A six-volume survey of the history of Western thought and culture, presented through 700 alphabetically arranged entries. Each entry explores the origin, cultural interpretations, and historical themes of such subjects as beauty, love, feminism, diversity, and social capital, among many others. For students and general readers.

Electronic reproduction.

Volume 1. List of articles -- Preface -- Historiography -- Reader's guide -- Abolitionism -- Common sense -- Volume 2. Reader's guide -- Communication of ideas-futurology -- Volume 3. Reader's guide -- Game theory-Lysenkoism -- Volume 4. Reader's guide -- Machiavellism-Phrenology -- Volume 5. Reader's guide -- Physics-Syncretism -- Volume 6. Reader's guide -- Taste-Zionism -- List of contributors -- Index.