Subject Guides: Classics: Philosophy

Understand Your Topic

The first step is to make sure you understand the topic. Identify the main concepts or keywords in your question to help you develop a search strategy

Use encyclopedias and dictionaries for Classics to find definitions and background information

Other companions, encyclopedias and guides to Ancient Philosophy are listed on the Philosophy Subject Guide

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Books and Ebooks via MultiSearch

The Library Catalogue lists books held in the Library's collection. Hints for searching the Library catalogue:

Use Keyword or Title searches to find additional material.
Use the Browse Alphabetically: By Author search (e.g., Plato) to find primary sources.
Note that the Library Catalogue does not use abbreviated book titles. If your reading list uses abbrveviation like CAH, you will need to type "Cambridge Ancient History" in full.
Click the Subject Headings of useful titles to find books on related subjects. Some relevant subject headings are:
Browse the library shelves in the classification sequences for Ancient Philosophy.
NB. Since 2024 the library catalogue only includes books and ebooks purchased by UC Library. It omits hundreds of thousands of ebook titles ‘leased’ through library subscriptions, which are listed on MultiSearch. The library catalogue has more functional search and sorting capabilities than MultiSearch, all the same.

See also:

Citation Chaining

Finding Ebooks

Find Journal Articles

See tips on Finding Journal Articles.

You may also wish to search in Philosophy databases or browse this online bibliography:

PhilPapers: Ancient Greek and Roman Philosophy
A continually updated bibliography, edited by Robin Smith (Texas A&M University)

Journals:

Subject Headings

Plato Journal
The Journal of the International Plato Society

Philosophy – Central Library, Level 11

B 108–118	General history of Ancient philosophy (non-Eastern)
B 165–626	Greek and Graeco-Roman philosophy
B 168–175	General works
B 187	Special topics, A–Z
B 187.5	Pre-Socratic philosophers
B 188–491	By Period
B 188–258	First period
B 265–320	Second period
B 310–318	Socrates
B 335–491	Third period
B 350–398	Plato
B 400–491	Aristotle
B 504–623	Graeco-Roman philosophy
B 508	Cynicism
B 512	Epicureanism
B 517	Neo-Platonism
B 525	Scepticism (Pyrrhonism)
B 528	Stoicism
B 535–626	Individual philosophers (in alphabetical order)
B 630–708	Alexandrian and early Christian philosophy
BC 28–32	Logic (Greek and Roman)
BJ 160–224	Ethics (Greek and Roman)

Find Websites: Philosophy

Encyclopedias

Internet encyclopedia of philosophy (IEP)
“The purpose of the IEP is to provide detailed, scholarly information on key topics and philosophers in all areas of philosophy. Articles are written with the intention that most of the article can be understood by advanced undergraduates majoring in philosophy and by other scholars who are not working in the field covered by that article.”

Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy This link opens in a new window
“Covers an unparalleled breadth of subject matter, including Anglo-American, ethical and political, cross-cultural, interdisciplinary, continental and contemporary philosophy.”

Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy (SEP)
SEP “organizes scholars from around the world in philosophy and related disciplines to create and maintain an up-to-date reference work”.

IRCPS: The Institute for Research in Classical Philosophy and Science
Library Subject Guide: Philosophy (University of Canterbury)
PhilPapers: Ancient Greek and Roman Philosophy
A continually updated bibliography, edited by Robin Smith (Texas A&M University)
Voice of the Shuttle: Philosophy

Library Subject Guides