Editing Figurative system of human knowledge

{{short description|Taxonomy of human knowledge}}
[[File:ENC SYSTEME FIGURE.jpeg|thumb|[[Classification chart]] with the original "figurative system of human knowledge" tree, in French]]

The "'''figurative system of human knowledge'''" ({{Langx|fr|Système figuré des connaissances humaines}}), sometimes known as '''the tree of Diderot and d'Alembert''', was a tree developed to represent the structure of [[knowledge]] itself, produced for the ''[[Encyclopédie]]'' by [[Jean le Rond d'Alembert]] and [[Denis Diderot]].

The tree was a [[Taxonomy (general)|taxonomy]] of human knowledge, inspired by [[Francis Bacon]]'s ''[[The Advancement of Learning]]''. The three main branches of knowledge in the tree are: "Memory"/[[History]], "Reason"/[[Philosophy]], and "Imagination"/[[Poetry]].

Notable is the fact that [[theology]] is ordered under philosophy. The historian [[Robert Darnton]] has argued that this categorization of [[religion]] as being subject to human reason, and not a source of knowledge in and of itself ([[revelation]]), was a significant factor in the controversy surrounding the work.<ref>Robert Darnton, "Philosophers Trim the Tree of Knowledge: The Epistemological Strategy of the ''Encyclopedie''," ''The Great Cat Massacre and Other Episodes in French Cultural History'' (New York: Basic Books, Inc., 1984), 191-213.</ref>  "Knowledge of God" is only a few nodes away from divination and black magic.

== Content ==
Below is a version of the ''Tree'' rendered in [[English (language)|English]] as a bulleted outline.

'''"Detailed System of Human Knowledge"'''
from the [[Encyclopédie]].
* [[Understanding]]
:* [[Memory]].
::* [[History]].
:::* [[Sacred history|Sacred]] (History of [[Prophet]]s).
:::* [[History of Christianity|Ecclesiastical]].
:::* [[Civilization#History|Civil]], [[Ancient history|Ancient]] and [[Modern history|Modern]].
::::* [[Civilization#History|Civil History]], properly said. ''(See also: [[Civil society#History|History of civil society]])''
::::* [[Literary History]].
:::::* [[Memoirs]].
:::::* [[Antiquities]]. ''(See also: [[Classical antiquity]])''
:::::* Complete Histories.
:::* [[Natural history|Natural]].
::::* Uniformity of Nature. ''(See: [[Uniformitarianism]])''
:::::* [[Cosmology|Celestial History]].
:::::* History...
::::::* of [[Meteoroid#History|Meteors]].
::::::* of the [[History of the Earth|Earth]] and the [[World Ocean|Sea]] ''(See also: [[Origin of water on Earth]])''
::::::* of [[Minerals]]. ''(See also:  [[Geological history of Earth]])''
::::::* of [[Vegetable]]s. ''(See also: [[History of agriculture]])''
::::::* of [[Animal]]s.  ''(See also: [[Evolutionary history of life]])''
::::::* of the [[Chemical element|Elements]]. ''(See also: [[Classical element]], [[History of alchemy]], and [[History of chemistry]])''
::::* Deviations of Nature.
:::::* [[Celestial object|Celestial Wonders]].
:::::* [[Meteoroid#Frequency of large meteors|Large Meteors]]. ''(See also: [[Asteroid]]s)''
:::::* Wonders of Land and Sea. ''(See: [[Wonders of the World]])''
:::::* [[Mineral#Other properties|Monstrous Mineral]]s.
:::::* Monstrous Vegetables. ''(See: [[Largest organisms#Plants|Largest plants]], [[Poisonous plant]]s, and [[Carnivorous plant]]s)''
:::::* Monstrous Animals. (See: ''[[Largest organisms#Animals|Largest animals]] and [[Predator]]s)''
:::::* Wonders of the Elements. ''(See: [[Natural disaster]]s)''
::::* Uses of Nature (See ''[[Technology]] and [[Applied science]]s)''
:::::* Arts, [[Craft]]s, Manufactures.
::::::* Work and Uses of [[Gold]] and [[Silver]].
:::::::* [[Mint (coin)|Minter]].
:::::::* Gold Beaters. 
:::::::* Gold Spinners.
:::::::* Gold Drawers.
:::::::* [[Silversmith]] & [[Goldsmith]].
:::::::* [[Planishing|Planisher]]
:::::::* Mounter（METTEUR EN ŒUVRE）,etc.
::::::* Work and Uses of Precious Stones.
:::::::* [[Lapidary]].
:::::::* [[Diamond cutting]].
:::::::* [[Jewellery|Jeweler]], etc.
::::::* Work and Uses of [[Iron]].
:::::::* Large [[Forge]]s.
:::::::* [[Locksmithing|Locksmith]].
:::::::* Tool Making.
:::::::* Armorer.
:::::::* Gun Making, etc.
::::::* Work and Uses of [[Glass]].
:::::::* [[Glass]]making.
:::::::* [[Plate-Glass]]making.
:::::::* [[Mirror#Manufacture|Mirror Making]].
:::::::* [[Optician]].
:::::::* [[Glazier]], etc.
::::::* Work and Uses of Skin.
:::::::* [[Tanner (occupation)|Tanner]].
:::::::* [[Chamois leather|Chamois Maker]].
:::::::* Leather Merchant.
:::::::* [[Glove]] Making, etc.
::::::* Work and Uses of [[Stonemasonry|Stone]], [[Plaster#Uses|Plaster]], [[Slate#Uses|Slate]], etc.
:::::::* Practical [[Architecture]].
:::::::* Practical [[Sculpture]].
:::::::* [[Masonry|Mason]].
:::::::* [[Tiler]], etc.
::::::* Work and Uses of [[Silk#Uses|Silk]].
:::::::* Spinning.
:::::::* Milling.
:::::::* Needlecraft.
:::::::* [[Velvet]].
:::::::* Brocaded Fabrics, etc.
::::::* Work and Uses of [[Wool]].
:::::::* Cloth-Making.
:::::::* Bonnet-Making, etc.
::::::* Working and Uses, etc.
:* [[Reason]]
::* [[Philosophy]]
:::* General [[Metaphysics]], or [[Ontology]], or Science of Being in General, of Possibility, of [[Existence]], of Duration, etc.
:::* Science of [[God]].
::::* [[Natural Theology]].
::::* Revealed [[Theology]].
::::* Science of Good and Evil Spirits.
:::::* [[Divination]].
:::::* [[Black magic]].
:::* Science of Man.
::::* [[Pneumatology]] or Science of the [[Soul]].
:::::* Reasonable.
:::::* Sensible.
::::* [[Logic]].
:::::* Art of [[Outline of thought|Thinking]].
::::::* [[Apprehension (understanding)|Apprehension]].
:::::::* Science of [[Idea]]s
::::::* [[Judgement]].
:::::::* Science of [[Proposition]]s.
::::::* [[Reasoning]].
:::::::* [[Inductive reasoning|Induction]].
::::::* [[Reasoning#Logical reasoning methods and argumentation|Method]].
:::::::* Demonstration.
::::::::* [[Analysis]].
::::::::* [[:wikt:-synthesis|Synthesis]].
:::::* Art of Remembering.
::::::* [[Memory]].
:::::::* Natural.
:::::::* [[Art of memory|Artificial]].
::::::::* Prenotion.
::::::::* Emblem.
::::::* Supplement to Memory.
:::::::* [[Writing]].
:::::::* [[Printing]].
::::::::* [[Alphabet]].
::::::::* Cipher.
:::::::::* Arts of [[Writing]], Printing, [[Reading (process)|Reading]], Deciphering.
::::::::::* [[Orthography]].
:::::* Art of [[Communication]]
::::::* Science of the Instrument of [[Discourse]].
:::::::* [[Grammar]].
::::::::* [[Sign]]s.
:::::::::* [[Gesture]].
::::::::::* [[Mime|Pantomime]].
::::::::::* Declamation.
:::::::::* Characters.
::::::::::* [[Ideogram]]s.
::::::::::* [[Hieroglyphics]].
::::::::::* [[Heraldry]] or Blazonry.
::::::::* [[Prosody (linguistics)|Prosody]].
::::::::* Construction.
::::::::* [[Syntax]].
::::::::* [[Philology]].
::::::::* Critique.
:::::::* [[Pedagogy]].
::::::::* [[Curriculum|Choice of Studies]].
::::::::* [[Teaching method|Manner of Teaching]].
::::::* Science of Qualities of [[Discourse]].
:::::::* [[Rhetoric]].
:::::::* Mechanics of [[Poetry]].
::::* [[Outline of ethics|Ethics]].
:::::* [[Contemporary ethics|General]].
::::::* General Science of [[Good and evil|Good and Evil]], of duties in general, of [[Virtue]], of the necessity of being Virtuous, etc.
:::::* [[Outline of ethics#Branches of ethics|Particular]].
::::::* Science of [[Law]]s or [[Jurisprudence]].
:::::::* [[Natural law|Natural]].
:::::::* [[Economic forces|Economic]]. ''(See also [[commercial law]])''
:::::::* [[Politics|Political]]. ''(See also [[political law]])''
::::::::* [[Domestic politics|Internal]] and [[International politics|External]]. ''(See also [[foreign policy]])''
::::::::* [[Commerce]] on Land and [[Maritime industry|Sea]].
:::* [[Natural science|Science of Nature]]
::::* [[Metaphysics]] of Bodies or, General Physics, of Extent, of Impenetrability, of Movement, of Word, etc.
::::* [[Outline of mathematics|Mathematics]].
:::::* [[Pure mathematics|Pure]].
::::::* [[Outline of arithmetic|Arithmetic]].
:::::::* [[Number|Numeric]].
:::::::* [[Algebra]].
::::::::* [[Elementary algebra|Elementary]].
::::::::* [[Infinitesimal]].
:::::::::* [[Differential algebra|Differential]].
:::::::::* [[Integral]].
::::::* [[Outline of geometry|Geometry]].
:::::::* Elementary (Military Architecture, Tactics).
:::::::* Transcendental (Theory of Courses).
:::::* Mixed.
::::::* [[Mechanics]].
::::::::* [[Statics]].
:::::::::* Statics, properly said.
:::::::::* [[Hydrostatics]].
::::::::* [[Dynamics (mechanics)|Dynamics]].
:::::::::* Dynamics, properly said.
:::::::::* [[Ballistics]].
:::::::::* [[Hydrodynamics]].
::::::::::* [[Hydraulics]].
::::::::::* [[Navigation]], Naval Architecture.
::::::* Geometric [[Astronomy]].
:::::::* [[Cosmography]].
::::::::* [[Celestial cartography|Uranography]].
::::::::* [[Geography]].
::::::::* [[Hydrography]].
:::::::* [[Chronology]].
:::::::* [[Gnomonics]].
::::::* [[Optics]].
:::::::* Optics, properly said.
:::::::* [[Dioptrics]], Perspective.
:::::::* [[Catoptrics]].
::::::* [[Acoustics]].
::::::* [[Pneumatics]].
::::::* Art of Conjecture. [[probability|Analysis of Chance]].
:::::* Physicomathematics.
::::* Particular Physics.
:::::* [[Outline of zoology|Zoology]].
::::::* [[Anatomy]].
:::::::* Simple.
:::::::* [[Comparative anatomy|Comparative]].
::::::* [[Physiology]].
::::::* [[Outline of medicine|Medicine]].
:::::::* Hygiene.
::::::::* [[Hygiene]], properly said.
::::::::* Cosmetics (Orthopedics).
::::::::* Athletics (Gymnastics).
:::::::* Pathology.
:::::::* Semiotics.
:::::::* Treatment.
::::::::* Diete.
::::::::* [[Surgery]].
::::::::* Pharmacy.
::::::* [[Veterinary medicine|Veterinary Medicine]].
::::::* [[Horse care|Horse Management]].
::::::* [[Hunting]].
::::::* [[Outline of fishing|Fishing]].
::::::* [[Falconry]].
:::::* Physical [[Astronomy]].
::::::* [[Astrology]].
:::::::* Judiciary Astrology.
:::::::* Physical Astrology.
:::::* [[Meteorology]].
:::::* [[Cosmology]].
::::::* Uranology.
::::::* [[Aerology]].
::::::* [[Geology]].
::::::* [[Hydrology]].
:::::* [[Botany]].
::::::* [[Agriculture]].
::::::* [[Gardening]].
:::::* [[Mineralogy]].
:::::* [[Chemistry]].
::::::* Chemistry, properly said, ([[Pyrotechnics]], Dyeing, etc.).
::::::* [[Metallurgy]].
::::::* [[Alchemy]].
::::::* Natural Magic.
:* Imagination.
::* [[Poetry]].
:::* Sacred, Profane.
::::* Narrative.
:::::* [[Epic poetry|Epic Poem]]
:::::* [[Madrigal (poetry)|Madrigal]]
:::::* [[Epigram]]
:::::* [[Novel]], etc.
::::* [[Drama]]tic
:::::* [[Tragedy]]
:::::* [[Comedy]]
:::::* [[Opera]]
:::::* [[Pastoral]], etc.
::::* Parable
:::::* [[Allegory]]
'''(Note: This next branch seems to belong to both the narrative and dramatic tree, as indicated by the line drawn connecting the two.)'''
::::* [[Outline of music|Music]]
:::::* [[Music theory|Theoretical]]
:::::* Practical ''(see also [[musical technique]])''
:::::** [[Instrumental]]
:::::** [[vocal music|Vocal]]
::::* [[Outline of painting|Painting]]
::::* [[Outline of sculpture|Sculpture]]
::::* Civil architecture
::::* [[Engraving]]

== See also ==
* [[Classification chart]]
* [[Instauratio magna]]
* [[Propædia]]
* [[Pierre Mouchon]]
* [[Tree of knowledge (philosophy)]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* Robert Darnton, "Epistemological angst: From encyclopedism to advertising," in Tore Frängsmyr, ed., ''The structure of knowledge: classifications of science and learning since the Renaissance'' (Berkeley, CA: Office for the History of Science and Technology, University of California, Berkeley, 2001).
* Adams, David (2006) 'The Système figuré des Connaissances humaines and the structure of Knowledge in the Encyclopédie',  in Ordering the World, ed. Diana Donald and Frank O'Gorman, London: Macmillan, p.&nbsp;190-215. 
* ''Preliminary discourse to the Encyclopedia of Diderot'', Jean Le Rond d'Alembert, translated by Richard N. Schwab, 1995. {{ISBN|0-226-13476-8}}

==External links==
* [http://www.hti.umich.edu/d/did/tree.html image of the ''Tree'' with English translations superimposed over the French text]
* [http://artfl.uchicago.edu/cactus/ ESSAI D'UNE DISTRIBUTION GÉNÉALOGIQUE DES SCIENCES ET DES ARTS PRINCIPAUX, published as a fold-out frontispiece in volume 1 of Pierre Mouchon, ''Table analytique et raisonnée des matieres contenues dans les XXXIII volumes in-folio du Dictionnaire des sciences, des arts et des métiers, et dans son supplément'', Paris, Panckoucke 1780.]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Figurative System Of Human Knowledge}}
[[Category:Taxonomy]]
[[Category:Age of Enlightenment]]
[[Category:Trees (data structures)]]
[[Category:Knowledge representation]]