Dictionary Of Philosophy (Paperback)

by Alan Lacey (Author)
Key Phrases: perceptual knowledge, philosophical reasoning, relative identity, Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, Philosophical Review, Journal of Philosophy (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
'Dr. Lacey's very useful book manages to present the most awesomely complex concepts of philosophy with wonderful lucidity.' - Times Education Supplement

'It was admirable in its first edition in 1976; improved when the second edition appeared in 1986; and has now come out in an even bigger and better third edition. It truly cannot be faulted as a handy reference for teachers and students alike.' - Heythrop Journal

'The text is clear, has helpful cross-references, and lists the names for major works that are relevant to the entries. The book, in short, is a good one.' - Library Journal

Dr. Laceys very useful book manages to present the most awesomely complex concepts of philosophy with wonderful lucidity. - Times Education Supplement

It was admirable in its first edition in 1976; improved when the second edition appeared in 1986; and has now come out in an even bigger and better third edition. It truly cannot be faulted as a handy reference for teachers and students alike. - Heythrop Journal

The text is clear, has helpful cross-references, and lists the names for major works that are relevant to the entries. The book, in short, is a good one. - Library Journal

Product Description
Providing an illuminating and informed introduction to central

philosophical issues, concepts and perspectives in the core fields of metaphysics, epistemology and philosophical logic, the Dictionary takes the most commonly-used terms and notions and clarifies what they mean to the philosopher and what sort of problems the philosopher finds associated with them.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 3 edition (September 11, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415133327
• ISBN-13: 978-0415133326
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,005,801 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Fulfils its purpose admirably., April 26, 2000

By	Richard L. King (Salt Lake City, Utah United States) - See all my reviews

In his preface, Lacey indicates that in writing this dictionary he wanted to "give the layman or intending student a pocket encyclopedia of philosophy, one with a bias towards explaining terminology." He fulfills his purpose admirably; the student can include this dictionary in a back pack or book bag so that it is available at all times. The more exhaustive dictionaries, such as the Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy or the Oxford Companion to the mind are simply too big to carry around, and thus are less likely to be at hand when the student needs them. The entries in Lacey's dictionary are clear, concise, and sufficiently cross-referenced. Particularly useful are the substantial bibliographies that follow many of the entries. I rate this book as four stars, rather than five, because some of the entries could actually be longer. I believe that this dictionary could expand on some of the entries without adding significantly to the length of the book. For example, the entry on Wittgenstein's private language argument is simply to short to be very useful. Otherwise, when viewed in light of its purpose, the dictionary is a job well done.

2.0 out of 5 stars Get a real dictionary of philosophy, January 28, 2000

By A Customer

If you want a single dictionary of philosophy I'd recommend getting a more authoritative text such as Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy. Flipping through it some of the entries appear to be substantial (several pages), but none of the 6 items I've looked up so far have been in the Dictionary (including Postmodernism, Logical Positivism, and Correspondence Theory of Truth).