting Better 252

Cleansing the Temple 254

Forced to Be Free 256

The Noble Savage 258

We, the People 260

Nation in Arms 262

Inalienable Rights 264

Promontory of Asia 266

The Second Sex 268

Many Mouths 270

If It Ain't Broke 272

The Big Idea 274

Reality Unveiled 276

Perfect Harmony 278

Back to Nature 280

6 The Illusion of Progress 1800-1900 282

19th-Century Frustrations 284

My Country 286

The Dollhouse 288

Extreme Optimism 290

Class Struggle 292

The Greatest Good 294

The Third Way 296

Less Is More 298

Climate of Fear 300

Will to Power 302

Hero Inside 304

Brother Knows Best 306

Just Say No 308

By Other Means 310

Master Morality 312

War Is Good 314

Chosen Victims 316

Inferior by Nature 318

Tooth and Claw 320

Good Breeding 322

Atheist Faith 324

Calculating Machine 326

Master Race 328

Rule, Britannia 330

East Meets West 332

Asian Renaissance 334

American Dream 336

Manifest Destiny 338

Dr. Strangelove 340

7 The Age of Uncertainty 1900-2000 342

Chaos Restored 344

Warped Universe 346

Uncertainty 348

Chaos Theory 350

Common Sense 352

Their own Terms 354

Sleeper 356

Little Man 358

Back to Basics 360

Many Ways 362

Ax in the Sticks 364

Spending for Wealth 366

A Better World 368

Solid Foundations 370

Peasant Socialism 372

Road to Freedom 374

Black Is Beautiful 376

Out of Africa 378

The Great Chain 380

Intelligence Test 382

Silent Springs 384

Fast Talking 386

The Great Satan 388

Global Village 390.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0789496097

OCLC:

53176334