A summary of great ideas

The translator Mohammed Hassouna says in the introduction of his distinguished translation of this valuable book: In the beginning, there were sciences, knowledge, and beliefs as one unity, where magic was mixed with art, craftsmanship, and religion. In the Middle Ages, scholars combined several specializations; for example, Ibn Sina — among Muslim scholars — was a doctor, philosopher, and poet all at once. But the progress of science in the modern era increased specialization, and each science became independent in its own right, and university studies became more and more specialized in a particular field. So much so that you find a medical student who does not know much about philosophy, and a philosophy student who knows only a little about sciences. With the increasing demands of difficult and complex economic life and the escalation of pressures, students focused on obtaining good grades in university to increase their chances of employment. With the pressures of work itself, there was no longer time for reading, and gradually, public culture lost its prominent position, which used to grant individuals great benefits. Getting to know various human sciences enriches the individual intellectually and spiritually; as it enhances the creative capacity of the mind by mixing different sciences, and it also gives him a human dimension: because he is convinced that human values are absolute and very broad, which broadens his perspective on life. Through this, he realizes that there is no single viewpoint for the difficulties faced in life. By understanding the vastness of human thought, we realize that daily problems are only a small thing compared to the vast, infinite world — the effect of which is like seeing the sea or the endless desert. At that moment, you learn that the horizons of life are vast and do not stop at the limited daily life, the narrow self-imprisonment. Hence, the importance of this book appears, as it covers various fields of general thought: philosophy, religion, science, politics, economics, sociology, psychology, arts. This book is distinguished by explaining the fundamental terms and ideas in these fields. At the end of each chapter, the reader develops a comprehensive and deep understanding — simultaneously — of the basics of each field, saving him the trouble of reading many books across various disciplines to grasp them, or perhaps inspiring him to follow new developments in each field with its details and intricacies. The book also features that all terms are organized in the form of a glossary, making it easy for the reader to identify any term he wishes.