Philosophy

Our philosophy collection supports the study of all areas of philosophy, including ethics, metaphysics, aesthetics, epistemology, and logic. Materials also cover the philosophical aspects of the mind, language, the arts, and all sciences and other disciplines, from antiquity to present times. 

While strongest in Western philosophy, our collection is also strong in other philosophical traditions. It includes scholarly books and periodicals in English, German, French, Chinese, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Spanish, Arabic, Latin, Sanskrit, Korean, Ancient Greek, Hindi, and other languages. Emphasis is placed on acquiring critical editions of classic texts in their original languages, English translations, and secondary works in both English and the philosophers’ native languages.

Works within the analytic philosophy tradition are collected comprehensively in major Western languages, reflecting the long-standing research interests of faculty and students in the Department of Philosophy.

Important related collections 

The Special Collections Research Center holds early print editions of many seminal philosophical texts published from the Renaissance through the mid-19th century. 

The Law Library, which is distinct from the U-M Library system, has extensive holdings in ethics and philosophy of law, while the Bentley Historical Library holds the papers of influential American philosophers who have served as faculty at U-M. 

The Philosophy Department’s Tanner Library includes books primarily needed by its faculty and students, faculty publications, doctoral dissertations, and undergraduate theses.