- University of Michigan Library
- Research Guides
- Philosophy
- Introductions & Basic Overviews
Philosophy
Selected resources useful for philosophical research.
Basic Introductions
- Central Issues of PhilosophyProvides beginning students with the information and skills to delve deeper into philosophical fields of study.
- Just the Arguments: 100 of the Most Important Arguments in Western PhilosophyOffers succinct expositions of key philosophical arguments without commentary.
- Thinking It Through: An Introduction to Contemporary PhilosophyBy Anthony Appiah.
- Philosophical Propositions: An Introduction to PhilosophyBy Jonathan Westphal.
- The World's Great PhilosophersAn introduction to and overview of 40 of the most influential thinkers in the history of philosophy.
Basic Companions
Get quick summaries of topics, philosophers, schools of thought--including brief lists of the very best articles and books to consult for further research.
- Oxford Companion to PhilosophyOver 2,000 brief articles with bibliographies on all areas of philosophy and the ideas of all notable philosophers from antiquity to the present day.
- Blackwell Companion to PhilosophyOverview essays written by experts on each of the key areas, figures and movements in philosophy.
- Oxford Companion to the MindOver 900 brief articles with bibliographies describing different aspects of mind, brain and consciousness.
- Blackwell Companion to the PhilosophersSummarizes the thoughts and theories of the major figures in the dominant philosophical traditions throughout history, worldwide.
- Blackwell Companion to World PhilosophiesOutlines the historical background and contemporary situation of non-Western philosophical traditions.
Shorter book-length overviews
Guides for the PerplexedBloomsbury/Continuum's series of basic guides on major thinkers and topics in philosophy, religion and literature. [Available online.]
Very Short Introductions: PhilosophyOxford University Press series of slim volumes on many different topics & thinkers, written by recognized experts in the field. [Available online and in print.]
Wadsworth Philosophers SeriesSlim volumes each covering a specific philosophical thinker, from Adam Smith to Wittgenstein. [Available in print only.]
Brief overviews of key works
- Central Works of PhilosophyCall Number: B 21 .C45 2005, Hatcher Graduate Library.A 5-volume set of chapter-length introductory overviews, arranged in chronological order. [Available online and in print.]
- World Philosophers and Their WorksCall Number: B 104 .W671 2000, Hatcher Graduate Library Reference.Brief (2 to 3 page) summaries in a 3-volume set shelved in the Reference Reading Room.
Writing Guides
- The Philosopher's Tool KitDescribes the main concepts and methods used in philosophical thought and writing, with illustrative examples. [Available online and in print.]
Research resources overview
- U-M Library Philosophy Research Resources OverviewOutline of services, resources and suggested research strategies prepared for new U-M Philosophy graduate students and visiting scholars.