Getting Started/General Resources
There are many handbooks, dictionaries, and encyclopedias that provide basic information. If you are not clear about your topic, try establishing its limits with a good definition and some introductory information. The following general sources can give you a quick overview or summary of a topic, and you can find more specialized resources in the Reference Room.
General Resources
The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy
Includes an index of all names mentioned in the articles. Does not contain articles on living philosophers. Print: Ref B41 .C35 1999
The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy
Comprehensive in coverage. Other than primary sources mentioned in articles there are no bibliographies. Print: Reference B41 .B53 1994
The Oxford Companion to Philosophy
Includes brief bibliographies, portraits, a chronological table and a table of logical symbols.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
A dynamic encyclopedia with each entry maintained and kept up-to-date by an expert or group of experts in the field.
Dictionary of World Philosophy
Global coverage including Africa, Asian, Latin American, Middle Eastern, Maori, and Native American philosophies. Bibliographies. Print: Ref B41 .I26 2001
Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy
A comprehensive encyclopedia. The online version can be browsed by philosophical themes, philosophies, historical periods, and religions. Fulltext entries can be searched by keyword, title, contributor, or bibliography. Print: Ref B51 .R68 1998 (10 v.)
Directory of American Philosophers
Ref B935 .D5 v.2008/2009
Encyclopedia of Philosophy
The standard encyclopedic work covering Western and Eastern philosophy, although it does have a bias towards Anglo-American philosophy. The copy in the Reference Room also has the one volume supplement published in 1996 which has articles with updates to the major areas of philosophy and articles on topics new emerged or not treated in the original volumes and biographies of newly prominent philosophers. 8 v. with supplement. Print: Stacks B41 .E5 1967
The Handbook of Western Philosophy
Stacks B804 .H17 1988
A systemic survey of contemporary Anglo-American philosophical thought. Includes a glossary, a chronology of the history of philosophy from 1600 to 1960, and indexes.
Key Ideas in Human Thought
Ref B41 .K48 1993
Around 2,500 "ideas", many of which are outside of philosophy proper but have been important in philosophical thought.
Philosophy: A Guide to the Reference Literature
Stacks B72 .B95 1997
A comprehensive guide covering resources in philosophy including encyclopedias, dictionaries, indexes and bibliographies. Lists annotated resources for branches, schools and periods of philosophy as well individual philosophers.
Dictionary of Philosophy
B41 .F5513 1984b (Stacks)
Translation of the 4th edition of Filosofskii slovar. An encyclopedic dictionary covering Western and Eastern philosophy with a Marxist bias. The original Filosofskii slovar in Russian is also available. B48 .R9 F56 1991 (Stacks)
Research Guide to Philosophy
Stacks B52 .T5 1983
Includes bibliographic essays on specific chronological periods and philosophers and on different areas of philosophy. Over 3000 monographic resources are cited with annotations and evaluative comments.
Dictionary of Philosophy and Psychology
B41 .B18 1911
Including many of the principal conceptions of ethics, logic, aesthetics, philosophy of religion, mental pathology, anthropology, biology, neurology, physiology, economics, political and social philosophy, philology, physical science, and education; and giving a terminology in English, French, German, and Italian. The first philosophy encyclopedia written in English. Useful for topics now out of date and the viewpoint of the beginning of the 20th century.
Locating Books
Books may be found through WorldCat Local, which allows you to search the Reed, Summit and Worldcat catalogs simultaneously. If you know the author, or title, or you want to combine terms, you may want to go to Advanced Search.
Once you have a list of items, you will be able to refine your search or go into an individual record and find linked subject headings in order to expand the search.
You may request Summit material with your name and the barcode number from your Reed ID. WorldCat material may be requested through Inter-Library Loan.
For those who prefer to use our traditional catalog, the Reed-only catalog is still available.