Reference Books for Western Philosophy

Here's a list of important reference books for students of philosophy, categorized for easier use:

Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

• The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy by Simon Blackburn: A comprehensive and authoritative dictionary covering a wide range of philosophical topics.

• HarperCollins Dictionary of Philosophy by Peter A. Angeles: Another excellent resource.

• The Shorter Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy edited by Edward Craig: The Shorter REP presents the very best of the acclaimed ten volume Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy in a single volume.

Histories of Philosophy

• A History of Philosophy by Frederick Copleston: A multi-volume, very detailed history of Western philosophy.

• The Story of Philosophy by Bryan Magee: An accessible single-volume history of philosophy that covers both Western and Eastern traditions.

• A History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell: A classic, though somewhat opinionated, survey of Western philosophical thought.

Logic and Critical Thinking

• Introduction to Logic by Irving Copi and Carl Cohen: A standard textbook for introductory logic courses.

• The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli: Focuses on identifying and avoiding common thinking errors.

General Introductions

• Philosophy: The Basics by Nigel Warburton: A clear and concise introduction to key philosophical concepts and issues.

• Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder: A novel that introduces the history of philosophy in an engaging way.

Anthologies of Key Texts

• The Basic Works of Aristotle edited by Richard McKeon

• The Complete Works of Plato Translated by Benjamin Jowett

Specialized References

• For specific philosophical areas (e.g., ethics, political philosophy, philosophy of mind), there are many excellent handbooks and companions published by Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, and Routledge.

Tips for Using Reference Books

• Start with dictionaries and general introductions to get a basic understanding of a topic.

• Use histories of philosophy to get a broader context for specific philosophers or movements.

• Consult specialized references for in-depth information on particular areas of philosophy.

• Always check multiple sources to get a balanced perspective.