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The Little Book of Big Ideas: 150 Concepts and Breakthroughs that Transformed History

The Little Book of Big Ideas: 150 Concepts and Breakthroughs that Transformed History

An exploration of some of the most important and enduring ideas in human history—from religion, science, philosophy, medicine, psychology, politics, economics and art—each presented in brief, accessible form. "Big" ideas are those concepts and theories that have radically transformed our understanding of the world we live in, our place in that world and the ways we have shaped the past and will shape the future. Topics covered range widely and include Creation Mythology, Existentialism, The Elements, Relativity, Space Travel, Geometry, Ethics, Behaviourism, Genetics, Warfare, The Nation State, Anarchism, Capitalism, Classical Art and Architecture, The Renaissance—and much more.

Introduction

PART ONE: THE COSMOS AND RELIGION

Chapter 1. The Universe

Chapter 2. Creation Mythology

Chapter 3. Polytheism

Chapter 4. Monotheism

Chapter 5. Buddhism

Chapter 6. Reincarnation

Chapter 7. Atheism

Chapter 8. Heliocentrism

Chapter 9. Celestial Mechanics

Chapter 10. The Big Bang Theory

Chapter 11. Dark Matter and Dark Energy

Chapter 12. Space Exploration

Chapter 13. The Multiverse

Chapter 14. The End of the World

PART TWO: MATHEMATICS

Chapter 15. Numbers

Chapter 16. Arithmetic

Chapter 17. Algebra

Chapter 18. Geometry

Chapter 19. Non-Euclidian Geometry

Chapter 20. Infinity

Chapter 21. Irrational Numbers

Chapter 22. Calculus

Chapter 23. Probability Theory

Chapter 24. Statistics

Chapter 25. Chaos Theory

PART THREE: SCIENCE

Chapter 26. The Physical Sciences

Chapter 27. The Life Sciences

Chapter 28. Taxonomy

Chapter 29. The Scientific Method

Chapter 30. Causality

Chapter 31. Falsifiability

Chapter 32. The Elements

Chapter 33. Gravity and Newtonian Motion

Chapter 34. Electricity

Chapter 35. Evolution

Chapter 36. Thermodynamics

Chapter 37. Relativity

Chapter 38. Nuclear Fission

Chapter 39. Quantum Mechanics

Chapter 40. Continental Drift

Chapter 41. Cyberspace

Chapter 42. Artificial Intelligence

Chapter 43. Time Travel

PART FOUR: MEDICINE AND PSYCHOLOGY

Chapter 44. The Idea of Medicine

Chapter 45. Diagnosis

Chapter 46. Human Dissection

Chapter 47. Pathology

Chapter 48. Surgery

Chapter 49. The Circulatory System

Chapter 50. Anaesthesia

Chapter 51. Germ Theory

Chapter 52. Immunology

Chapter 53. Pharmacology

Chapter 54. Psychiatry and the Unconscious

Chapter 55. Behaviourism

Chapter 56. DNA

Chapter 57. Cloning

Chapter 58. Euthanasia

Chapter 59. Transhuman Medicine

PART FIVE: PHILOSOPHY

Chapter 60. Pre-Socratic Philosophy

Chapter 61. The Socratic Method

Chapter 62. Scepticism

Chapter 63. Materialism

Chapter 64. Idealism

Chapter 65. Ethics

Chapter 66. Determinism and Fatalism

Chapter 67. Aristotelianism

Chapter 68. Confucianism

Chapter 69. Logic

Chapter 70. Hedonism

Chapter 71. Epicureanism

Chapter 72. Humanism

Chapter 73. The Enlightenment

Chapter 74. Progress

Chapter 75. Optimism and Pessimism

Chapter 76. Rationalism

Chapter 77. Empiricism

Chapter 78. Utilitarianism

Chapter 79. The Übermensch (Superman)

Chapter 80. Pragmatism

Chapter 81. Meritocracy

Chapter 82. Existentialism

Chapter 83. Absurdism

PART SIX: POLITICS

Chapter 84. The Rule of Law

Chapter 85. Property

Chapter 86. Sovereignty

Chapter 87. The Social Contract

Chapter 88. Imperialism

Chapter 89. War

Chapter 90. Pacifism

Chapter 91. Democracy

Chapter 92. Autocracy

Chapter 93. Machiavellianism

Chapter 94. Theocracy

Chapter 95. Liberalism

Chapter 96. Conservatism

Chapter 97. Socialism

Chapter 98. Social Democracy

Chapter 99. Anarchism

Chapter 100. Nationalism

Chapter 101. Fascism

Chapter 102. Internationalism

Chapter 103. Universal Suffrage

Chapter 104. Civil Society

Chapter 105. Feminism

Chapter 106. Environmentalism

PART SEVEN: ECONOMICS

Chapter 107. Scarcity

Chapter 108. Utility

Chapter 109. Money

Chapter 110. Taxation

Chapter 111. Supply and Demand

Chapter 112. Capitalism

Chapter 113. The Invisible Hand

Chapter 114. Protectionism

Chapter 115. Comparative Advantage

Chapter 116. The Malthusian Problem

Chapter 117. Marxian Economics

Chapter 118. Keynesianism

Chapter 119. Spontaneous Order

Chapter 120. Creative Destruction

Chapter 121. Monetarism

Chapter 122. Globalization

Chapter 123. Conspicuous Consumption

Chapter 124. Game Theory

Chapter 125. Philanthropy

PART EIGHT: ARTS, ARCHITECTURE AND MUSIC

Chapter 126. Classical Art and the Renaissance

Chapter 127. The Music of the Spheres

Chapter 128. Poetry

Chapter 129. Drama

Chapter 130. Archetypal Stories

Chapter 131. The Baroque

Chapter 132. The Novel

Chapter 133. Aestheticism

Chapter 134. Romanticism

Chapter 135. Impressionism and Post-Impressionism

Chapter 136. Realism

Chapter 137. Abstract Art

Chapter 138. Modernism

Chapter 139. Symbolism

Chapter 140. Expressionism

Chapter 141. Cubism

Chapter 142. Futurism

Chapter 143. Art Deco

Chapter 144. Surrealism

Chapter 145. Structuralism and Post-Structuralism

Chapter 146. Deconstructionism

Chapter 147. Pop Art

Chapter 148. Brutalism

Chapter 149. Conceptualism

Chapter 150. Postmodernism

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