Sidenote: reading philosophical texts

Looking up a philosopher or a particular text will not only elucidate philosophical arguments but it will also put the particular work in the context of the philosopher’s work in general and in the context of his or her period.  


We recommend the resources on this page as aids to understanding a philosopher or tracing the influences on his works.




Boethius, in prison, listening to Lady Philosophy, De consolatione philosophiae. n.d. Manuscripts and Early Books, Bodleian Library, University of Oxford.  Image available in ARTstor

Tools for contextualizing philosophers and their works

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP): an online resource that is authored and maintained by philosophers themselves, it covers topics, individuals, and events from all historical periods.  Articles contain extensive bibliographies and cross-references to related SEP entries, and links to vetted web resources.  The SEP also includes helpful information on citing what you use from it. 

The Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy Online (REP): an award-winning publication that is widely regarded as a definitive resource in the field. Use it in conjunction with or as an alternative to the SEP.  A nice features of Routledge is its subject guide page, which allows you to search for content related by theme, world philosophies, and time period.  The medieval philosophy subject guide is linked here.

HOLLIS: don’t forget that the catalog can be tremendously helpful to you in turning up items that will efficiently, and often elegantly, explain the philosophers or philosophically themed texts you are encountering.  Some tricks:

  • add the word companion or handbook or introduction to a search for a person, a major movement, or a particular work. 

Click to try this search in HOLLIS

  • add a word like encyclopedia  or dictionary to a search for a topic – like  “medieval philosophy” or the  “middle ages.”
  • add words and phrase like authoritative text or critical edition; complete or collected edition. Often the works that emerge will have annotations and other scholarly apparatus appended to them.     
  • search on an author/text combination and scan the Series limit (to the right hand side of the HOLLIS result screen).  Certain publishers are highly respected in academic circles: Norton critical, Yale, Bollingen, Cambridge, or Oxford (for example) can be initial indicators of quality productions.