Another break

Again due to the press of personal affairs, I have been unable to update this particular blog. Updates are likely to be sparse until fall, depending on events.

Critical areas

In my efforts to merge the two largest versions of my knowledge base, I've reached the point where I can begin to identify the most critical and important areas for major progress.
Within history, it's no great surprise that I need to work on modern history first, before going to classical and medieval history. It's also clear that the most important area to develop these is Sociology, and in particular, peoples of the world. For history in general, prehistory, and antiquity, the most influential of these is Asiatic civilization, but for classical and medieval history, modern history, and the future, western civilization is more of a critical area. Beyond this, I need to do more work in merging.
In sociology, it is also no great surprise that I am choosing to work on peoples of the world, with communities in second place. Although history is an important influence on sociology, and modern history in particular, institutions are likely to be nearly as important.
More work on merging remains to be done.

Minor work

Finally got back to merging the two major versions of my knowledge base, and went through the History section. There's still a bit to do before I can identify the most critical section, the area that needs most work, but I have at least reopened investigation of these areas.

Still alive

I've made a little more progress at reconciling the various versions of the knowledge base; I've made a start on sociology including peoples and communities, on Institutions including religion, and culture. Next, it's back around to history to begin identifying what areas are really most critical.

Back again

After a long hiatus, I am now at the point where I can resume work on the paper-and-pen version of the Knowledge Base.

Right now, I have two competing versions in a similar state of development, and I've decided to work on merging them.
The main page on history has connections at a fairly specific level of detail to most other subjects. Before I decide which of these subjects is most critical to the study of history, I need to look at the major divisions history to decide which of the areas is most important to each of them, and see if there is a consensus.
Prehistory still needs to have the two versions merged. Antiquity is being merged, but so far only as far as its connections with other areas of history. Classical and medieval history is merged as far as Western Civilization. Modern history is marged through peoples of the earth. Its greatest need will have to be determined following examination of its component centuries. Merging has begun on the 19th and 20th centuries. The Future still needs its two versions merged.
Sociology has its two versions being merged also. So far the merger has gone through history. Peoples are being connected, so far only as far as antiquity. Other areas have not yet begun. Institutions are also being merged, but so far only include a little history. It shouldn't be too much longer before I can report further progress.

Hiatus

Due to a sequence of personal events, including a decision to rewrite and consolidate the paper-and-pen version of my knowledge base, medical problems, developing social interests, and physical relocation, this blog has been dormant the entire month of March, and will probably not resume until May, unless readers suggest topics and ask questions, like the recent reader who has asked about 3-valued logic. However, it is not dead.

More Sociology

The various parts of Sociology aren't helped much by the cautious addition of historical periods. It's helped a bit more to add varieties of religion.
As well as giving a better start to the analysis of peoples I've already considered, I've added British peoples, Hispanic Peoples, Chinese peoples, and Mexico City to the system.

20th Century

Several of the various areas that are being applied to modern history are better connected to the 20th century than to other areas. North American peoples have become particularly prominent in this period, and New York City became one of the world's leading cities. Secularism became especially important, International government structures developed; sports and games proliferated, applied science greatly expanded, and new forms of buildings and arhitecture developed.

Subdivisions of this century are being established. The Early-mid 20th century (1921-1940) is a new stub, the Mid-20th century (1941-1960) which includes World War II and the early Cold War period is not much better advanced, and the late-mid 20th century (1961-1980, Vietnam & Middle Cold War) is not quite ready for much discussion. So far, I don't have many events to put in the late 20th Century (1981-present), but this should be developing before long.

The future is rather difficult to follow, until I have better methods from other areas of study. I have opened investigation of the 21st Century by looking at the immediate future (2006 - 2010), but don't yet have details.

More history

The most recent round of studies hasn't added much to my knowledge of prehistory, which isn't well subdivided.
Antiquity is a little more developed, and can introduce the early 1st millennium as a stub. to be expanded later.

Classical and medieval history has a very little more that can be added to it. I trace modern secularism to this period. the Abbasid dynasty and Jesus belong to this period. In particular, the late medeival period is being developed somewhat with the 14th century (1300s) added as a stub and the 15th century (the 1400s) a little bettier developed.

Most of the more recent develolpments can be applied to modern history. The extension of North American englis-speaking peoples, the addition of more African and Native American peoples, New York City, and consideration of Industrial peoples also belong to this period. Secularism developed substantially during this period, and international governments also developed. There was substantial improvement in the applied sciences and growth of buildings. Among the particular groups, the Abbey Theatre belongs to this period.

The 16th century and the 17th century don't quite have the full range of development yet.
Beginning in the 18th century, I can start looking at North American colonial and revolutionary history better, and the beginnings of industrial societies can be found.
In the 19th century, North American peoples were becoming prominent along with other Anglic peoples, and secularism became considerably more acceptable. There was considerable growth of industrial peoples.

I've also added a few more sites to the sidebar here.

More progress

I paid a little more attention to economics, education, and families, but the stubs I added aren't contributing a great deal to any of them.
In the area of Culture, I added a little bit more. Along with events and performing arts, I now have sports and games; along with philosophy, I have applied sciences, and material culture now has a subdivision, buildings. These will all be useful when I go back to social and institutional analysis.
In the area of Anthropology, I added a couple of new groups. Still in alphabetical order, I expanded a very little on the Abbadid Dynasty, and added the Ammasid Dynasty and Abbey Theatre to my list of particular groups. In Human geography, I started mention of Eurasia, and put demography in a position to be considered.
I also made progress in peoples. For particular individuals, I gave first place to Jesus. and I've also added a section on the human body to this latest version. In science, I've added Earth science.

This completes one of my development cycles amd makes it time to begin another. History in general refers to all the major peoples of the world, but doesn't have enough detail in particular cities or social movements to be as useful as I would like. There isn't yet enough information to be able to distinguish abrahamic from secular points of view, but this may appear later, as well as other influences of religious organization, practicee, and belief. I also don't have enough information on particular governments, strocture, activity, or law to be useful. In economics, companies are lass useful thatn economic systems. My knowledge of education and famiies is lagging a bit, and the various areas of culture are not yet very sseful. Addition of more particular groups and particular individuals is best done within particular periods of history.

More institutions

I continued with Religion to include a hierarchy as one of the major forms of religious organization. I'm also adding international government under the category of particular governments.

Progress

I've been involved in other things the past couple of weeks, but have made a little progress. I've begun consideration of New York City; Social processes as part of the general category of social change, and industrial peoples as one of the types of society. In Religion, I'm adding a category for secularism. This is intended to include atheism and agnosticism and variants of them as categories.

Peoples again

With the addition of th 15th century and mid-20th century, I have a few more historical tools for examining different peoples. The beginning development of particular changes, Abrahamic religion, and particular families; Performing arts and philosphy; and more areas of Anthropology also are elaso extending the bag of techniques.

An outline for the history of Western civilization is starting to come together without quite so many serious gaps. North American Anglic peoples how have an introductory entry. I've also added Southern Africa and Central Africa, and South American Indians and North American Indians, which gives a complete set of the major areas of the world.

Sociology revisited

This is such an abstract, high-level topic that it's difficult to outline its history in meaningful terms. I can make more progress by preparing for more detailed Institutional analysis that includes such things Abrahamic religion and particular families. Cultural analysis includes Performing arts and philosophy, and Anthropological analysis will include such things as particular groups, physical anthropology, and human ecology.

Future

As part of my studies of history, I am looking for trends that will help in examining the future. I can do a little extrapolation from existing events into the near future; longer range events are increasingly speculative. The starting point is the present, which I am grouping with the late 20th century. I've grouped this into the next 100 years, next thousand years, and the far future, as broad, general categories.

Modern History

Most of what I can say about this subject is pretty much the same as for history in general, but more specific details are in the current round of development. The 16th century, the 17th century, the 18th century, and the 19th century all need more specific details before I can discuss them in any but the most general terms.

I've extended the 20th century a little further back. The Mid 20th century (1941-1960) includes most of World War II, a major event in world history, and the beginnings of the Cold War. I have broadened the connections of the late-mid 20th century (1961-1980) and the late 20th century (1981-present), but don't have enough detail to report on them yet.

Classical and Medieval History

This subject now includes all of its principal subdivisions, but the limited development of them makes generalization difficult. It is evident that the principal focus shifts to Western civilization away from Asiatic peoples, which predominated in antiquity. Abrahamic religion and particular families can be noted as important subtopics, and many of the performing arts and much of philosophy originated in this period. I also note that the Abbadid dynasty, noted in particular groups and history, belongs to this period.

Early classical history and late classical history do not yet have much interesting detail, and early medieval history is not much better. I have begun to subdivide the late medieval period by century, starting with the 15th century, but have no detail for it yet. Otherwise, it chiefly follows the same patterns as classical and medieval history in general.

History revisited

The addition of new subjects allows better insight into world history. Western Civilization is now filled out with the inclusion of Balkan and Scandinavian peoples, while Asiatic peoples are now filled out with the inclusion of Central Asian peoples. Africa has only begin with Eastern and Western Africa, and American Indians have only begun with Meso-America. Particular cities are not yet to the level where I can connect them yet, and specific social changes also not yet to the level where I can name them. Addition of Abrahamic religion brings in a major topic to history, and the category of particular families will also be useful. The role of the performing arts and philosophy in history can also be considered. The use of particular groups, such as the Abbadid dynasty, gives detail to history. Physical anthropology and human ecology are also somewhat useful. Personal studies haven't yet reached this point, and psychology is at too low a level to be really useful to history. Biology is also hard to related directly to history.

Study of Prehistory (up to 3000 BC) will definitely be aided by considering Asiatic peoples, which can be traced back at least this far, and the major institutions can also be traced back, although not in the detail I would like. Evidence for performing arts and philosophy is scanty compared to later periods. So far, I have no specific particular groups, although physical anthropology and human ecology form a large part of studies of prehistory, and this tends to merge with parts of biology.

Studies of Antiquity (3000 BC - 500 BC) are brought into much better focus by including Central Asia and Balkan peoples. Particular changes are possible, and the recognized origins of Abrahamic religion begin in antiquity. I am not aware of major developments in Performing arts or philosophy during this period, although they presumably existed. So far, I have no specificl particular groups, but physical anthropology and human ecology can also be connected.

Culture

Culture is still too high-level and general a topic to work with easily. I don't yet have a good idea of its history, although a broad overview of world's cultures is possible. Connections to each of the social institutions can also be made.

Behavioral culture isn't very specialized yet. I have begun linking Events to other major areas and have added a "Performing arts" heading.

Under Conceptual culture, I have added a
"Philosophy" heading. Under Material culture, I don't yet have enough detail.


Anthropology is linked to various subjects at a high level, but doesn't have much detail yet. In particular groups, I haven't found a well-organized listing of the few most important ones, so what I've decided is to go to the Encyclopedia Britannica and reorganized them from alphabetic order. The first one on the list is the Abbadid Dynasty, of medieval (Islamic) Spain. I've also added headings for "Physical anthropology" and "Human Ecology". Since I include the content of social or cultural anthropology, which deals with whole societies, under the heading of sociology, it's not absolutely clear which section should get which title. Human ecology deals with the relationships between humankind and the rest of nature.

Personal studies now include a new heading of "Psychology", and Science includes a new heading of "Biology" in the current version of the knowledge base, which should absorb the older versions as I develop it.

Institutions

Since the social institutions aren't a well-unified subject, the history of the subject has to be reconstructed from individual areas. The origins in prehistory, developments in antiquity, and in classical and medieval times can be difficult to follow. What is clear is that in modern times, they have become more complex and more formalized than they were before. Comparative studies, using the institutions of different societies, examples from particular cities, and the tools of social structure and change will clarify these areas. I've discussed the major divisions of religion, government, economics, education, and families before. This time, the connections to particular areas of culture will be more useful.

I want to elevate the importance of religion. I have only the sketchiest outline of religious history, and a somewhat better idea of how it is distributed among peoples. The major divisions of particular religion, religious organization, practice, and beliefs are all being studied. This and has been fairl closely connected to government. It is hardly possible to discuss religion in general without looking at particular traditions, and their organization, practice, and beliefs. The economics of religion is not often discussed. Education and the roles of families are also important, and roots in culture will also need to be considered.

The first catetory of particular traditions is what I call Abrahamic religion, and including this will give substance to several other areas of study. Discussion of religious organization, practice, and beliefs will have to be postponed.

Government can benefit from historical and comparative studies, though I don't yet have details. It depends more on religion than is often realized, but discussion of particular governments, government structure, activity, and law will have to be examined later. It is closely tied to economics, somewhat to education, and some to families.

Economics can also benefit from historical and comparative studies. It is somewhat connected to religion, but more importantly to government. I haven't yet reached analysis of particular companies, but economic systems are beginning.

Education likewise can benefit from historical and comparative studies, and is also connected to religion, government, and economics. I haven't yet reached analysis of particular schools or school organization, but this will be coming.

Families likewise can benefit from historical and comparative studies, and are influenced by religion, government, economics, and education. I have a category for particular families, but this doesn't have much content yet.