ray@bgsuvax.UUCP (David Ray) (11/04/85)
This posting has to do with reference sources, research needs and interests, and philosophy: The last philosophical encyclopedia that claimed to be comprehensive, and was commonly acknowledged as such, came out in 1967. (Many of its articles and bibliographies were written or compiled between the years 1962 and 1965.) I am referring to Paul Edwards' (and his contributors') excellent work, viz. *The Encyclopedia of Philosophy*. Much has happenned in the fields of philosophy and library science since that work. There are some things philosophers want to know in the way of quick reference that cannot be found in Edwards (or other existing philosophical encyclopedias). There are some things librarians cannot offer because of the way these works limit access to information. So: Do you think a new philosophical encyclopedia is warranted given the research needs of philosophers, academics in cognate areas, and lay- persons? Is one needed given the requirements of reference librarians? Comments along these lines might include views on the range of issues that deserve coverage, the proper treatment of these issues, probable audience, length, price, and format. (Of special interest re this last area are online possibilities--*Academic Americana Encyclopedia* has been a full-text database for some time; do you think it is time to repeat this?) Send all written correspondence to: David Michael Ray Project Director Philosophy Documentation Center Bowling Green State University Bowling Green, Ohio 43403-1089 Send all e-mail to: David Ray Bowling Green State University David Ray