Research Guides: Philosophy: Home

Online Resources in Philosophy

Oxford Reference Online
Reference books in the arts, humanities, social sciences and sciences.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
An online encyclopedia of philosophy maintained by Stanford University. This peer-reviewed, expert-written online encyclopedia covers all areas of philosophy.

The Oxford Companion to Philosophy (2 ed.)
249 distinguished philosophers have contributed to The Oxford Companion to Philosophy. It gives clear and reliable guidance to all areas of philosophy and to the ideas of all notable philosophers from antiquity to the present day. The second edition has been considerably revised and updated, and includes 300 new articles on current topics, such as animal consciousness, cloning, corporate responsibility, the family, globalization, and terrorism.
The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy (2 rev. ed.)
This dictionary covers all areas of philosophy and contains terms from the related fields of religion, science, and logic. Via Oxford Reference Online.

Classified Resources at the SU Libraries

Browsing Library Collections by Call Numbers

Although some older books are perhaps classified in the Dewey Decimal Classification System, most Syracuse University Libraries print resources are classified in and physically arranged according to the alpha-numeric Library of Congress (LC) Classification System. [NOTE: Although they have no physical presence, e-books are also assigned base LC classification numbers to make them findable via Classic Catalog "Call Number" searches.]

The LC system has allocated Class B to "Philosophy, Psychology, and Religion," with Subclasses B-BD and BH-BJ covering various aspects of Philosophy: Philosophy - General (B); Logic (BC); Speculative Philosophy (BD); Aesthetics (BH); and Ethics (BJ).

“B” call numbers are assigned to Philosophy holdings that are shelved in the Reference Collection on the 2nd floor of Bird Library and in the general and oversize stacks on the 2nd floor of Bird Library.

Note: Less frequently used library materials are kept off campus, either at The Warehouse or at The Facility. (The latter is a high-density storage space at 1556 Jamesville Avenue.) Materials in remote storage can be requested for next-business-day delivery to a library on campus.

To see an outline of the entire "B" Class, open the document below, and then click on any Philosophy Subclass of interest for its classification scheme.

B Class

Reference Works in Philosophy (Print)

American Philosophy by John Lachs (Editor); Robert Talisse (Editor) The Encyclopedia of American Philosophy provides coverage of the major figures, concepts, historical periods and traditions in American philosophical thought. Containing over 600 entries written by scholars who are experts in the field, this Encyclopedia is the first of its kind. It is a scholarly reference work that is accessible to the ordinary reader by explaining complex ideas in simple terms and providing ample cross-references to facilitate further study. The Encyclopedia of American Philosophy contains a thorough analytical index and will serve as a standard, comprehensive reference work for universities and colleges. Topics covered include: Great philosophers: Emerson, Dewey, James, Royce, Peirce, Santayana Subjects: Pragmatism, Progress, the Future, Knowledge, Democracy, Growth, Truth Influences on American Philosophy: Hegel, Aristotle, Plato, British Enlightenment, Reformation Self-Assessments: Joe Margolis, Donald Davidson, Susan Haack, Peter Hare, John McDermott, Stanley Cavell Ethics: Value, Pleasure, Happiness, Duty, Judgment, Growth Political Philosophy: Declaration of Independence, Democracy, Freedom, Liberalism, Community, Identity
Call Number: Bird, 2nd Floor - B850 .A43 2008
ISBN: 9780415939263
Publication Date: 2007-12-07
The Blackwell Dictionary of Western Philosophy by Nicholas Bunnin; Jiyuan Yu The Blackwell Dictionary of Western Philosophy is a concise reference to the whole history of western philosophy, from ancient Greece to the present day. Spans all the major branches of western philosophical inquiry, all of the key figures Explains the meaning and usage of each philosophical concept in a fresh and engaging style Each entry on philosophical terms concludes with an illustrative quotation from a significant philosopher, to enhance the reader's understanding Entries on terms and individual philosophers are fully cross-referenced Co-written by the editor of the popular volume The Blackwell Companion to Philosophy (Second Edition, 2002)
Call Number: Bird, 2nd Floor - B41 .B79 2004
ISBN: 1405106794
Publication Date: 2004-10-22
Continental Philosophy in the 20th Century by Richard Kearney Continental philosophy, as it has emerged in the 20th century, is less a seamless fabric than a patchquilt of diverse strands. Phenomenology, hermeneutics, existentialism, structuralism, critical theory, deconstruction - these are some of the salient movements which have developed in continental Europe between 1900 and the 1990's, though their influence is by no means confined to geographic location. Continental thought has proved highly exportable, circulating far beyond the frontiers of Europe to provoke strong responses in the intellectual world at large. The 15 articles in this volume outline and assess some of the issues and experiments of continental philosophy. The first five span the twin movements of phenomenology and existentialism, running from Husserl and Heidegger to Sartre, Merleau-Ponty and Levinas. Subsequent essays deal with specific currents of continental thought in such areas as science, Marxism, linguistics, politics, aesthetics, feminism and hermeneutics. A final chapter of postmodernism highlights the manner in which so many concerns of continental thought culminate in a radical anti-foundationalism.
Call Number: Bird, 2nd Floor - B21 .R68 v.8
ISBN: 9780415056298
Publication Date: 1994-01-28
Encyclopedia of Classical Philosophy by Donald J. Zeyl The only encyclopedia in English specific to the field of Classical Philosophy, this work contains over 250 articles on major and minor figures and topics by leading scholars.
Call Number: Bird, 2nd Floor - B163 .E53 1997
ISBN: 9780313287756
Publication Date: 1997-06-25
Encyclopedia of Philosophy Since 1967, the Encyclopedia of Philosophy, described by Booklist as the best and most comprehensive English-language reference source for philosophy, has been the cornerstone of the philosophy reference shelf. Lauded for its clear and accessible presentation of wide-ranging philosophical subjects, the Encyclopedia has earned its place as a first-stop resource for general readers, students and educators.
Call Number: Bird, 2nd Floor - B51 .E53 2006
ISBN: 9780028657806
Publication Date: 2005-12-16
Philosophy by Hans E. Bynagle A newly reorganized, up-to-date overview of key reference works in philosophy, reflects a veritable explosion of reference sources, both print and online, published over the past decade. Nearly 300 of the 700+ entries consist of new material, with an additional 50 entries substantially revised and updated. English-language sources are emphasized, but important non-English works are also well represented. For professional philosophers, philosophy educators, students from beginning to graduate, and librarians.
Call Number: Bird-Reference, 2nd Floor (does not circulate) - Z7125 .B97 2006
ISBN: 9781563089541
Publication Date: 2006-05-30
Philosophy of Meaning, Knowledge and Value in the 20th Century by John Canfield (Editor) Volume 10 of the Routledge History of Philosophypresents a historical survey of the central topics in twentieth century Anglo-American philosophy. It chronicles what has been termed the 'linguistic turn' in analytic philosophy and traces the influence the study of language has had on the main problems of philosophy. Each chapter contains an extensive bibliography of the major writings in the field. All the essays present their large and complex topics in a clear and well organised way. At the end, the reader finds a helpful Chronology of the major political, scientific and philosophical events in the Twentieth Century and an extensive Glossary of technical terms.
Call Number: Bird, 2nd Floor - B21 .R68 v.10
ISBN: 9780415056052
Publication Date: 1996-12-26
Routledge Dictionary of Philosophy by Proudfoot; Lacey; A. R. Lacey; Michael Proudfoot First published in 1976, the Dictionary of Philosophyhas established itself as the best available text of its kind, explaining often unfamiliar, complicated and diverse terminology. Thoroughly revised and expanded, this fourth edition provides authoritative and rigorous definitions of a broad range of philosophical concepts. Concentrating on the Western philosophical tradition,The Routledge Dictionary of Philosophyoffers an illuminating and informed introduction to the central issues, ideas and perspectives in core fields such as metaphysics, epistemology, and logic. It includes concise biographical entries for more than one hundred major philosophers, from Plato and Aristotle through to contemporary figures such as Dummett, McDowell, Parfit and Singer. All major entries are followed by helpful suggestions for further reading, including web links, and contain extensive cross-referencing to aid access and comprehension. This edition also features a brand new guide to the most useful philosophy sites on the internet. The Routledge Dictionary of Philosophyis an invaluable and up-to-date resource for all students of philosophy.
Call Number: Bird, 2nd Floor - B41 .L32 2010
ISBN: 9780415356442
Publication Date: 2009-12-03