BA - Philosophy

1997

BA -- Philosophy

97-1/2-115

Feministische Philosophie: Bibliographie 1970–1995 [Feminist Philosophy: Bibliography 1970–1995]. Ed. Marion Heinz and Sabine Doyé. Bielefeld: Kleine, 1996. 425 p. 21 cm. ISBN 3-89370-218-0: DM 46.00

This reference book examines traditional philosophical theories in light of their function in stabilizing traditional authority; its purpose is not to examine women’s contribution to philosophy or its history, but the emancipatory attempt to reveal the various forms of discrimination against women in all areas of life in the tradition of the Enlightenment, liberalism, and Marxism.

It lists 3,219 monographs and articles mostly in English or German and grouped into five sections: main foci of feminist theory; philosophy, criticism of philosophical classics and contemporary theories, including French feminism; related areas of knowledge: psychology, art, etc.; bibliographies and lexica; feminist journals. The editors do not strive for completeness, either in time period (limited to 1970–1995) or disciplines covered, but they give no explanation for their choices. The quality of bibliographic information is often poor, and there are no annotations. There are indexes of authors, persons, and "keywords" (mostly translated into German). Readers might also want to consult Women Philosophers: A Bio-Critical Source Book (New York, et al.: Greenwood Press, 1989), Women Philosophers: A Bibliography of Books through 1990 by Else M. Barth (Bowling Green, Ohio: Philosophy Documentation Center, 1992), Women’s Studies and Philosophy: An International Bibliography . . . (Utrecht: Interfaculty Department of Women’s Studies, University of Utrecht, 1990), and Kommentiere Bibliographie zur Feministischen Ethik by Susanne Degen (Frankfurt a.M.: Oswald von Nell-Bruening-Inst. für Wirtschafts- und Gesellschaftsethik, 1994). [gd/rp]

97-1/2-116

Enzyklopädie Philosophie und Wissenschaftstheorie [Encyclopedia of Philosophy and Scientific Theory]. Ed. Jürgen Mittelstraß. Stuttgart; Weimar: Metzler. 25 cm. Vols. 1–2 publ. by Verlag Bibliographisches Institut, Mannheim [et al.]

Vol. 4. Sp–Z. 1996. 872 p. ISBN 3-476-01353-7: DM 248.00

This is the fourth and last volume of a major work whose first volume was published in 1980. (See RREO 96-2/3-183.) It attempts to bridge the gaps between philosophy and other branches of knowledge, and to clarify the relationships between them. It is pitched at a professional audience and is written at a very high level, though it comes with a constructivist bias.

The dense referential style creates real hurdles to understanding and usefulness. Too much jargon and the evident shortage of space also inhibit comprehensibility. Nevertheless, this is clearly a standard work. A general index to all four volumes is lacking. [jw/rp]

97-1/2-117

Die Philosophie im lateinischen Mittelalter: ein Handbuch mit einem bio-bibliographischen Repertorium [Philosophy in the Latin Middle Ages: A Handbook and Bio-Bibliography]. Peter Schulthess and Ruedi Imbach. Zürich; Düsseldorf: Artemis & Winkler, 1996. 605 pp. 25 cm. ISBN 3-7608-1127-2: DM 128.00

Philosophy from the Carolingian Renaissance to the middle of the fifteenth century, most of it written in Latin, provides the scope of this work. It is in two parts: a 300-page monograph, followed by a bio-bibliographical apparatus. This arrangement provides a useful tool for both the expert and the non-specialist and is an improvement on some of the larger reference works covering the same topic. Generally very reliable and well-considered, it is admirable at explaining details of interrelationships that are not generally well-known, and it also gives precise information on well-known thinkers. The 600 entries in the bio-bibliography provide lists of works (including modern translations) and selective secondary literature. Some bibliographic details are lacking in precision, especially for references to CD-ROM or electronic corpus editions of texts. [ar/rp]

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