Pansophism, invented by the philosopher John Amos Comenius in the mid-1600s, is a system of education for all people to be made knowledgeable about the world, able to judge its events for themselves, and able otherwise to generate and sustain the conditions of progress. In developing this system of education, Comenius combined his first treatises on pansophism with his matching demonstrations of it in the form of an illustrated textbook. Titled "The Great Didactic," the textbook was suited both for the classroom and for independent learning. Comenius next published "Orbis Sensualim Pictus" (The World in Sensible Pictures), a book that taught conversation by describing concrete things and used an illustrated alphabet which paired letters with the image of a creature or natural phenomenon that could be heard to make a similar sound. Pansophism forms the foundation for audiovisual aids, educational radio and television, and the use of computerized instruction and tests in schools. Further, it sets the standards for literacy, including computer literacy, and for the use of testing that allows the student to supply information and revise his performance as the experience increases his knowledge or sharpens his skills. Any software for education might be expected to show the three qualities idealized by Comenius in the "Great Didactic" and achieved in "Orbis Sensualim Pictus"--it should be quick, pleasant, and thorough. (3 references) (DB)