A History of Knowledge: Past, Present, and Future

Yes, and I do mean that! Two things about this book. One is that it is a history book of mankind. As someone said, it is a mini-encyclopedia. For that, it is well worth the read. And especially if you are a salesperson, you must read this! In sales, one great talent is to know a little about everything. This book will definitely help you! Second, the book has a message that no other history book would dare tackle. The issue of human progress, through equality. This is the best sentence in the book: "An advanced civilization depends on how much equality exists between its citizens." After I read this book, about four times, I was compelled to buy a few more to give to certain friends and family. I eventually wrote an article called "The Formula For World Peace", which is a precursor to a book that I will author someday, with the same title. I wrote it somewhat tongue and cheek, but I'm quite serious about its message! Here is the article:The Formula For World PeaceBy Robert CalixtoJan. 26, 2008Here it is. I'm throwing in my vote, my priceless two cents. It's the elusive formula for World Peace. Yes, I believe wholeheartedly that it's still possible, even with all the "end of the world" talks of global warming, weapons of mass destruction, new nuclear threats, terrorism, blah, blah, blah. Now is the best time to get this movement going! If there can be an America, there can be World Peace!World Peace. We've all wished for it, talked about it, and argued each other on how we can obtain it. Let's kill eight birds with one stone, shall we?Here is the formula for world peace: A ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT! Yes, a one-world government. It's been brewing in my brain ever since I read Charles Van Doren's ultimate history book called "A History of Knowledge ~ Past, Present, and Future." It describes "the pivotal events, people and achievements of world history". What more can you want in a book? If I went Oprah, this would definitely be in my book club. And yes, I gave the book away as a gift quite a few times!If you're a "worldly-curious" person like me, love the History and the National Geographic Channels on cable television like me, if you are a quasi-history buff like me, and if you love to "know a little about everything and everyone" like me, then you'll love "A History of Knowledge", like me. It goes through the entire history of mankind, from the ancient civilizations, to the various "ages", and to the emergence of modernity. It describes the various contributions of all ancient civilizations and not so ancient empires. It describes all the world's religions, their origins, and their differences. It also describes the lives of everyone who's had any major role in human history, very objectively.It makes a great point in regards to the progress of human knowledge, in that it is not dependent on technology nor wealth, but in equality. Yes, that's right, equality. "An advanced civilization depends on how much equality exists between its citizens." This is what makes this book different from any other history-type reference book, in that "equality" is the ultimate measure of advancement.In the book, Van Doren describes the progression of equality through "democracy", from its origins with the Greeks, then the Romans, then the English Puritanism movement, to Abraham Lincoln's civil war, up to Martin Luther King's idealism. Van Doren describes how equality progressed through history, reaching the pinnacle moment, with Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address". If you didn't already know Lincoln's degree of significance in the progress of equality, you should really read this book!Also in the book, Van Doren states only one formula for World Peace, a one-world government. He doesn't specifically describe the details of how the government would work, but I'm suggesting a United States-type government, with all its "checks-and-balances" branches of government, where no one really rules supreme. The whole "rule by representation" thing would still apply. I personally believe in the "electoral college" system. The founding fathers put that in for a good reason. Sorry Al Gore, but I don't think the popular vote is necessarily a good thing, but that's another article.In my opinion, the United States is the model system, a "practice", for the eventual One World Government. We can then call it the United States of Earth, or something cooler. Just think, instead of countries, each "old country" would become a "state", under the One World Government, each with its governor, other local governments and so on. If one state has a disagreement with another, like Israel versus Lebanon, for example, they would have to answer to the UEA government. World War III will never happen, because it will be downgraded to a civil war. By the way, I always wondered why it's called "World War". Was Mexico, Paraguay, or New Zealand involved? I didn't think so. While we're at it, why is it called "World Series"?Is there a possibility for a civil war? Of course there is! But we already have the American civil war to learn from, and our experience with Abraham Lincoln would be a great reference. Also, knowing how the American founding fathers researched the ideal "democratic" system before they finalized the American Constitution, (I know of Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin's travels to Europe) we can "update" the New Constitution as well. Not so much change it, but add fine details to it.So who's going to introduce this to the world? Of course the Americans will. We are already the model! We can convince everyone else by example! You might ask, how about all this talk about the world hating America? I know it's not true. Just compare the amount of people on the planet that wants to come to America versus the people on the planet that say they hate us. I know it's not true! The world loves America!I am not saying that the world would run their system exactly like the United States of America. As a matter of fact, America in my opinion could learn from other governments! We still don't have a universal health program in this country. Yes, we can learn a thing or two from the Canadians! Also, in my opinion there's just too much "capitalism" in the USA. So much so that the world suffers at our expense of being a very strong capitalistic nation. What is it? We are 5% of the world using 30% of its resources and energy? We should not be proud! A one-world government, focused on one global mission of peace, ending extreme world poverty, eradicating dictatorship and oppression by fake governments (look at what is happening all over Africa), would lessen the negative effects of capitalism in our country. Money does not have to rule or define America!As far as religion, under a "state-run" planet, all will be accepted, allowed, respected, etc. Terrorism will definitely be less, because we will all be under one umbrella. Doesn't terrorism exist because there are people fighting causes against hunger and oppression? If both are eradicated, then terrorism will cease to exist, or at least lessen! As far as the bullies of the world, and you know who they are, don't you wish we had a global government who could just put these people away?I know this is incredibly idealistic, and maybe even absurd. But I think now is the perfect time to start discussing and acting on this movement! I'm sure there are negatives, and it might take a couple of generations to accomplish, but just think of all the positives! [...]The possibilities are endless!Didn't Bill Gates just retire from Microsoft? Let's get in touch with him! Maybe we can get on Oprah, along with Bono, Dr. Phil, Arnold "the governator" Schwarzenegger, Steven Jobs, the people who run Disney, and whoever wins the presidency! Myspace, YouTube, Facebook, Google, TMZ, we'll need them too![...]

Very inciteful and thoughtful presentation of western society's development of knowledge. Gives the reader valuable insights as to events and attitudes that have shaped our current culture and society

An ambitious book by Van Doren, "A History of Knowledge" presents a sweeping portrayal of knowledge and its developments from the time of the ancients to today and beyond. This portrayal is a relatively easy read, and Van Doren's style is alternatingly conversational and didactic. While it's a good book, I wouldn't recommend it unreservedly. Why? I believe that it has two key flaws.First is its scope. Any book titled "A History of Knowledge" is bound to miss a few things while keeping the size of the book down to something that doesn't require a pickup truck to haul around, and this is no exception. However, the things that Van Doren has chosen to eliminate include all of the progress of knowledge in the Far East or the early Americas (the book would be more accurately titled: "A History of Western Knowledge"). If you're looking to see how knowledge has waxed and waned across the world through recorded history, your best bet is a more focused title (see any of Boorstin's recent three book series for a focus on technology, arts, or philosophy; or Beckman's "History of Pi" for a more mathematical insight).The second, and arguably more serious, flaw is the increasing focus on opinion and interpretation rather than historical presentation. We've become accustomed to separating our history into two parts, one that presents it as it happened (or we believe it happened at any rate), and one that interprets and analyzes it for reflection an understanding. Van Doren hasn't done this. And while I appreciate an author's perspective, I tire of reading of his unalloyed joy in his Judeo-Christian ethic, in the victory of Capitalism over Communism, and in the superiority of democracy over ALL other forms of government. And anyone who's read any science fiction at all will cringe at the prognostications regarding the next 100 years.It's a good, but flawed, book.

Never before have I bothered to write a book review, though I'm an avid reader. But this is one of the greatest books I've ever read! My ex-wife bought this for me 20 years ago as a gift and then put it away for her reading pleasure. I recently rediscovered it. Not an easy read, but for anyone interested in a panoramic view of human knowledge throughout recorded history, this is a must. The author (I hope he is still alive to read this) ferrets out the tiniest details and recognizes the broadest patterns that have shaped human knowledge. Some of his insights are stunning. For example, a key reason for the contemporaneous success of Guttenberg's invention of movable type was the sudden abundance of a new type of paper fabricated from cloth. Previously prohibitively expensive and cherished for clothing, cloth suddenly became garbage, the discarded garments of the tens of millions who perished during the Black Plague. The plague itself resulted from the first recorded biological attack in history, a siege of a fortified city during which the attackers loaded their catapults with the corpses of their stricken colleagues, causing a panic evacuation of the city. The consequent spread of the disease was facilitated by a decree from the Pope during the Spanish Inquisition that cats were evil, causing tens of thousands to be hurled into bonfires across Europe. An explosion in the rat population ensued furthering rampant spread of the disease. I could go on for many more paragraphs without doing justice to this book. Buy it.

For covering the human civilization,knowledge & history in a book is not feasible even for the Encyclopedia Brittainica's volumes.The best alternate is an authentic summary of selective general aspects,which may be used as reference . This book does that job extremely well.Very well written and highly recommended.Charles Van doren has not only used his experience of Encyclopedia Brittainica as editor but also shown his intellectual depth and vastness of knowledge.

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