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egoism

(Encyclopedia)egoism ēˈgōĭzəm [key], in ethics, the doctrine that the ends and motives of human conduct are, or should be, the good of the individual agent. It is opposed to altruism, which holds the criterion...

Winckler, Hugo

(Encyclopedia)Winckler, Hugo ho͞oˈgō vĭngkˈlər [key], 1863–1913, German Orientalist. A professor at the Univ. of Berlin, Winckler was noted for his archaeological work. He helped to excavate the Phoenician ...

Weber, Ernst Heinrich

(Encyclopedia)Weber, Ernst Heinrich vāˈbər [key], 1795–1878, German physiologist. He was a professor at the Univ. of Leipzig (1821–71) and is known for his work on touch and for the formulation of Weber's l...

Richter, Ludwig

(Encyclopedia)Richter, Ludwig rĭkhˈtər [key], 1803–84, German painter, illustrator, and etcher; son and pupil of the engraver Karl Richter (1770–1848). His characteristic paintings combine figure and landsc...

Schick, Béla

(Encyclopedia)Schick, Béla bāˈlə shĭk [key], 1877–1967, American pediatrician, b. Hungary, M.D. Karl Franz Univ., Graz, 1900. After having taught at the Univ. of Vienna (1902–23), he came to the United Sta...

Arrabal, Fernando

(Encyclopedia)Arrabal, Fernando fārnänˈdō äräbälˈ [key], 1932–, French playwright, b. Melilla, Morocco. He studied law in Madrid before moving to Paris in 1954. His plays, which reflect his abhorrence of ...

Reclus, Jean Jacques Élisée

(Encyclopedia)Reclus, Jean Jacques Élisée zhäN zhäk ālēzāˈ rəklüˈ [key], 1830–1905, French geographer, b. Gironde, educated mainly in Germany, where he studied under Karl Ritter. Several times he was f...

Engler, Adolf

(Encyclopedia)Engler, Adolf äˈdôlf ĕngˈlər [key], 1844–1930, German botanist. He emphasized the importance of geological history in the study of plant geography, and worked out an influential system of plan...

Dreyer, Carl Theodor

(Encyclopedia)Dreyer, Carl Theodor kärl tāˈōdôrˌ drīˈər [key], 1889–1968, Danish motion picture director. He began making films in Denmark in 1919. His Passion of Joan of Arc (1928), widely regarded as a...

toy

(Encyclopedia)toy, article designed to be played with, chiefly for children. Archaeological research has revealed numerous playthings from prehistoric civilizations. Early Egyptian, Greek, and Roman dolls, tops, ba...