Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, "Ichthyology" to "Independence" / Volume 14, Slice 3

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Gutenberg ID

40156

Title

Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, "Ichthyology" to "Independence" / Volume 14, Slice 3

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This volume of the Eleventh Edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica offers a comprehensive survey of diverse subjects ranging from ichthyology and chemistry to law, history, and art theory. Written by various experts, it provides authoritative entries on topics such as the history of fish classification, the chemical properties of organic compounds like imidazoles and indene, the legal concept of indemnity, and the cultural significance of imitation in art and sociology. The text reflects the scholarly rigor and encyclopedic breadth characteristic...

Summary up to 500 words

Volume 14, Slice 3 of the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, offers a scholarly survey of diverse subjects ranging from natural history and chemistry to law and geography. The entry on Ichthyology traces the evolution of fish study from Aristotle's foundational observations in the 4th century B.C. to the 19th century. Aristotle provided a remarkably accurate anatomical description of fishes, distinguishing them from cetaceans and invertebrates, though his specific classifications were limited by the vernacular names of fishermen. For nearly eighteen centuries, science remained stationary until the mid-16th century, when Pierre Belon, Guillaume Rondelet, and Girolamo Salviani established the concept of species through detailed anatomical works. The science advanced further with the labors of John Ray and Francis Willughby, who substituted facts for speculation and arranged animals according to structural affinities, excluding cetaceans from the class of fishes. The volume also explores the multifaceted concept of Imitation. In psychology and sociology, it is viewed as an instinctive impulse crucial for human development, education, and social evolution, a theory elaborated by Gabriel Tarde. In art, Plato regarded imitation as a second-hand representation removed from truth, while Aristotle emphasized its cathartic value. In biology, the term encompasses mimicry, and in music, it refers to contrapuntal repetition. Chemical entries detail the synthesis and properties of compounds such as imidazoles, indene, and indazole, citing early 20th-century research on their preparation and reactions. Legal definitions clarify terms like indemnity, an undertaking to compensate for loss, and indenture, a sealed agreement historically executed on vellum with a jagged, toothed edge to prevent forgery. Geographically, the volume describes Independence, Missouri, noting its establishment in 1827, its role as a supply point for westward trails, and its complex Mormon history involving the expulsion of early settlers in 1833 and subsequent legal disputes over the 'Temple Lot' involving the Hedrickites and the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The Civil War is also noted, with specific mentions of Confederate captures and battles near the town.

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Categories

• Encyclopedias and dictionaries