Philosophy

Article Databases    
Reference Databases    
Internet Sources    
Books    
Journals    
Related Guides    

Article Databases, ranked

Use these databases to find articles, books,
and other literature on your topic. If
your result is only a citation, use this
flow chart
to get the full text.

Philosopher's Index 1940-
Religion & Philosophy Collection 1975-
JSTOR
APh: L'Annee Philologique
 
Humanities Full Text 1984-
FRANCIS
1984-
Arts and Humanities Citation Index 1975-
International Medieval Bibliography
Iter Bibliography

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Reference Databases

Use reference databases to find statistics,
definitions, and general essays about
your topic. Also see the eBook section.

Britannica Online
Cambridge Companions
Early English Books Online
Eighteenth Century Collections Online 
New Pauly Encyclopaedia of the Ancient World 
Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy
Oxford Reference Online
Thesaurus Linguae Graecae  

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Internet Sources

American Philosophical Association
American Society for Aesthetics
Boston University Center for Philosophy and History of Science
Boston University Department of Philosophy
British Philosophical Association
Directory of Open Access Journals
EpistemeLinks
Harvard Review of Philosophy
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Internet Philosopher
Librarian's Internet Index: Philosophy
michel-foucault.com
Paideia Project On-Line
Philosophical Gourmet Report
philpapers.org
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

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Books

BOOK CATEGORIES
eBooks | specialized reference works | biographical sources
encyclopedias | dictionaries | bibliographies | searching the catalog

eBooks

ACLS Humanities E-Book
Brittanica Online

Cambridge Companions
Dissertations & Theses
Early English Books Online
Eighteenth Century Collections Online
MyiLibrary
New Pauly Encyclopaedia of the Ancient World
Oxford Companion to Philosophy
Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy
Oxford Reference Online
Oxford Scholarship Online eBooks

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specialized reference works

Companion Encyclopedia of Asian Philosophy
Brian Carr and Indira Mahalingam, editors. 2001
Mugar Reference X B121 .C66
This collection of fifty essays is separated into six sections: Persian, Indian, Buddhist, Chinese, Japanese, and Islamic philosophical traditions. The sections are not distinct since, e.g., Buddhist philosophy must be treated in four sections. Each section contains chapters on the origin of the tradition, on central schools and figures, and on systematic areas, e.g., knowledge and reality, morals and politics. A glossary divided by tradition and a combined name-subject index are included at the end of the work. Asian names and terms have been romanized to provide standardization in spelling. Lists of references and suggestions for further reading are provided at the end of each essay. All essays are signed.

Companion to Metaphysics
Jaegwon Kim & Ernest Sosa, editors. 1995
Mugar Reference X BD111 .C626
An encyclopedia with brief articles on philosophers and concepts important to the study of metaphysics. All entries are signed and have a bibliography for further reading. An index is included at the end of the volume.

Encyclopedia of Classical Philosophy
Donald J. Zeyl, editor. 1997
Mugar Reference X B163 .E53
Covers the period from 6 BCE to 6 CE. Includes a chronological outline of classical philosophy. Provides broad overview of the philosophers and their teachings. Entries are signed and include bibliographies.

Encyclopedia of Postmodernism
Victor E. Taylor & Charles E. Winquist, editors. 2001
Mugar Reference X B831.2 .E63
This source provides comprehensive coverage of the disciplines, terms, and prominent figures in the field of postmodern studies. Entries are arranged alphabetically and include cross-references to related terms. All entries are signed and most include a short bibliography to assist with further reading. The volume includes an index.

History of Islamic Philosophy
Seyyed Hossein Nasr and Oliver Leaman, editors. 1996
Mugar Reference X B741 .H58
Focuses on the major thinkers, ideas, and intellectual traditions of Islamic philosophy. Each chapter is written by a different Islamic scholar and includes notes and a bibliography for further reading. Each volume includes a transliteration and style guide. The second volume includes a guide to resources and indexes of names and terms used in the set. Part of the Routledge History of World Philosophies series.

History of Jewish Philosophy
Daniel H. Frank and Oliver Leaman, editors. 1997
Mugar Reference X B154 .H57
Provides extensive analysis of the most significant thinkers and concepts in Jewish philosophy. Each chapter is written by a different scholar and includes notes and a bibliography for further reading. Indexes of names and terms can be found at the end of the volume. Part of the Routledge History of World Philosophies series.

Hombres Y Documentos de la Filosofia Espanola
Gonzalo Diaz Diaz. 1980 -
Mugar Reference X B4561 .D5
An encyclopedia of Spanish philosophy, entirely in Spanish. A list of abbreviations of works cited and a general bibliography can be found at the beginning of all of the volumes.

Indian Philosophy
S. Radhakrishnan. 1966
Mugar Reference X B131 .R3212
General survey of Indian thought in two volumes, providing an introduction to Indian philosophical ideas. A list of references is included at the end of each chapter. An index and a section of notes is found at the end of each volume.

Thirty-five Oriental Philosophers
DianH Collinson and Robert Wilkinson. 1994
Mugar Reference X B5005 .C65
Provides information on thirty-five major philosophers from Asia, their principal lines of thought with reference to their major works. The volume is arranged geographically (except in the case of Islam), and then chronologically. All dates used are based on the Gregorian calendar. Cross-references are provided when appropriate to other philosophies. Each essay is followed by notes and suggestions for further reading. A glossary and general bibliography are provided at the end of the volume.

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biographical sources

When searching for works on a particular philosopher, you can search for them as a subject in the online catalog. For example, if you were looking for works on Spinoza rather than works by Spinoza, you would search by subject rather than by author in the catalog and use "Spinoza" as your search term. The following are a sample list of works which Mugar Memorial Library or the Theology Library owns on particular philosophers. Please contact the staff at the Reference desk if you have questions at (617) 353-3704.

Hegel Dictionary
Michael Inwood. 1992
Mugar Reference X B2901 .I58
An introduction to Hegel's thought with detailed explanations of key terms and phrases.

Historical Dictionary of Heidegger's Philosophy
Alfred Denker. 2000
Mugar Reference X B3279 .H49 D455
This is volume 30 in the Historical Dictionaries of Religions, Philosophies, and Movements series. Entries are arranged alphabetically with cross-references in bold. Some entries include "see also" references when terms are not included within the entries themselves. The volume begins with a list of abbreviations, a chronology, a "how-to-use" guide to the dictionary, and an introductory essay on the life and thought of Heidegger. The appendices include: a list of Heidegger's writings, lectures, courses, and seminars; a German-English glossary; and a Greek-English glossary. A bibliography of works by and about Heidegger concludes the volume.

Historical Dictionary of Kierkegaard's Philosophy
Julia Watkin. 2001
Mugar Reference X B4371 .W38
This is volume 33 in the Historical Dictionaries of Religions, Philosophies, and Movements series. Entries are arranged alphabetically based on the Danish alphabet so "Æ" and " Ø" entries follow those beginning with "Z". Entries include "see also" references when relevant. The volume includes maps, a chronology of key events in the life of Kierkegaard, a short introductory essay on the life and work of Kierkegaard, and a bibliography of works by and about Kierkegaard. The appendices list Kierkegaard's writings, his pseudonyms, and historical notes about the time period of Kierkegaard's life.

Kant Dictionary
Howard Caygill. 1995
Mugar Reference X B2751 .C38
Covers Kant and concepts important in the works of his predecessors and contemporary rivals. Entries include references to related terms that aid the reader in understanding the context of each term defined in the dictionary. Dictionary section is preceded by an introductory essay on Kant and the "age of criticism". A bibliography of Kant's works in English and German is included as are a list of works referred to in the dictionary, a list of further readings, and indexes of philosophers and concepts.

Latin-English Dictionary of St. Thomas Aquinas, based on the Summa Theologica and Selected Passages of His Other Works
Roy J. Deferrari. 1960
Mugar Reference X B765 .T54 F60 / Theology Reference BX1749.T324 D39
This is an abridgment of Lexicon of St. Thomas Aquinas (B765 .T54 A1 F48, 5 vols.). The longer version includes examples of word use from Aquinas' works.

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encyclopedias

Brittanica Online
New Pauly Encyclopaedia of the Ancient World 
Oxford Companion to Philosophy
Oxford Reference Online

Concise Encyclopedia of Western Philosophy and Philosophers
J.O. Urmson & Jonathan Ree. 1989
Mugar Reference X B41 .C66
A work for the novice philosopher who needs a quick introduction to philosophers and philosophical schools.

Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Paul Edwards. 1972
Mugar Reference X B41 .E5 1972 / Theology Oversize B41 .E5
A comprehensive guide to Eastern and Western philosophy, designed to cover all areas of philosophy and its relationship with other disciplines. Eight volumes, and all entries are signed.

Great Thinkers of the Eastern World: the great thinkers and the philosophical and religious classics of China, India, Japan, Korea, and the world of Islam
Ian P. McGreal, editor. 1995
Mugar Reference X B5005 .G74
A companion volume to the next entry.

Great Thinkers of the Western World: the major ideas and classic works of more than 100 outstanding western philosophers, physical and social scientists, psychologists, religious writers, and theologians
1992
Mugar Reference X B72 .G74
Both volumes include essays on over 100 philosophers, religious thinkers, or major theorists with one concentrating on the East and one on the West. Each essay begins with short biographical information, a list of the thinker's major works, and a summary of the thinker's major ideas. Each essay concludes with a list for further reading and all entries are signed. The entries are arranged chronologically. Both volumes have indices.

Masterpieces of World Philosophy
Frank N. Magill, editor. 1990
Mugar Reference X B75 .M37
Essays on foundational works in world philosophy, e.g., Plato's "Crito" or "The Analects of Confucius." Entries consist of author information, type of work (e.g., political philosophy or ethics), date of first transcription, a summary of the main ideas of the work, and then the essay itself. A list of additional readings follows each entry. The volume ends with an author/title index.

Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Edward Craig. 1998
Mugar Reference X B51 .R68
Comprehensive treatment of philosophers and philosophical movements in ten volumes. Includes bibliographies and index. Entries are signed. This set is also available in an electronic format on workstation 17 at Mugar.

World Philosophy: essay-reviews of 225 major works
Frank Magill, editor. 1982
Mugar Reference X B29 .W68
A five-volume work of critical examinations and summaries of key works in philosophy from ancient times to 1971. Coverage is of mostly Western works but some works of Eastern philosophers are included.

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dictionaries

The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy

Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy
Robert Audi. 1995
Mugar Reference X B41 .C35 / Theology Reference B41 .C35
Brief entries on philosophers and terms with longer essays on subfields of philosophy, e.g., aesthetics or ontology. All entries are signed.

Dictionary of Asian Philosophies
St. Elmo Nauman, Jr. 1978
Mugar Reference X B5005 .N38
Provides definitions of terms, descriptions of prominent philosophers, and historical background of Asian philosophies. Volume begins with a chronology of Asian philosophers from Zoroaster (628 BCE - 551 BCE) to Tenzin Gyatso (aka the Dalai Lama) (1935 CE -? CE) followed by a transcription/pronunciation guide. A Ch'an/Zen lineage chart and a bibliography are included at the end of the volume.

Dictionary of Philosophy
2nd ed. Antony Flew. 1984
Mugar Reference X B41 .D52
This dictionary emphasizes Anglo-American philosophy. Entries are encyclopedic in style and length.

Dictionary of Philosophy and Religion: eastern and western thought
William L. Reese. 1980
Mugar Reference X B41 .R43 / Theology Reference B41 .R43
Provides analyses of the thought of major philosophers and religious leaders. Lengthy essays provide the context for many philosophical and religious concepts. There are extensive cross-references. Most entries are in English except in instances when a non-English term or phrase is more familiar, e.g., Summa Theologica.

bibliographies

Use bibliographies when you need to see what has been written on a particular topic in philosophy. While some of the bibliographies listed are dated, they can provide good starting points for research.

Bibliography of Philosophy
1954-
Mugar Reference X Z7125 .F54
This is a journal dealing primarily with books. Abstracts are in the language of the original works with translations into either English or French. Indexed by author and subject. Includes a glossary of philosophical terms.

Ethics Index
Theology Reference (CD-ROM) 1990-1996.
An interdisciplinary index to journal articles and essays in ethics, including philosophical ethics, bioethics, law, and many other subject areas. The index is in DOS format and is only available on workstations at the Theology Library.

Guide to Chinese Philosophy
Charles Wei-hsun Fu & Wing-tsit Chan. 1978
Mugar Reference X Z7129 .C5 F8
This topical guide is primarily to English-language books and articles although selected French and German sources are included. Entries are annotated. Author and title indexes are included.

Handbuch der Geschichte der Philosophie
Wilhelm Totok. 1964
Mugar Reference X B82 .F64
A historical bibliography of philosophy in five volumes, written entirely in German.

Philosopher's Guide to Sources, Research Tools, Professional Life, and Related Fields
Richard T. DeGeorge. 1980
Mugar Reference X Z7125 .D445
Divided into three sections: philosophy, general research tools, and related fields. Emphasis in on English-language works from 1900-1979. Covers monograph or journal publications primarily but includes references to national and international agencies doing work in philosophy. Contains an index of authors, subjects, and most titles. Most entries are annotated.

Philosophy: a guide to the reference literature
Hans E. Bynagle. 1986
Mugar Reference X Z7125 .B97
Contains lengthy annotations and citations to research materials. Organized by resource type (e.g., dictionaries). Entries arranged alphabetically within each chapter. Emphasis is on English-language sources.

Philosophy of Religion: an annotated bibliography of twentieth-century writings in English
William J. Wainwright. 1978
Mugar Reference X Z7821 .W34 / Theology Reference Z7821 .W34
Entries are arranged topically by philosophical issue and include entries for books and journal articles. Annotations are lengthy to assist the reader in determining if a given source should be examined further. There is a guide to the journal abbreviations provided at the beginning of the volume. An index of author/editor/reviewer is provided at the end of the volume to assist the reader in locating writings by persons which cross subject areas.

Resources in Ancient Philosophy: an annotated bibliography of scholarship in English, 1965-1989
Albert A. Bell, Jr. & James B. Allis. 1991
Mugar Reference X Z7125 .B39
A bibliography of books and journal articles on ancient Greco-Roman philosophy. Annotations are descriptive rather than critical. The arrangement is chronological. An index and a list of journal abbreviations with the full titles is included.

World Philosophy: a contemporary bibliography
John R. Burr. 1993
Mugar Reference X Z7125 .W87 A1
This work covers 1976-1992. It updates the Handbook of World Philosophy (Mugar Reference X B804 .A1 H36), which covers 1945-1980. Only includes books and monographs. Arranged by region and then alphabetically by country.

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searching the catalog

Search in the library catalog under the following subject headings or with appropriate keywords. You can limit your results by date if you wish.

  • philosophy
  • philosophy of mind
  • philosophy - ancient
  • Kant, Immanuel
  • etc.

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Journals

Did you know you can search thousands of journals at the same time? Just use the appropriate database.
To browse a journal, search for its title in our eJournal Locator.

American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly
American Philosophical Quarterly
Analysis
Ancient Philosophy
Apeiron
Archiv fur Geschichte der Philosophie
Archives de Philosophie
Australasian Journal of Philosophy
British Journal for the History of Philosophy
British Journal for the Philosophy of Science
British Journal of Aesthetics
Bulletin de la Societe Francaise de Philosophie
Bulletin of the Hegel Society of Great Britain
Canadian Journal of Philosophy
Cites
Contemporary Chinese Thought
Continental Philosophy Review
Deutsche Zeitschrift fur Philosophie
Dialectica
Dialogue
Dialogue and Universalism
Diogenes
Dionysius
Environmental Ethics
Erkenntnis
Ethics
Etudes Philosophiques
European Journal of Philosophy
Free Inquiry
Graduate Faculty Philosophy Journal
History and Theory
History of Philosophy Quarterly
Humanist
Hume Studies
Husserl Studies
Idealistic Studies
Inquiry
International Journal for Philosophy of Religion
International Philosophical Bibliography
International Philosophical Quarterly
Interpretation
JBSP; the Journal of the British Society for Phenomenology
Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
Journal of Chinese Philosophy
Journal of Indian Philosophy
Journal of Philosophical Logic
Journal of Philosophy
Journal of Scottish Philosophy
Journal of Social Philosophy
Journal of Speculative Philosophy
Journal of Symbolic Logic
Journal of the History of Ideas
Journal of the History of Philosophy
Kant-Studien
Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal
Metaphilosophy
Mind
Modern Schoolman
Monist
Notre Dame Journal of Formal Logic
Nous
Owl of Minerva
Pacific Philosophical Quarterly
Philosophia
Philosophical Forum
Philosophical Investigations
Philosophical Quarterly
Philosophical Studies
Philosophische Rundschau
Philosophy
Philosophy and Literature
Philosophy and Phenomenological Research
Philosophy and Public Affairs
Philosophy and Rhetoric
Philosophy East and West
Philosophy of Science
Philosophy of the Social Sciences
Philosophy, Psychiatry, and Psychology
Philosophy Today
Phronesis
Poznan Studies in the Philosophy of the Sciences and the Humanities
Proceedings and Addresses of the American Philosophical Association
Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society
Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society
Process Studies
Ratio
Review of Metaphysics
Revue de Metaphysique et de Morale
Revue Internationale de Philosophie
Revue Philosophique de la France et de l'Etranger
Revue Philosophique de Louvain
Southern Journal of Philosophy
Studia Leibnitiana
Synthese
Teaching Philosophy
Telos
Theoria
Topoi
Transactions of the Charles S Peirce Society
Ultimate Reality and Meaning
Zeitschrift fur Philosophische Forschung

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Related Guides

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Christianity
Death
Hinduism
Human Rights
Islam
Judaism
Language Learning and Linguistics
Linguistics
Mythology
Philosophy of Education
Religion

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Dan Benedetti (benededa@bu.edu)
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