Document Type : Scientific Research
Author
Associate professor of the institute for humanities and cultural studies
Abstract
The entry of the Western world into the Age of Enlightenment required that the level of literacy in the various classes of society be raised, and that all members of society at large be made more mindful; this entailed continuous public education. General education, which is a structured term in the field of culture, is more reminiscent of school education, but this type of education always has limited periods and usually does not last after the person enters society; The Enlightenment, on the other hand, required continued education and awareness. Encyclopedia, as an institution across the school that could ensure this continuity in public education, was able to play such a role. What has actually happened in the Western arena during the Enlightenment is the establishment of the encyclopedia in its new sense and the serious function of this cultural issue as an institution for continuing public education, complementing school performance, and helping to raise awareness among different sections of society. In the present study, the main issue is the role of encyclopedias in continuing public education and their performance during the Enlightenment, especially among the leading nations of Europe, and in terms of methodology, this study is a history of thought, and uses the methods of this field.
Keywords