Encyclopedia

Encyclopedia - A comprehensive collection of knowledge, often found in book form.

Roman naturalist and writer Gaius Plinius Secundus or Pliny the Elder, compiled the world's first encyclopedia some time around 77CE when he wrote Naturalis Historia, or Natural History. This ambitious work was an attempt to bring together knowledge on every subject in the natural world, from zoology and astronomy to classical art. While Pliny's work was as comprehensive as he could make it, it was organized into chapters that addressed individual fields of study and not in individual entries on specific topics. European, Muslim and Chinese scholars created more encyclopedias in the centuries that followed but it was not until the early eighteenth century that the first modern versions of the encyclopedia emerged. Numerous encyclopedias or compendiums appeared that, like Pliny's work, contained information on myriad topics and subject areas, while at the same organizing that knowledge into an easier to use format. Individually tailored entries, accompanied by drawings, diagrams and cross references that linked them to related material, became the standard for all encyclopedias.

What is the sum total of human knowledge ? This is the core question that the encyclopedias seek to answer. Whether they cover a particular discipline or try to capture the breadth of understanding, encyclopedias offer the reader the promise of being able to know the answer to any question simply by reaching for the proper volume. As technology advanced and book searches became replaced by keystrokes, the ability to have all knowledge at the tips of your fingers became almost instantaneously attainable.