What do you think?


in Minutes
Big Ideas In Brief: 200 World-Changing Concepts Explained In An Instant
Ian Crofton, former editor-in-chief of The Guinness Encyclopedia, has written a wide range of other general reference books, including Philosophy (Teach Yourself Instant Reference) and Science Without the Boring Bits.
With Big Ideas in Brief , Crofton provides an accessible tour of 200 key concepts that really matter. The ideas covered come from a wide range of subjects--Philosophy, Religion, Politics, Economics, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, the Arts, and Science. A series of short, lively articles, accompanied by 100 illustrations, introduces a host of diverse topics, from Existentialism to Expressionism, from Consciousness to Constitutionalism, from Feminism to Free Trade, from Class to Cognitive Theory, from Reincarnation to Relativityâ??all explained simply and clearly.
With Big Ideas in Brief , Crofton provides an accessible tour of 200 key concepts that really matter. The ideas covered come from a wide range of subjects--Philosophy, Religion, Politics, Economics, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, the Arts, and Science. A series of short, lively articles, accompanied by 100 illustrations, introduces a host of diverse topics, from Existentialism to Expressionism, from Consciousness to Constitutionalism, from Feminism to Free Trade, from Class to Cognitive Theory, from Reincarnation to Relativityâ??all explained simply and clearly.
415 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
November 28, 2024
felsefeden bilime, sanattan siyasete kadar insanlık tarihini şekillendiren 200 temel kavramı sade ve etkileyici bir üslupla ele alıyor. "Felsefe, bilgelik sevgisidir" yaklaşımından, "Özgür irade, insanların kaderlerini belirleme gücüdür" vurgusuna kadar, temel fikirlerin birey ve toplum üzerindeki etkileri net bir şekilde işlenmiş.
Bilimsel devrimlerden mitlerin kültürel etkilerine, dinin bireysel inançtan toplumsal dönüşümlere kadar uzanan bu kapsamlı eser, okura evrensel bir perspektif sunuyor. Keynesyen ekonomi, Soğuk Savaş stratejileri ve sanatın doğayı taklit eden veya geliştiren yapısını ele alan bölümler, okurların dünyayı daha iyi anlamasına olanak tanıyor.
"Olmak, yapmaktır," diyen Sokrates’in rehberliğinde, bu kitap bilgi ve eylem arasındaki dengeyi vurguluyor. Kütüphanenizde mutlaka bulunması gereken, ilham verici bilgi sanat sözlüğü gibi gibi
Bilimsel devrimlerden mitlerin kültürel etkilerine, dinin bireysel inançtan toplumsal dönüşümlere kadar uzanan bu kapsamlı eser, okura evrensel bir perspektif sunuyor. Keynesyen ekonomi, Soğuk Savaş stratejileri ve sanatın doğayı taklit eden veya geliştiren yapısını ele alan bölümler, okurların dünyayı daha iyi anlamasına olanak tanıyor.
"Olmak, yapmaktır," diyen Sokrates’in rehberliğinde, bu kitap bilgi ve eylem arasındaki dengeyi vurguluyor. Kütüphanenizde mutlaka bulunması gereken, ilham verici bilgi sanat sözlüğü gibi gibi
September 23, 2012
Great for a crash course of everything you need to know to sound intelligent.
January 11, 2015
I took quite some time to finish the whole book. I did not read it in order due to the fact that it was more kind of like a dictionary so the order didn't matter. I enjoyed reading this book because it contains many ideas I vaguely knew but didn't have the name for. This is one of those books that if you read and remember, you will sound intelligent. It was a very interesting book to read. Even the most complex topics you can think of are explained with clarity within a few paragraphs. This book has everything, politics, religion, economics, psychology.. It is a great book to read and I would definitely recommend it!
April 15, 2025
مجموعة قصيرة ومفيدة مُلخّصة لبعض من أفضل الأفكار التي أنتجتها البشرية على الإطلاق , استخدم إيان كروفتون لغة بسيطة للغاية لوصف كل موضوع من المواضيع التي تتراوح بين الفلسفة والدين والعلوم والسياسة والاقتصاد والمجتمع وعلم النفس
May 25, 2017
This book is brief , as its title says. Its a summarized collections of some of the best ideas that human society ever produced.
Ian Crofton used very simple language to to describe the each topic and every topic is assigned one or two pages, so you do not have to read unnecessary stuff about particular idea.
I thoroughly enjoyed this books. This book contains wide variety of topics ranges from Philosophy, Religion, Science, Politics, Economics, Society and psychology.
Ian Crofton used very simple language to to describe the each topic and every topic is assigned one or two pages, so you do not have to read unnecessary stuff about particular idea.
I thoroughly enjoyed this books. This book contains wide variety of topics ranges from Philosophy, Religion, Science, Politics, Economics, Society and psychology.
October 21, 2019
Wanted to give this 3.5 stars, but couldn't figure out how to do half stars. While I can't knock the author's scholarship, I knock off points for often being too editorial. Often I found, if not always fully incorrect, information that was misleading if taken out of context, and which seemed to put forth a certain agenda. So, I would say, this book is useful for the range of information it presents, but as with any topic, beware of getting information from a single source.
January 3, 2025
::انطباع عام::
=========
كتاب جيد مثل "كراش كورس" لمعرفة أهم المصطلحات التي نسمعها باستمرار في السياقات الثقافية مثل: العولمة، الماركسية، الليبرالية، العنصرية، الفاشية، الفوضوية، الوجودية، العدمية..إلخ لكن ليس على قارئه أن يتوقع التعمق الشديد في هذه المصطلحات أو معرفة التاريخ المكوّن لهذه المصطلحات أو مدى تأثيرها في التاريخ البشري. وهذا طبيعي من كتاب يعتبر مجرد مدخل لأهم المصطلحات الضخمة في التاريخ البشري.
***
::في سطور::
=========
يعد هذا الكتاب من ضمن سلسلة (في دقائق) كمقدمة موجزة وجذابة لأهم 200 مفهوم غيّر العالم في مختلف المجالات، بما في ذلك الفلسفة والعلم والدين والسياسة والاقتصاد وعلم الاجتماع والأنثروبولوجيا وعلم النفس والفنون. يعد هذا الكتاب كتابًا موصى به للغاية لأي شخص يبحث عن مقدمة موجزة وجذابة لبعض أهم الأفكار التي شكلت التاريخ البشري، خصوصًا للطلبة والقراء المبتدئين والمشغولين.
***
::ما لفتني::
=======
أكثر ما استوقفني في الكتاب هو عنوان: "إشكالية العقول الأخرى": "المنطق السليم يقول لنا إن هذا السؤال هراء ولا يدل على شيء، ولكنه رغم ذلك سؤال حقيقي، ولا توجد طريقة مؤكدة للدلالة على وجود العقول الأخرى. وأفضل شيء نستطيع فعله هو الاستدلال عن طريق التناظر الوظيفي. إذ نلاحظ في العديد من الحالات أن أناسًا آخرين يستجيبون مثلنا للمحفزات. وهذا يبدو كافيًا للإيمان بأنهم مثلنا."
*.*.*.*.*
=========
كتاب جيد مثل "كراش كورس" لمعرفة أهم المصطلحات التي نسمعها باستمرار في السياقات الثقافية مثل: العولمة، الماركسية، الليبرالية، العنصرية، الفاشية، الفوضوية، الوجودية، العدمية..إلخ لكن ليس على قارئه أن يتوقع التعمق الشديد في هذه المصطلحات أو معرفة التاريخ المكوّن لهذه المصطلحات أو مدى تأثيرها في التاريخ البشري. وهذا طبيعي من كتاب يعتبر مجرد مدخل لأهم المصطلحات الضخمة في التاريخ البشري.
***
::في سطور::
=========
يعد هذا الكتاب من ضمن سلسلة (في دقائق) كمقدمة موجزة وجذابة لأهم 200 مفهوم غيّر العالم في مختلف المجالات، بما في ذلك الفلسفة والعلم والدين والسياسة والاقتصاد وعلم الاجتماع والأنثروبولوجيا وعلم النفس والفنون. يعد هذا الكتاب كتابًا موصى به للغاية لأي شخص يبحث عن مقدمة موجزة وجذابة لبعض أهم الأفكار التي شكلت التاريخ البشري، خصوصًا للطلبة والقراء المبتدئين والمشغولين.
***
::ما لفتني::
=======
أكثر ما استوقفني في الكتاب هو عنوان: "إشكالية العقول الأخرى": "المنطق السليم يقول لنا إن هذا السؤال هراء ولا يدل على شيء، ولكنه رغم ذلك سؤال حقيقي، ولا توجد طريقة مؤكدة للدلالة على وجود العقول الأخرى. وأفضل شيء نستطيع فعله هو الاستدلال عن طريق التناظر الوظيفي. إذ نلاحظ في العديد من الحالات أن أناسًا آخرين يستجيبون مثلنا للمحفزات. وهذا يبدو كافيًا للإيمان بأنهم مثلنا."
*.*.*.*.*
December 22, 2022
Bir hafta gibi benim için kısa sayılabilecek bir sürede okudum. Kitapta 200 başlık ve fakat konular sıralı olarak ilerliyor. Konular sekiz başlıkta kümelenmiş. Felsefe, Din, Bilim, Siyaset, Ekonomi, Toplum, Psikoloji ve Sanat kitapta yer alan başlıklar. Kitap felsefe ile başlıyor ve felsefe kitapta oldukça geniş yer kaplıyor. Konular oldukça kısa ve açık bir şekilde açıklanmış biraz yüzeysel ama kesinlikle sıkıcı değil. Ben okurken keyif aldım.
December 28, 2023
Felsefe, din, bilim, psikoloji, sanat, siyaset gibi konularda 200 farklı temel anlayışa değinerek çok temel hatları ile anlatılmış.
Her konu başlığı kısa ve sade bir şekilde açıklanmış. Merak edenler için araştırma yapıp daha fazla bilgi edinme adına küçük bir kapı aralanmış.
Ben okuduğum başka kitapların yanında modum değişsin, kafam dağılsın diye bu kitabı okudum. O şekilde okuyabilirsiniz sizlerde.
Kitapla kalın, keyifli ve feyzli okumalar…
Her konu başlığı kısa ve sade bir şekilde açıklanmış. Merak edenler için araştırma yapıp daha fazla bilgi edinme adına küçük bir kapı aralanmış.
Ben okuduğum başka kitapların yanında modum değişsin, kafam dağılsın diye bu kitabı okudum. O şekilde okuyabilirsiniz sizlerde.
Kitapla kalın, keyifli ve feyzli okumalar…
October 10, 2026
Felsefe, ideoloji, edebiyat ve sanat gibi çeşitli alanlardaki bilgi dallarının varlığından haberdar olmak yada bu alanlara dair genel görüsünü tazeleyerek ilham edinmek isteyenler okusun diye yazılmış bir kitap. Amacı dışında kullanıldığında burada verilen bilgilerin özet yahut genelleme dahi olamayacak kadar eksik olduğu fark edilir.
July 3, 2017
The book is pretty much what the title says. I believe the author is incorrect in some of his statements. Nevertheless, the book might serve as a key-word source to help the reader find the big ideas of Western civilization.
December 21, 2020
I liked this one. It was rather easy to read yet still managed to shed light on many important an complicated topics. Good general education.
The problem I see is just that many of the ideas were too complicated to explain in such a small text, supposing the reader has no prior knowledge of them.
The problem I see is just that many of the ideas were too complicated to explain in such a small text, supposing the reader has no prior knowledge of them.
September 1, 2021
A quick overview about different topics, it's nice for a quick read and if you want to skim through different topics. Mostly it tries to explain most of the keywords you hear about in different fields (like politics, economics, and so on).
January 14, 2024
Kitap sekiz ana konuda (felsefe, din, bilim, siyaset, ekonomi, toplum, psikoloji ve sanat) 200 başlık altında Dakikalar İçinde formatına uygun kısa bilgiler içeriyor. Daha çok detaylı bir sözlük gibi. Merak ettiğiniz konu başlığı altında konuyla ilgili çok kısa bilgiler okuyorsunuz.
June 16, 2019
437 - 2019
October 29, 2021
20210930-20211029 // concise
December 4, 2022
everything i need
February 8, 2023
Bahsettiği fikirleri kavramak için yetersiz ama kapısını aralamak için yeterli bir kitap. Okumaktan pek keyif almadım ancak fikir edindim. Serinin diğer kitaplarını da inceleyeceğim.
October 28, 2023
Güzel tabi ancak çoğu bilgi tekrar gibi geldi. sanırım lise 1 deyken falan okunmalı.
February 12, 2024
Kucuk kucuk ortaya gelsin, ama bilgi...guzel olmus...
July 13, 2024
bu kitapta dunyadaki fikirle,dusunceler,ideolojiler hakkinda bilgi edindik gayet basarili bir kitap ama bazi fikirler,ideolojiler kitapta yer almiyor
November 18, 2024
موجز لمعظم المصطلحات التي غالبا ما قد تسمعها في حياتك اليومية في مختلف النواحي والجوانب
January 1, 2025
It is a quick read encompassing various ideas that shaped our world.
Easy and straightforward.
Easy and straightforward.
May 30, 2026
Good one to have an idea about everything. Enjoyed but do not remember much. 6/10
August 9, 2026
lisede kafa açan çocuk olma başlangıç seti
yer kaplamaması güzel
yer kaplamaması güzel
February 27, 2025
Çeşitli dönemlere damga vurmuş bir çok akım, olay ve kişiler üzerine bir kitap. 2013 tarihli bir IN MINUTES serisi eseri. Genel kültür açısından keyifle kısa sürede okunabilecek hap bilgiler barındırıyor. İçerisinde felsefe, din, bilim, siyaset, ekonomi, toplum, psikoloji ve sanat olmak üzere sekiz bölümden oluşuyor.
June 14, 2023
Bizi bugünlere getiren ideolojiler fikirler ve büyük düşünürler hakkında fikir edinmek için güzel bir derleme
September 21, 2013
So I tend to enjoy these 'compliation' non-fiction books, simply as a diversion or even reminder of basic concepts of science, politics and history.
I took to reading BINB, a few minutes before sleep, just to work my way through the book gradually absorbing snippets of knowledge.
Big Mistake.
While it is true that at maximum each 'idea' gets two pages, somehow Mr Crofter is able to communicate mostly objective and thorough reviews of a myriad of concepts. In particular the universe, religious and political sections kept me awake thinking longer than planned.
What I'm trying to say is that this 'little' book should be a welcome addition to any non-fiction bookshelf (or coffee table.)
I took to reading BINB, a few minutes before sleep, just to work my way through the book gradually absorbing snippets of knowledge.
Big Mistake.
While it is true that at maximum each 'idea' gets two pages, somehow Mr Crofter is able to communicate mostly objective and thorough reviews of a myriad of concepts. In particular the universe, religious and political sections kept me awake thinking longer than planned.
What I'm trying to say is that this 'little' book should be a welcome addition to any non-fiction bookshelf (or coffee table.)
January 19, 2013
It is a subjective reference which covers all the basic concepts that emerged in the course of humanity which effected the progress. I would recommend it for everyone who wants well-throughout-subjective definitions for the 200 ideas that is presented in this book, ranging from Science to Art, Religion to Philosophy, Psychology to Morality... Economics and Politics are also within the scope of book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews

























