Research Guides: Philosophy: Home

Finding Articles

PhilPapers
PhilPapers is a comprehensive index of the research literature in philosophy, including an open access archive and the largest structured bibliography in the field.
Philosophy Documentation Center
A full-text database of small well-respected philosophy journals.
Project MUSE
Over 200 full text journal titles covering the fields of literature and criticism, history, the visual and performing arts, cultural studies, education, political science, gender studies, economics, and many others.
JSTOR
Vast multidisciplinary e-journal collection. Especially valuable for older research; articles in the newest issues of a given journal are not always available.
Philosopher's Index (Print)
A subject index covering "all major philosophy journals in English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian . . . . along with selected journals in other languages and related interdisciplinary publications.

Browse Core Philosophy Journals

Ethics
Moral, political, and legal philosophy from a variety of intellectual perspectives, including social and political theory, law, and economics.
1938-present in various online products.
Journal of Philosophy
Articles on metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, philosophical logic, social and political philosophy, ethics, action theory, and esthetics.
1921-present in various online products.
Journal of the History of Philosophy
Publishes articles, notes, discussions, and reviews about the history of Western philosophy.
1963-present in various online products.
Mind
Articles on epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of language, philosophy of logic, and philosophy of mind.
1876-present in various online products.
Noûs
The title is the ancient Greek word for mind, Noûs is one of the premier philosophy journals.
1967-2005 in various online products.
Philosophical Studies
Limited to papers in analytic philosophy.
1950-present in various online products.
Philosophy & Public Affairs
Discussions of substantive legal, social, and political problems, as well as the more abstract questions to which these discussions give rise.
1971-present in various online products.
Philosophy Compass
A journal of peer-reviewed survey articles from across the discipline.
2006-present in Wiley Online Library.
Philosophy of Science
Essays, discussion articles and book reviews in the general area of philosophy of science.
1934-present in various online packages.
All Philosophy Journals at UNC
A comprehensive list of UNC's holdings.

Encyclopedias

These specialized reference works provide definitions of concepts and methods. Such works can help you select a topic for research, define and structure your topic, or place your topic in historical perspective. Some of these sources may also include a bibliography listing more books and articles pertinent to your subject.

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
A project from Stanford University, this encyclopedia is a dynamic reference work with entries maintained and kept up to date by an expert or group of experts in the field.
Gale Encyclopedia of Philosophy and the Social Sciences
Clear and accessible presentation of wide-ranging philosophical subjects. Most recent (2013) edition.
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
A peer-reviewed online encyclopedia providing scholarly information on key topics and philosophers in all areas of philosophy.
New Dictionary of the History of Ideas
Online version of a six-volume survey of the history of Western thought and culture. Most recent (2005) edition.
Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy
Entries include over 500 philosopher biographies, in-depth analysis of philosophical terms and concepts, and a chronology of philosophical events stretching from 10,000 BC to the present day. 3rd ed. (2016).

Browse the Michener Stacks

Browse the Book Stacks

Often looking through the shelves can turn up works that would not have been found any other way. Using the Library of Congress subject system, Philosophy is generally shelved in the B call number area with other related fields in BC-BJ. The Library of Congress provides a detailed online list of the subclasses in these areas so you can see how this is organized. Traditional philosophy and related topics can be found primarily in the following call number areas:

B -- General Philosophy, including history
BC--Logic, formal and informal
BD--Metaphysics and epistemology
BF--Philosophy of mind (known as psychology)
BH--Aesthetics
BJ--Ethics