About Primary Sources in Philosophy
Primary sources in philosophy are most frequently the works of the philosopher him/herself, though letters, lectures, and contemporary criticism may also be useful primary materials depending on your exact interest.
Print Primary Sources in Tisch Library
Primary sources--such as original documents, essays, letters, diaries, interviews, works of art, and oral histories, can often be found collected in print volumes. Tisch Library has a wide array of print primary sources in its collection. Below is a sample of some of the resources that you can find but remember, this is only a sample, so use JumboSearch to find more or Ask a Librarian for help!
Thus Spoke LaoziCall Number: Tisch Book Stacks BL1900.L26 E5 2016Daodejing (Tao Te Ching) by Chinese philosopher Laozi (Lao Tzu) is one of the most popular Chinese texts, with more than 100 translations available. The strength of Wu's version comes from his superior bilingual talents and unique cross-cultural perspective, drawing widely from both Chinese and Western sources. Also available as an Ebook.
The Original Analects: Sayings of Confucius and his SuccessorsCall Number: PL2478 .L33 1998This new translation presents the Analects in a revolutionary new format that, for the first time in any language, distinguishes the original words of the Master from the later sayings of his disciples and their followers, enabling readers to experience China's most influential philosophical work in its true historical, social, and political context.
Ta Hsüeh and Chung YungCall Number: Book Stacks PL2478 .M75 2003Ta Hsueh and Chung Yung are two of the central texts of early Chinese thought, encapsulating Confucian philosophy on the Way of moral cultivation and spiritual attainment. Traditionally held to be the work of two of Confucius's closest disciples, the books were compiled in their present form late in the second or first century BCE and have occupied a central position in educational and political life for almost a thousand years throughout the East Asian cultural sphere.
Mo Tzu: Basic WritingsCall Number: B128.M6 W3The thoughts and writings of this important fifth century B.C. political and social thinker -- and formidable rival of the Confucianists -- are presented here in English translation.
Han Fei Tzu: Basic WritingsCall Number: PL2662.H3 A28Representative of the Fachia, or Legalist, school of philosophy, the writings of Han Fei Tzu (280?-233 B.C.) confront the issues of preserving and strengthening the state. His lessons remain timely as scholars continue to examine the nature and use of power.
Three Short Treatises by Vasubandhu, Sengzhao, and ZongmiCall Number: BQ1138 .T57 2017Three Short Treatises collects brief and important explorations in Mahayana Buddhism. A Mahayana demonstration on the theme of action (Taishō volume 31, number 1609) / translated by John P. Keenan -- Essays of Sengzhao (Taishō volume 45, number 1858) / translated by Rafal Felbur -- Treatise on the origin of humanity (Taishō volume 45, number 1886) / translated by Jan Yün-hua.
The Art of WarCall Number: U101 .S9513 2018The ancient Chinese military classic by the warrior-philosopher Sun Tzu that is widely admired today by both military and business strategists--in a new translation, with new notes and commentary.
Mao's Road to Power: Revolutionary Writings 1912-1949Call Number: DS778.M3 A25 1992This edition of Mao Zedong's writings provides abundant documentation in his own words regarding his life and thought. It has been compiled from all available Chinese sources.
The Three Principles of the PeopleCall Number: DS777 .A55 1963As a part of the rebuilding of the Guomindang, Sun Yat-sen gave a series of lectures on the Three People’s Principles (Democracy, Nationalism, and People’s Livelihood), which were the “ideology” of the Nationalist revolution.
The Journal of Wu Yubi: The Path to SagehoodCall Number: Book Stacks B128.W844 A3 2013In this rare firsthand account of an individual's pursuit of sagehood, the early Ming dynasty scholar and teacher Wu Yubi chronicles his progress and his setbacks, as he strives to integrate the Neo-Confucian practices of self-examination and self-cultivation into everyday life.
Record of Daily Knowledge and Collected Poems and EssaysCall Number: PL2716.A2 2017Gu Yanwu pioneered the late-Ming and early Qing-era practice of Han Learning, or Evidential Learning, favoring practical over theoretical approaches to knowledge. He strongly encouraged scholars to return to the simple, ethical precepts of early Confucianism, and in his best-known work, Rizhi lu (Record of Daily Knowledge), he applied this paradigm to literature, government, economics, history, education, and philology. Also available as an e-book.
Sources of Chinese TraditionCall Number: Book Stacks DS721 .D37 1999For four decades Sources of Chinese Tradition has served to introduce Western readers to Chinese civilization as it has been seen through basic writings and historical documents of the Chinese themselves.
Print Primary Sources in Other Places
While Tisch Library's collection contains many print primary sources, it doesn't include all of the possible print primary sources available to students and scholars around the world. Use WorldCat to find print primary sources within the Boston Library Consortium and around the world.