“百科全书是一种什么书?”百科全书有什么用处?“这是我在一次为知识竞赛举办的书市上,面对好奇的读者遇到得最多的问题。作为百科全书编纂工作者,回答这个问题也不免颇费踌躇。在二千多年百科全书史上,对于这个问题曾有过各种不同的说法。有人认为百科全书是解释世界、认识世界的书,是一面反映世界的镜子,因而把百科全书名之为”宝鉴“;有人则认为百科全书是追求真理、探索真理的工具;十六世纪英国哲学家培根认为百科全书是使现实人的智慧与理想人的智慧合一的工具;狄德罗则把他主编的法国《百科全书》说成是”用来改变人们思想方法的词典“;还有一个存在已久的古老幻想:让百科全书取代一切的书籍,成为给人一切指导的”万能全书“;《不列颠百科全书》的推销人员创造出一个提法:”百科全书是没有围墙的大学“;现代百科全书编纂家更为重视百 ”What is the use of the encyclopedia? “ This is my book for the knowledge contest held in the face of curiosity readers have encountered the most problems as encyclopedia compilation Answer this question can not help but quite a hesitant in the history of the Encyclopedia 2000 years, there have been different opinions on this issue.Some people think that encyclopedia is to explain the world, to understand the world of books, is to reflect the world Mirror, so the encyclopedia as ”Baojian“; some people think that the encyclopedia is the pursuit of truth, to explore the truth tools; 16th century British philosopher Bacon think encyclopedia is to make the reality of human wisdom and ideals The wisdom and unity of the instruments; Diderot put his French encyclopedia as ”a dictionary used to change people’s way of thinking“; there is a long-existing ancient fantasy: let the encyclopedia replace everything ”All Encyclopedia“, ”Britannica“ sales staff to create a formula: ”Encyclopedia is a university without a wall "; modern encyclopedia editor more Pay attention to one hundred