Philosophy

Encyclopedia of Philosophy (GALE Ebook) by Donald M. Borchert (Editor) Containing material from hundreds of highly distinguished contributors representing the world's top universities and institutions, the second edition has a truly global perspective. It contains more than 2,100 entries -- including more than 450 new articles. Among the many topics covered are African, Islamic, Jewish, Russian, Chinese, and Buddhist philosophies; bioethics and biomedical ethics; art and aesthetics; epistemology; metaphysics; peace and war; social and political philosophy; the Holocaust; feminist thought; and much more. Additionally, the second edition also features 1,000 biographical entries on major figures in philosophical thought throughout history.

Encyclopaedia of Philosophy by G. H. R. Parkinson (Editor) *Presents a broad survey of philosophical thought * Each chapter explores, and places in context, a major area of philosophical enquiry - including the theory of meaning and of truth, the theory of knowledge, the philosophies of mathematics, science and metaphysics, the philosophy of mind, moral and political philosophy, aesthetics, and religion * Annotated bibliographies for each chapter and indexes of names and subjects * Glossary of commonly-used philosophical terms * Chronological table of the history of philosophy from 1600 It is a fine achievement and deserves the warmest praise ... Anyone interested in learning what contemporary philosophical debate is about will find this book invaluable ... for a book of this size and quality of content the cover price is modest. Every public library as well as every university, college and school library should have a copy on its shelves.' - Times Higher Education Supplement A stimulating collection.' - Reference Reviews

The Oxford Companion to Philosophy by Ted Honderich (Editor) Oxford University Press presents a major new edition of the definitive philosophical reference work for readers at all levels. For ten years the original volume has served as a stimulating introduction for general readers and as an indispensable guide for students; its breadth and depth ofcoverage have ensured that it is also read with pleasure and interest by those working at a higher level in philosophy and related disciplines. A distinguished international assembly of 249 philosophers contributed almost 2,000 entries, and many of these have now been considerably revised andupdated; to these are added over 300 brand-new pieces on a fascinating range of current topics. This new edition offers enlightening and enjoyable discussions of all aspects of philosophy, and of the lives and work of the great philosophers from antiquity to the present day.

The Shorter Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy by Edward Craig (Editor) The Shorter REP presents the very best of the acclaimed ten volume Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy in a single volume. It makes a selection of the most important entries available for the first time and covers all you need to know about philosophy, from Aristotle to Wittgenstein and animals and ethics to scientific method. Comprising over 900 entries and covering the major philosophers and philosophical topics, The Shorter REP includes the following special features: Unrivalled coverage of major philosophers, themes, movements and periods making the volume indispensable for any student or general reader Fully cross-referenced Revised versions of many of the most important entries, including fresh suggestions for further reading Overnbsp;twenty brand new entries on important new topics such as Cloning and Sustainability entries by many leading philosophers such as Bernard Williams, Martha Nussbaum, Richard Rorty, Onora O'Neill, T.M. Scanlon and Anthony Appiah Striking new text design to help locate key entries quickly and easily An outstanding guide to all things philosophical, The Shorter Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy provides an unrivalled introduction to the subject for students and general readers alike. nbsp;

Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Print 10 vols) by Edward Craig (Editor) The Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy is the most ambitious international philosophy project in many years. Edited by Edward Craig and assisted by thirty specialist subject editors, the REP consists of ten volumes of the world's most eminent philosophers writing for the needs of students and teachers of philosophy internationally. The REP is a project on an unparalleled scale: Over 2000 entries ranging from 500 to 15,000 words in length - thematic, biographical and national 10 volumes consisting of over 5 million words of text plus considerable bibliographic material A Chief Editor and thirty specialist Subject Editors from across the world Over 1200 authors from all over the world. The importance of the REP is not to be found just in the sheer size of the project but also in its breadth of subject matter. It covers: The core of most Anglo-American philosophy - the metaphysical, epistemological and logical questions The usual menu of ethics, political philosophy and the history of philosophy The philosophy of other cultures - from Chinese, Arabic and Jewish philosophy to the philosophy of Africa and Latin America The most impressive range of authors have been gathered together on this unique project: William Alston, Roderick Chisolm, Fred Dretske, Joel Feinberg, Sandra Harding, Larry Laudan, Martha Nussbaum, Richard Popkin, Richard Rorty, Alan Ryan, Gyatri Chakravorty Spivak, Stephen Stich, Patrick Suppes and Bernard Williams, to name just a few. Also available online: www.rep.routledge.com

The Blackwell Companion to Philosophy by Nicholas Bunnin (Editor); E. P. Tsui-James (Editor); Bernard Williams (Introduction by); John R. Searle (Introduction by) In this comprehensive and authoritative volume, philosophers explore the issues, controversies and problems which arise from the study of philosophy - from specific specialized subject areas to the work of great historical figures. Personal overviews by John Searle and Bernard Williams establish an emphasis on developments over recent decades. The Companion functions primarily as a flexible and distinctive introductory textbook, but even advanced students will welcome its stimulating and accessible chapters and the guidance provided by cross references, glossary entries, boxed highlights, bibliographies, discussion questions, and further reading.

The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy by Simon Blackburn The Gambler's Fallacy, the Dirty Hands Argument, Pascal's Wager, Buridan's Ass, Wittgenstein's Beetle in the Box--philosophical terms can be both intriguing and baffling. Now, eminent philosopher Simon Blackburn offers the most authoritative and up-to-date dictionary of philosophy available in a single volume, packed with helpful information for the novice and with astute observations for the expert. Ranging from Aristotle to Zen, the two thousand plus entries cover the entire span of philosophy, from the Vedas (written over three thousand years ago) to the most recent technical terminology, with ample coverage of important themes from Chinese, Indian, Islamic, and Jewish philosophy. Here are all the terms one would expect to find in a comprehensive dictionary of philosophy--idealism and empiricism, ethics and aesthetics, Epicureanism and Stoicism, deism and pantheism, liberalism and conservatism, existentialism and logical positivism, and much more. Blackburn also defines many terms and concepts not normally found in such reference works, including entries for apathy, Elis (the Greek city which passed a law exempting all philosophers from taxation), laughter, and the meaning of life, and he includes relevant terms from disciplines such as mathematics, physics, biology, artificial intelligence, and linguistics. In addition, there are capsule biographies of nearly five hundred individuals, from the pre-Socratics, to such major figures as Aquinas, Descartes, Spinoza, Locke, Hobbes, Hegel, Kant, Schopenhauer, and Nietzsche, to such contemporary figures as Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault, Richard Rorty, Simone de Beauvoir, and Luce Irigaray. Many more women appear here than in other philosophical dictionaries, ranging from Lady Anne Finch Conway, a 17th-century Quaker philosopher and an influence on Leibniz, to Hypatia, an important 4th-century Neoplatonist and mathematician of Alexandria, who was tortured and murdered by Christian Monks at the behest of the patriarch Cyril. And Blackburn also includes figures such as Einstein, Darwin, and Aesop. Finally, Blackburn interjects much of his own personality and wit into these entries. For instance, writing on Francis Bacon, he observes that Bacon's "legal philosophy was one of absolute duty to the sovereign, which cannot have hindered his rise to the position of Lord Chancellor." And he begins his entry on apathy with "Although it is the particular enemy of teachers and sports coaches, apathy often gets a good philosophical press, especially in ethical systems that regard desire and worldly interest as low and unworthy." A survey of philosophy through the eyes of one of its leading practitioners, The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy is both a handy reference and an intriguing book in which to browse. It is an essential volume for anyone interested in philosophy.

The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy by Robert Audi (Editor) Widely acclaimed as the most authoritative and accessible one-volume dictionary available in English (and now with translations into Chinese, Korean, Russian, Italian, and Spanish underway) this second edition offers an even richer, more comprehensive, and more up-to-date survey of ideas and thinkers written by an international team of 436 contributors. Includes the most comprehensive entries on major philosophers, 400 new entries including over 50 on preeminent contemporary philosophers, extensive coverage of rapidly developing fields such as the philosophy of mind and applied ethics, more entries on non-Western philosophy than any comparable volume, and increased coverage of Continental philosophy.

Dictionary of Existentialism by Haim Gordon The area of philosophy defined as existentialism gained prominence after World War II. Among the more popular existentialist philosophers and writers are Friedrich Nietzsche, Soren Kierkegaard, and Fyodor Dostoyevski. Instead of focusing upon a particular aspect of human existence, existentialists focus on the whole being as he or she exists in the world. Rebelling against the rationalism proposed by such writers as Descartes and Hegel, existentialists reject the emphasis placed on the human being as primarily a thinking being. Freedom, they counter, is central to human existence. Correspondingly, human relations and experiences can not be reduced simply to thinking, as the whole being becomes involved with the processes. This dictionary provides, through alphabetically arranged entries, brief overviews of the tenets, philosophers, and writers of existentialism. This reference book is intended as a tool to provide students and scholars with concise information on particular existentialist thinkers, writers, terms, and ideas. The alphabetical organization, coupled with cross references throughout the text, makes the work easily accessible to those looking up specific information and to those tracing interconnected ideas, philosophers, and writers. The bibliography identifies helpful resources for further study.

Encyclopedia of Ethics by Lawrence C. Becker (Editor); Charlotte B. Becker (Editor) The editors, working with a team of 325 renowned authorities in the field of ethics, have revised, expanded and updated this classic encyclopedia. Along with the addition of 150 new entries, all of the original articles have been newly peer-reviewed and revised, bibliographies have been updated throughout, and the overall design of the work has been enhanced for easier access to cross-references and other reference features. New entries include * Cheating * Dirty hands * Gay ethics * Holocaust * Journalism * Political correctness * and many more.