10 Pillars of Knowledge

Map of Human Knowledge

Non-Human
FOUNDATIONS SUPERNATURAL MATTER & ENERGY SPACE & EARTH ORGANISMS BODY & MIND SOCIETY THOUGHT & ART TECHNOLOGY HISTORY

1. Theory 1. Theory 1. Theory 1. Theory 1. Theory 1. Theory 1. Theory 1. Thought 1. Theory 1. Theory
Philosophy of Knowledge Religious Studies Philosophy of Physics Cosmological Theory Philosophy of Biology Philosophy of Life Philosophy of Social Sciences 1. Reason (Theory) Philosophy of Technology Philosophy of History
Philosophy of Science Philosophy of Space & Time Bioethics Philosophy of Mind Social Philosophy Philosophy
2. Mysticism 2. Space Bioethics 2. Representation 2. Professions 2. General Memory
2. Context Mysticism 2. Principles Astronomy 2. Basic Sciences 2. Society at-large Philosophy of Language Engineering History
History of Science Physics Biology 2. Basic Sciences 1. General Philology Archeology
Sociology of Knowledge 3. Religions 3. Earth Human Biology Sociology 3. Relations 3. Technologies
1. Ancient 3. Substances 1. Surface & Substance 3. Health & Wellbeing Psychology Anthropology Logic 1. Sciences 3. Relations
3. Methodology Egyptian Mythology Chemistry Physical Geography Veterinary Medicine Neuroscience Human Geography Mathematics Artificial intelligence Genealogy
Methodology of Science Greek Mythology Geology Cognitive Science Demography Statistics Biotechnology
2. Monotheism Soil Sciences 2. Area-Based Computer Science
4. Mediation Judaism 2. Interrelations 3. Health & Wellbeing Area Studies 2. Arts - Literature Materials Science
Information Science Christianity Agriculture 1. Medical Sciences (Classified by Area ) 1. Theory Nanotechnology
Museology Islam Environmental Sciences Medicine Literary Theory Nuclear Technology
Scientometrics 3. Asian Natural Hazards Dentistry 3. Domains 2. Forms 2. Needs & Activities
Buddhism 2. Paramedical Studies 1. Community Poetry Educational Technology
Hinduism Audiology 1. Communication Prose Food Technology
Jainism Clinical Psychology Semiotics Drama Information Technology
Sikhism Midwifery Linguistics Essay 3. Materials
Confucianism Nursing Languages Ceramic Technology
Taoism Nutrition Communication Studies 3. Arts - Non-Literary Glass Technology
Shinto Occupational Therapy 2. Contract 1. Theory Iron Technology
Bahaism Optometry Political Science Philosophy of Art Mineral Technology
Zoroastrianism Pharmacy 3. Codes History of Art Wood Technology
4. Modern Physical Therapy Ethics 2. Forms 4. Processes
Scientology Public Health Law Conceptual Art Cutting Technology
5. Ethnic Speech Therapy 4. Conduct Drawing Freezing Technology
Shamanism 3. Complementary Medicine Social Psychology Painting
Voodoo Ayurvedic Medicine Criminology Sculpture
x ‫סגירת‬ Chinese Medicine 2. Needs & Activities Photography
Homeopathy Cultural Studies Printmaking
Economics Tapestry
Education Dance
Public Health Music
Recreation Theater
Social Work Opera
Sport Entertainment
Tourism Cinematography
Urban Planning Digital Arts
3. Management Applied & Design Arts
Management studies Architecture

4. Social Groups
1. Gender
Men's Studies
Women's Studies
2. Age
Youth Studies
Gerontology
3. Ethnicity
Ethnic Studies
(Classified by Ethnicity)
4. Interest
Family Studies
Gay & Lesbian Studies

LIVING WORLD

KNOWLEDGE SUPERNATURAL UNIVERSE HUMANS

Our knowledge is growing while we conquer new horizons. New fields Foundations studies human knowledge. Supernatural concerns mysticism
emerge as we conceive innovative ideas, improve our scientific methods, and and religion. Matter and Energy explores the basics of the physical world.
invent new technologies. Yet, we fail to capture the whole picture and the Space and Earth explores our planet and outer space. Non-Human
logical relations among the various parts of knowledge. Organisms explores the non-human living world, or fauna and flora; while
Body and Mind is focused on the human body and mind. Society deals with
10 Pillars of Knowledge is a systematic map of human knowledge. It the various aspects of human social life. Thought and Art studies the products
presents, at a glance, the structure of knowledge and the meaningful relations of the human intellect, and the arts. Technology explores the products of
among the main fields. Human knowledge is composed of 10 pillars: human creativity, which are designed to achieve practical aims. History
encompasses human history.
- Foundations
- Supernatural Knowledge – Supernatural – Universe – Humans. The 10 pillars
- Matter and Energy are organized into four groups, which explore four general phenomena:
- Space and Earth knowledge (pillar 1), supernatural (pillar 2), universe (pillars 3-4-5), and
- Non-Human Organisms humans (pillars 6-7-8-9-10).
- Body and Mind
- Society Living world. Non-Human Organisms (pillar 5) and Body and Mind
- Thought and Art (pillar 6) belong, from cultural and religious perspectives, to different
- Technology phenomena. Non-Human Organisms is part of the universe, while Body and
- History Mind is part of humanity. However, from a scientific perspective,
Non-Human Organisms and Body and Mind are interrelated. They are part of
the same general phenomenon, the Living World.
Categories vs. fields. Every pillar is composed of relevant categories.
Every category presents the relevant fields. For example, Matter and Energy
is composed of three main categories, Theory, Principles, and Substances.
The Theory category presents two fields, Philosophy of Physics, and
Philosophy of Space and Time. Principles presents Physics, and Substances
presents Chemistry. The distinction between categories of the map and fields
of knowledge is essential.
Library of human knowledge. Imagine that the Map mirrors a library.
The pillars are bookcases, the categories are shelves, and the fields are books.
The Library of Human Knowledge has an impressive collection of hundreds
of books (i.e., fields). They are stored in ten bookcases (i.e., pillars), which
are divided into relevant shelves (i.e., categories).
Human knowledge is constantly growing. New books are written. Old books
are revised. This is the nature of our cultural heritage.
Theory – Embodiment. Human knowledge follows a Theory –
Embodiment structure. It is implemented within the map level, the pillar
level, and the field level.
At the map level, pillar 1 is the “theory” part of human knowledge and pillars
2 through 10 are the “embodiment” part. Pillar 1 includes meta-knowledge
(i.e., knowledge about knowledge), or rather the “theory” of human
knowledge. Pillars 2-10 embody our knowledge of the supernatural, the
universe, and human phenomena, which are the center of human exploration.
At the pillar level, the first category, Theory, is the “theoretical” part of the
pillar. It presents fields that are focused on the theoretical aspects of the
explored phenomena (e.g., Philosophy of Knowledge, Philosophy of
Science). The other categories embody our knowledge of the explored
phenomena. All the pillars share the Theory – Embodiment structure, with
one exception. Pillar 8, Thought and Art, is divided into three sections,
Thought, Literature, and Non-Literary Arts; each one of them has its own
Theory – Embodiment structure.
At the field level, the “theory” section is implemented in the theory of the
field (for example, Philosophy of Medicine is part of the "theory" section of
Medicine). The other sections embody our knowledge of the relevant
phenomena. In the example of Medicine, these are Internal Medicine,
Pediatrics, Surgery, and the like. Note that the map above does not zoom on
the field level.
Knowledge maps. Knowledge maps shape the way we perceive the
world and act in it. They are expected to be systematic and comprehensive.
10 Pillars of Knowledge is systematic and comprehensive. It seems obvious
and reflects the way most of us conceive our knowledge. This simplicity is a
product of an ongoing study aimed at mapping contemporary human
knowledge – a study that started nearly ten years ago.
Author: Chaim Zins, PhD.
Design: Chaim Zins (research and concept), Maya Natan-Gorelick (graphical design), Amir Gur (consultant).
Images: courtsey of the Library of Congress, NOAA, NASA, NASA, NASA, US Army, Fairfax County,
Brian Hillegas (The Thinker by Auguste Rodin), NASA, and Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix.
© Chaim Zins, 2008. URL: success.co.il/knowledge/index.html