Library research

From my research in the library today, I have discovered that the ' Encyclopedie ou Dictionnaire Raisonne des Sciences, des Arts et des Metiers' can be closely linked with Enlightenment movement. This led me on to the book Habermas and Modernity, the book is comprised of essays about the concept of modernity based on the philosophy's of Jurgen Habermas.

In one of the essays, Albrecht Wellmer discusses Max Weber, a social Scientist who tried to breakdown the process of modernization.

"Max Weber has tried to interpret the world-historical process of modernization as a process of progressive "rationalization". He goes on to say: " One could distinguish three different aspects in Weber's conception of rationality: purposive, formal, and discursive rationality. In its narrowest sense, rationality for Weber means Zweckrationalitat, purposive rationality, i.e., the type of rationality exhibited in the choice of the most efficient means for realizing predefined goals; 'rationalization' in this sense is therefore tied up with the increase of economic or administrative efficiency." (Wellmer, 1985).


The enlightenment movement was about society and human beings using science and reason to rationally understand and explain the world. Translated into English, the Encycolpedie was called the 'Analytical Dictionary of the Sciences, Arts and Trades'. It's chief editor was Denis Diderot, who was amongst the first to organize knowledge along the alphabet which would evolve into Encyclopedia we recognize today. Diderot recognized that by cataloging information and communicating it with people, society and their descendants would be 'better instructed' and as a consequence be more virtuous and happy. Diderot's rationalization of the sciences, arts and trades is a physical representation of the Enlightenment movement.

From my initial research, I have discovered that Diderot was a philosopher and actually organised the basics of the encyclopedia whilst in prison. "The first volume came off the press in 1751. Two years earlier Diderot had had to pass an uncomfortable and alarming 100 days as a crown prisoner in the fortress of Vincennes." (Gillispie, 1959). He was incarcerated because his publications confronted the 'general way of thinking', challenging religious beliefs and their hierarchy such as priests.

Bibliography

Gillispie, Charles Coulston (1959). A Diderot Encyclopedia of Trades and Industry manufacturing and the technical Arts. New York. Dover Publications Inc.

Wellmer, Albrecht. Edited by Bernstein, Richard (1985). Habermas and Modernity. Cambridge, UK. Polity Press.