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Research Guides by Subject:

Philosophy

Send comments and questions to: Anthony Stamatoplos, Philosophy Liaison

DICTIONARIES AND ENCYCLOPEDIAS

Whether electronic or print, the following resources provide a wealth of historical, contextual, and synthesized information.

Electronic Encyclopedias and Dictionaries:

Print Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

  • REF materials are located on the 2nd floor of University Library. STK indicates books located on the 3rd and 4th floors of the University Library.

     

General

  • Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy (B51 .R68 1998 (10 vol.) REF)
  • Encyclopedia of Philosophy 1967 (B41 .E5 (8 vol.) REF) A second copy of this set is located in the stacks (B41 .E5 STK) and may be checked out of the library.

Thematic / Subject Specific Resources

Eastern/Asian

  • Companion Encyclopedia of Asian Philosophy (B121 .C66 1997 REF) Essays, rather than brief entries, outline origins of Asian philosophies and then focus on wider issues and debates. Discussion topics include Knowledge and Reality in Indian Philosophy, and Logic and Language in Chinese Philosophy. Glossary of Asian philosophic terms is provided. Persian, Indian, Buddhist, Chinese, Japanese and Islamic philosophies are covered.
  • Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy (B131 .G67 1989 REF)
    Sanskrit terms defined in English.
  • Dictionary of Asian Philosophies (B5005 .N38 REF)
    Defines terms and provides historical background of Eastern philosophies.

Education

  • Philosophy of Education: An Encyclopedia (LB17 .P485 1996 REF) Covers "philosophical points of view that have had the greatest influence on educational thinking, from ancient Greece to the present."

Epistemology

  • Blackwell Guide to Epistemology (BD 161 .B465 1999 REF)
  • Companion to Epistemology (BD161 .C637 1992 REF)
    Essays ranging from 250-3500 words on leading theories, thinkers, ideas, distinctions, and concepts in epistemology.

Ethics/Bioethics

  • Encyclopedia of Ethics (BJ63 .E45 1992 (2 vol.) REF)
  • Encyclopedia of Bioethics (Qh332 .E52 1995 (5 vol.) REF)
  • Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics (BJ63 .E44 1998 (4 vol.) REF)
  • Companion to Ethics (BJ1012 .C62 1991 Philanthropic Studies Library, REF)
  • Encyclopedia of Values and Ethics (BJ63 .H47 1996 Philanthropic Studies Library, REF)

Metaphysics

  • Handbook of Metaphysics and Ontology (BD111 .h225 1991 (2 vol.) REF)
    Entries document the most important traditional and contemporary streams in metaphysics and ontology. Entries range from one column to multiple pages. Includes a section on Greek Philosophical Terminology.
  • Companion to Metaphysics (BD111 .C626 1995 REF)
    Focuses on Western tradition from Greeks to present. Outlines and discusses "skeptical objections" to the field of metaphysics.

Phenomenology

  • Exploring phenomenology: a guide to the field and its literature (B829.5 .S67 STK)
    A good introduction to phenomenology and existential phenomenology. With extensive lists of suggested reading for further study.

Philosophy of the Mind

  • Companion to the Philosophy of the Mind (BD418.3 .C62 1994 REF)
    An Essay on the Mind (p. 1-111) begins this volume and provides a "non-alphabetic" way of navigating through ideas in the field. Remainder of this book is arranged alphabetically and often has multiple entries for a single topic in order to present differing viewpoints of concepts and theories.

Psychology

  • Dictionary of Philosophy and Psychology (B41 .B3 1960 REF)
    Originally published in 1901, this 4-volume set is best for historical research. Biographical entries are good, and some of the information included is not covered elsewhere. For more up-to-date information see Encyclopedia of Philosophy (B41 .E5 REF) and Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy (B51 .R68 REF).

Religion

    Companion to Philosophy of Religion (BL51 .C634 1997 REF)
  • Dictionary of Philosophy and Religion : Eastern and Western Thought (B41 .R43 1996 REF)
    Brief entries define terms, movements, theories and individuals. Cross-references ideas with individuals, theories, etc. to illustrate relationships among various thinkers and movements.
  • Encyclopedic Dictionary of Yoga: A Hindu Tradition (B132 .Y6 F46 1990 REF)
    Clear, concise definitions: "The word yoga is derived from the verbal root (yuj), meaning 'to yoke [or] harness'. It has a wide range of applications in the Sanskrit language."

Scholasticism
"The philosophy of the 'schools,' i.e. the tradition which arose in the medieval universities and is associated with the methods and theses of the major philosophers of the 13th and 14th centuries, namely Aquinas, Scotus, and Ockham." From The Oxford Companion to Philosophy.

  • Dictionary of Scholastic Philosophy (B50.S35 W8 1966 REF)
    Covers most of the technical language used in all branches of scholastic philosophy.
  • Medieval Philosophers (Dictionary of Literary Biography) (B721. M45 1992 REF)
    A bio-critical resource with references for further reading.

Science

  • Dictionary of Concepts in the Philosophy of Science (Q174.7 .D87 1988 REF)
    Brief but substantive discussions of the etymological development and contemporary use of significant concepts in the philosophy of science.

Women and Philosophy

  • Companion to Feminist Philosophy (HQ1190 .C665 1998 REF)
    Essays on standard areas of philosophy from a feminist perspective. Also includes feminist philosophical pursuits related to language, body, gender, film theory, and lesbian ethics.
  • Women Philosophers: A Bio-Critical Source Book (B105 .W6 K47 1989 REF)
    Biographical information and brief critical assessments of women philosophers. Includes a table categorizing philosophers by historical period, country of origin, and principal subject of work.

Return to Print Resources List

 

Dictionaries of Philosophical Ideas and Terms

  • Blackwell Companion to Philosophy (B21 .B56 1996 REF)
    Prepared by British and American philosophers, the essays in this volume cover many areas of Anglo-American philosophy. Includes discussions of the philosophy of language, logic, mind, science, mathematics, law, history, and religion as well as ethics, aesthetics, Hobbes, Lockes, Berkley, Hume, Wittgenstein, and more. Each essay is followed by extensive references for further reading and discussion questions.
  • Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy (B41 .C35 1995 REF)
    A quick way to explore meanings and implications of philosophical terminology and everyday terms with special philosophical meanings, e.g. believe, know, space..
  • Oxford Companion to Philosophy (B51 .O94 1995 REF)
    Discussions of contemporary philosophers, mainly British and American, in addition to historical figures, ideas, and movements.
  • Philosophical Dictionary (B43 .B713 1972 REF)
    Translation of Philosophisches Worterbuch. Discussions of conceptsillustrating the interrelationship of ideas and introducing readers to the "experience of philosophizing."
  • Dictionary of Philosophy (B41 .F5513 1984b REF)
    Translation of Filosofskii slovar, a Russian dictionary.
  • Philosopher's Dictionary (B41 .M37 1994 Philanthropic Studies REF)

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Dictionaries for Individual Philosophers

Aquinas, Thomas (1224?-1274)
  • Latin-English Dictionary of St. Thomas Aquinas (B765.T54 D39 REF)
    Based on Summa Theologica... and other works.
  • Thomas-Lexicon (Latin) (B765.T54 S35 1957 REF)
Aristotle (384-322 BC)
  • Aristotle Dictionary (B401 .K53 1961 REF)
    Essay discussing Aristotle's work, his predecessors, and his relationship to them (p. 1-166). Alphabetic entries (p. 167 forward) define terms with excerpts from Aristotle's works: Style--"The written style ought to be easily read and understood." From Rhetoric.
  • Index to Aristotle (B401 .07 1966 STK)
    Look up a word or phrase and discover which work and in what context Aristotle used it. Great for following themes and concepts throughout works.

Plato (427-347 BC)

  • Companion to Plato's Republic (JC71 .P6 W45 STK)

Spinoza, Benedict de (1632-1677)

  • Spinoza Dictionary (B3951 .S5 REF)
    Elucidates some of Spinoza's thought drawing largely on his Ethics. Also consult Spinoza entries in Companion to Metaphysics (BD111. C626 1995 REF) and Routledge Encyclopedia(B51. R68 1998 REF).

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Interdisciplinary Resources

  • Columbia Dictionary of Modern Literary and Cultural Criticism (Bh39 .C62 1995 REF)
    Concise definitions providing a good introduction to the terminology of literary and cultural criticism and theory.
  • Blackwell Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Social Thought (H41 .B53 1993 Philanthropic Studies REF)
  • Medieval Philosophers (c. 400-1400 AD) (B721 .M45 1992 REF)
    Excellent biographical & critical essays with bibliographies.

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Overviews/Synopses of Philosophical Texts

  • Masterpieces of World Philosophy in Summary Form (B21 .M3 1961a REF)
    Summarizes many canonical works. For introductions to philosophers and their ideas also use companions, dictionaries and encyclopedias.

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Informal Philosophy

The following resources take a less methodical approach to philosophical thought. Have a look for a change of intellectual pace.
  • Quiddities: An Intermittently Philosophical Dictionary (B945 .Q53 Q54 1987 STK)
    Short, conversational essays explore philosophical and ordinary terms and concepts. The author's scope ranges from altruism to etymology, beauty to real numbers, knowledge to redundancy. A fun book with an intelligent but non-prescriptive approach. Modeled on Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary.
  • Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary (B42 .V6 STK)
    Less a dictionary than a series of brief essays by Voltaire on various topics, ranging from adultery to Cromwell, history to free will, soul to prejudices.

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Biographical Information

  • Dictionary of American Philosophers (B851 .N3 REF)
    Good introduction to life and works of American philosophers to mid-20th century.
  • Medieval Philosophers (Dictionary of Literary Biography) (B721 .M45 1992 REF)
    Biographical information plus outlines of medieval philosophies. Extensive references to further reading.
  • Women Philosophers: A Bio-Critical Source Book (B105 .W6 K47 1989 REF)
    Biographical information and brief critical assessments of women philosophers. Includes a table categorizing philosophers by historical period, country of origin, and principal subject of work.

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Non-English Dictionaries

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FINDING JOURNAL ARTICLES

Send comments and questions to: Anthony Stamatoplos, Philosophy Liaison

  • Philosopher's Index a searchable electronic index (1905-present).
    Print version available at B1 .A1 P45 (1940-present)
    The best index for philosophers of all stripes. Search for citations to journal articles by subject or author. Citations will lead you to individual journal articles. Note that this index also provides citations to books and chapters in books.

     

  • Academic Search FullTEXT Elite
    This database is general in nature, unlike the subject-specific Philosopher's Index. The usefulness of Academic Search FullTEXT Elite will depend on your topic. The good thing is that the full text of many articles is available in electronic form—you can print from your terminal (if you are a member of the IUPUI community).

     

  • BioethicsLine
    This index will provide citations to journal articles in the subject of Bioethics (see definition below). Citations will lead you to journal articles.
    Bioethics: "While . . . part of applied ethics, [bioethics] is usually identified with medical ethics, [but is] in its broadest sense . . . the study of the moral, social and political problems that arise out of biology and the life sciences generally and involve, either directly or indirectly, human wellbeing." From Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, version 1.0, London: Routledge, 1998.
  • Expanded Academic ASAP
    Like Academic Search Full-Text Elite, this database is general in nature. The usefulness of Expanded Academic ASAP will depend on your topic. The good thing is that the full text of many articles is available in electronic form-you can print from your terminal (if you are a member of the IUPUI community).

     

  • InfoTrac Religion & Philosophy
    650,000+ articles from over 250 magazines and academic journals, covering religion, philosophy, archaeology and anthropology. Search can be limited to full-text and/or refereed (scholarly) publications.

     

  • Journal articles may also be found by searching the full-text of online e-journals. For a list of electronic philosophy journals, click here. For a complete list of all electronic journals available at IUPUI, click here.

     

  • IUCAT
    To find journals or books in the IUPUI University Library, do a title search in IUCAT. Change the radio button from "Title Search" to "Journal Title Search" when looking for magazine, journal, or serial titles.
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ELECTRONIC JOURNALS

Send comments and questions to: Anthony Stamatoplos, Philosophy Liaison

For a complete list of e-journals available at IUPUI, click here.
Journals are searchable unless otherwise indicated.

More J-STOR Journals
More Project MUSE journals
All electronic journals at IUPUI ************************

INTERNET RESOURCES

Send comments and questions to: Anthony Stamatoplos, Philosophy Liaison

Arranged alphabetically by philosopher | Collections of e-texts

Arranged alphabetically by philosopher

Collections of e-texts

 

Arranged alphabetically by philosopher | Collections of e-texts

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DISCUSSION LISTS AND DIRECTORIES

Send comments and questions to: Anthony Stamatoplos, Philosophy Liaison

Discussion Lists

To locate a philosophical discussion list or newsgroup, go to tile.net and search using such keywords as ethics, bioethics, metaphysics, phenomenology, or zen. Words such as philosophy, psychology, or religion can also be searched, but they will produce many hits that have little to do with philosophy.

Directories

  • International Directory of Philosophy and Philosophers (B35 .I55 REF)
  • Directory of American Philosophers (B935 .D5 REF)
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ASSOCIATIONS

Send comments and questions to: Anthony Stamatoplos, Philosophy Liaison

Last updated by lcalvert on 03/10/2008
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