Philosophy Research: Home

Start with a philosophy encyclopedia from the reference section. As you go upstairs Reference is on the left side of 2nd floor. All of the first six book sets in the list below are on the back side of the first low shelving unit in Reference. There are other philosophy reference books there as well. Since reference books do not circulate, use the copier located next to the elevator. Copying cost is 10¢ per page. Or you may use the scanner located in the computer lab on the first floor of the library.

• Encyclopedia of Philosophy - B41.E5 1996, 5 volumes. Look up your philosopher in A to Z order, or use the index.
• Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy - B51.R68 1998, 10 volumes. Look up in A to Z order, or use the index.
• Encyclopedia of Classical Philosophy - B51.E49 1997
• Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy - B41.C35 1999
• Oxford Companion to Philosophy - B51.O94 1995
• Fifty Major Philosophers: A Reference Guide - B72.C59 1999
• Encyclopedia of Religion - in Reference at BL31.E46. 15 volumes. Use this encyclopedia if your philosopher was associated with a religion or a religious movement. Also available online in this database: GVRL-Gale Virtual Reference Library
• Great Lives from History series This series covers people from all fields who played key historical roles for each time period:
  • Great Lives from History-Ancient to Medieval CT113 .G74 1988 5 volumes
  • Great Lives from History-Renaissance to 1900 CT104.G68 1989 5 volumes
  • Great Lives from History-Twentieth Century CT120 .G69 1990 5 volumes
  • Great Lives from History-AmericanCT214 .G74 1987 5 volumes
  • Great Lives from History-British and Commonwealth CT774 .G74 1987 5 volumes
• American National Biography CT213.A68 1999 26 volumes Significant people from American history, all time periods
• Dictionary of National Biography DA28.D47 29 volumes Significant people from British history, all time periods
• Dictionary of Literary Biography - in Reference at PS129.D5 Many volumes, but has the following volumes on just philosophers:
  • Vol. 115 Medieval Philosophers
  • Vol. 246 Twentieth Century American Cultural Theorists
  • Vol. 252 British Philosophers 1500-1799
  • Vol. 262 British Philosophers 1800-2000
  • Vol. 270 American Philosophers before 1950 
  • The Dictionary of Literary Biography is also available online in this database: Literature Resource Center Type your philosopher's name and check the "Person-by or about" radio button to search for a person.
• Also try the general encyclopedias on the bottom left of the first low shelving unit in Reference.
  • New Encyclopedia Britannica AE5.E363 2007
  • Encyclopedia Americana AE5.E333 1998 Also available online in this database: Encyclopedia Americana
  • World Book Encyclopedia AE5.W55 2003 22 volumes

Search the Library Catalog for books about a philosopher. Type your philosopher's name, last name first, and click the "subject" button (or the "author" button if you want to find books written BY them). Write down the call number and head to the Stacks on the right side of 2nd floor. Most philosophers will be in the philosophy section in which all call numbers start with B.