Writings of Charles S. Peirce: A Chronological Edition, Volume 8: 1890–1892

50. [Plan for a Scientific Dictionary]

292 50 [Plan for a Scientific Dictionary] Winter–Spring 1892 Houghton Library Plan for a scientific dictionary, to be called Summa Scientiæ; or, Summary of Human Knowledge. To be contained in one volume of 1500 pages of 1000 words per page. The articles, though elementary, to be masterly summaries valuable even to specialists. C. S. Peirce to be editor and to write about a third of the whole. The other writers to be young men, specialists who have not yet achieved great reputations, but found out and selected by the editor as having exceptional mental power and special competence. These men to conform to certain rules as to matter, arrangement, and style; and required to rewrite until they became trained in the kind of composition required. Economy of space to be effected by every device that ingenuity and many years’ reflection upon this problem can suggest. Facts to be tabulated as far as possible. The style of writing to be extremely compact, yet scrupulously elegant. The ideas dominant in each branch of science to be emphatically indicated, and its leading principles distinctly stated. Every page, even the tables, to be interesting in matter, stimulating and agreeable in manner. The leading works to be always named. The arrangement to be alphabetical. The length of the articles such as best subserves economy of space. This generally forbids very short articles; yet articles of more than one page should be rare. The copy to be completed in two years. As every word would have to be weighed and every statement verified, it would cost $10 to $15 a thousand words. The editor to receive, besides, $3000 a year. The contents to be somewhat as follows. 50. Plan for Scientific Dictionary, 1892 293 A. Mathematics. 1. History of mathematics 25 pages 2. Pure mathematics. A complete synopsis, mostly without proofs. 100 " 3. Tables 25 " 4. Rigid dynamics 25 " 5. Hydrodynamics 15 " 6. Thermodynamics 10 " 7. Kinetical theory of bodies 5 " 8. Thermotics, etc. 5 " 9. Optics 5 " 10. Electricity and magnetism 10 " 11. Mathematical psychics 5 " 12. Mathematical economics 5 " 13. Probabilities 10 " 14. Miscellaneous 5 " Total mathematics 250 pages. B. Philosophy. 1. History of logic 5 pages 2. Principles of logic 25 " 3. Traditional rules of logic 15 " 4. Terminology of logic 5 " 5. Outlines of the principal ontological and cosmological and transcendental systems 50 " Total philosophy 100 pages. C. Nomology. 1. History of psychology 5 pages 2. Doctrines of modern psychology 40 " 3. History of physics 10 " 4. Physics of ordinary matter 40 " 5. Physics of ether (optics & electricity) 15 " 6. Mechanical arts, steam engine, etc. 20 " 7. Optical, magnetic, electrical instruments 20 " Total nomology 150 pages. Writings of C. S. Peirce 1890–1892 294 D. Chemistry. 1. History of chemistry 5 pages 2. Principles of chemistry 5 " 3. Tables of chemical substances, formation, properties, reactions 10 " 4. Tables of physical constants 15 " 5. Chemical arts 15 " Total chemistry 50 pages. E. Biology. 1. History of biology 5 pages 2. Protoplasm and general principles 20 " 3. Systematic tables of animals & plants 80 " 4. Biological geology & miscellaneous 15 " 5. Human anatomy 30 " 6. Human physiology 30 " 7. Medicine, surgery, poisons, etc. 70 " 8. Domestic animals & plants 25 " 9. Agriculture and biologic arts 25 " Total biology 300 pages. F. Sociology. 1. Tables of languages 50 pages 2. Miscellaneous linguistics 20 " 3. Rhetoric 10 " 4. History of literature 5 " 5. Weights, measures, chronology 5 " 6. Anthropological tables 40 " 7. Games and sports 10 " 8. War 10 " 9. History of religion in tables 40 " 10. Politics 25 " 11. Ethics 5 " 12. Jurisprudence and criminology 10 " 13. History of law 5 " 14. Our law and customs 50 " 50. Plan for Scientific Dictionary, 1892 295 This distribution of the contents is subject to changes of detail; but its general character will remain. The aim is to make the volume the most useful one ever published to persons of modern liberal education. C. S. Peirce 15. Domestic economy 25 pages 16. Education 25 " 17. Miscellaneous 15 " Total sociology 350 pages. G. Individual facts. 1. Astronomy and its history 20 pages 2. Geology 10 " 3. Geography 80 " 4. Statistics 10 " 5. General history 80 " 6. Biography 90 " 7. Miscellaneous 10 " Total individual facts 300 pages. Grand total 1500 pages. ...