Albert Camus (Radio 4 In our Time podcast)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/inourtime/inourtime_20080103.shtml
This podcast was recorded on the In Our Time programme on Radio 4 on 3 January 2008. In this 42 minute recording, the presenter Melvyn Bragg interviews three leading French academics about the work of the French Nobel Prize winning author Albert Camus. They are Peter Dunwoodie, David Walker and Christina Howells. First they discuss formative influences on his early life in Algeria, such as his working class roots, the death of his father and colonial life. They then consider his politics and his membership of the Communist Party. His major literary works including The Plague, The Stranger, The Myth of Sisyphus, The Rebel and The Fall are discussed in detail. Camus' concept of the absurd is debated. Other key events such as his move to France and work with the theatre are also analysed. Camus was of course a friend of Jean-Paul Sartre, another very famous French writer, and the interviewees talk about the differences in their outlook on politics and writing. This podcast could be useful for students preparing dissertations on Camus or Existentialism, giving fresh insights into his work and beliefs. Podcasting software is needed to listen to this podcast. Help pages about podcasting software are available on the BBC website.
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Albert Camus Society UK
http://www.camus-society.com/
The Albert Camus Society UK website aims to promote the work and thought of Albert Camus. Well-organized and clearly structured, this site is easy to navigate, visually appealing and accessible to those with little prior knowledge of the work and life of Camus. Divided into six main sections, the Albert Camus Society UK site includes pages on: Camus' biography; his thought; the society itself; Camus' writing; further links; and a blog. The biographical pages offer a detailed, accurate and digestible overview of Camus' life and background. The section dedicated to Camus' thought provides an introduction to central questions which preoccupied him, such as absurdism and existentialism. It also offers brief synopses of other key works, namely: 'The Stranger'; 'The Plague'; and 'Caligula'. There is a lack of balance in the attention given to some texts over others; 'The Stranger' receiving the most detailed treatment. There is then practical information given about joining the society, a chronological list of Camus's writing and links to student resources on some of Camus' principle works. Finally, the Camus Society blog provides a space to share news, reviews, opinions and other information related to Camus studies such as events, seminars and recent publications. The blog page includes monthly archives which detail past postings. The site presents Camus' thought and work in clear terms, providing an accessible introduction to his philosophical ideas. As such, these pages will be most useful for undergraduate students and teachers of French literature and philosophy.
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British society for phenomenology
http://www.britishphenomenology.com/
This is the website of the British Society for Phenomenology (BPS) which was founded by Professor Wolfe Mays. The organisation seeks to advance the study and research of all aspects of phenomenology, the philosophical movement founded by Edmund Husserl (1859-1938) and concerned primarily with the essence of things and of consciousness. This homepage provides details of the society's activities (including conferences and calls for papers) and information on how to join BPS. The society publishes the Journal of the British Society for Phenomenology three times a year and this website enables visitors to view the table of contents of volumes published since 2002. It also holds an annual conference and a small selection of conference papers are available from here without charge. There is a links page which provides access to a few sites related to phenomenology. A search engine is available.
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Centre d'études phénoménologiques
http://www.sofi.ucl.ac.be/cep/cep.html
The Centre d'études phénoménologiques (Centre for the Study of Phenomenology) was created in October 1973 by agreement between the Husserl archives, the Institut Supérieur de Philosophie and representatives of philosopher Edmund Husserl's family. Like other Husserl archives, the Centre aims to promote both the works of Husserl (1859-1938) and, more generally, the philosophical movement of phenomenology that he instituted. The website of the Centre d'études phénoménologiques provides information on: the Centre's activities; objectives; projects and partners. In addition, the site provides a gateway to all other major Husserl archives as well as a small list of other useful online resources. Written entirely in French, the site is well designed and simple to navigate.
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Colin Wilson : the phenomenology of excess
http://web.mac.com/philco1/iWeb/Colin%20Wilson/News.html
The Phenomenology of Excess, compiled and published by Philip Coulthard, is one of the best of several websites dedicated to the work of the English philosopher Colin Wilson, 1931- . It contains an introductory essay about the man and his work, with links explaining various philosophical terms.The 'Philosophy' page discusses his New Existentialism. Pages headed 'Crime' and 'Occult' assess his contribution to these subjects whilst the 'Fiction' page looks at the novels he has written in a variety of genres. The site contains essays by Wilson himself on two of his important books: 'Introduction to the New Existentialism' (1966) and 'Beyond the Outsider' (1965). A series of podcasts have been added where you can hear Wilson talking about a variety of subjects if you have a QuickTime viewer. There are also booklist (with a gallery of bookjackets) and links pages for further study. Wilson rose to fame in 1956 with his seminal work on alienation in modern literature 'The Outsider' and was dubbed by the press an 'Angry Young Man' alongside John Osborne, Kingsley Amis, John Wain and others. However, he had little in common with these writers, there being a seriousness to his early work which the others lacked. Over the next ten years he propounded his New Existentialism in a series of six 'Outsider Cycle' books and concurrent novels (which were intended to put his philosophical ideas into action). Subsequently he became a popular writer, publishing books on crime, the occult, unexplained phenomena etc but never fully losing touch with the basic optimistic philosophy expressed in his early years as a writer and thinker, occasionally returning to it with titles such as 'Existentially Speaking' (1989),'Below the Iceberg, Anti-Sartre and other essays' (1998) and the self-edited 'Essential Colin Wilson' (1985). His autobiography 'Dreaming to Some Purpose' (2004) and shrewd assessments of fellow 'Angries' in 'The Angry Years: the rise and fall of the Angry Young Men' (2007) make required reading for any students of the post-war British literary scene.
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Colin Wilson World: an appreciation of Colin Wilson -- philosopher, critic and novelist
http://colinwilsonworld.co.uk/
Colin Wilson World, compiled and published by the author Geoff Ward, is a very informative website dedicated to the work of the English philosopher Colin Wilson, 1931- . It contains news about Wilson's current projects and activities and reprints recent reviews of his work. Several fascinating interviews with Wilson, conducted by Ward, are included. The site also contains taster chapters of Wilson's recent publications and some introductions he has written to other authors' books. Selective bibliography and links pages are provided. This site combines well with 'The Phenomenology of Excess', linked below, to provide the student with a excellent starting point for the study of this former 'Angry Young Man' who rose to fame in 1956 with his seminal work on alienation in modern literature 'The Outsider'.
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Continental philosophy
http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~janzb/continental/
This web resource is intended to provide resources and links for researchers and students in the various areas of continental philosophy. It contains an extensive range of links to sites covering all aspects of continental philosophy and most canonical figures in its history (for example, Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Heidegger, Jacques Derrida, and Richard Rorty). In addition, there are sections covering deconstruction, critical theory, existentialism, and feminist theory and gender studies. The site is well-organised and easily navigable, featuring three independent drop down menus which allow users to select from a large range of fields of study or authors. Some topics and authors are very well represented with a great deal of bibliographical, biographical, and philosophical information available. Unfortunately, the quantity of resources offered on certain non-mainstream areas of continental thought is not so impressive. In addition to the above features, users can access general pages dedicated to a variety of aspects of continental philosophy, as well as teaching resources, the home pages of journals, societies, and conferences.
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Cosmos and history : the journal of natural and social philosophy
http://cosmosandhistory.org/
Cosmos and History (ISSN 1832-9101) is a recent peer-reviewed, open-access journal of natural and social philosophy. Its focus is on what it perceives as the otherwise marginalised discussion of humankind's place as social, political and cultural entities within the cosmos. The range of topics thus covered is broad, from archaeology and economics, through to ethics, critical theory, and psychoanalysis. Thinkers discussed include: Georg Hegel (1770-1831); Martin Heidegger (1889-1976); and Alain Badiou (1937-), to whom an entire issue is devoted. The journal is open to the work of philosophically-inclined writers from all disciplines, although potential contributors should look in the 'About' section under Policies to check for subject-specific special issues that may be coming up. Full-text articles for all extant issues are available in PDF format, and a search facility is provided. The Register section gives the opportunity receive email alerts of new issues, or to participate in the peer-review process.
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D. Anthony Storm's commentary on Kierkegaard
http://sorenkierkegaard.org/
D. Anthony Storm's Commentary on Kierkegaard is an impressive, extensive and user-friendly site dedicated to the influential nineteenth-century Christian existentialist philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855). The site provides abstracts and commentary by D. Anthony Storm on virtually every work ever composed by Kierkegaard, including less known unfinished writings, pamphlets and journal entries. In addition, the site provides a concise and very informative biography of Kierkegaard, a brief overview of his intellectual influences, a discussion of his authorial methodology, a gallery of various images of him, and an extensive bibliography of primary and secondary sources related to him. The site is extremely well presented, highly accessible, and will of considerable use to all who are interested in the life and writings of Kierkegaard.
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Electronic journal of analytic philosophy (EJAP)
http://ejap.louisiana.edu/
The Electronic Journal of Analytic Philosophy (EJAP) is a peer reviewed electronic journal for the publication of articles and reviews relevant to analytic philosophy, both as a historical movement and a current research program. The journal began publication in August 1993 and continued annually until 1998. One more issue (the most recent) was published in 2002. The content of all issues are freely and openly available through the archives. Many of the issues are themed, for example: the philosophy of Gilbert Ryle (1900-1976); the philosophy of Gareth Evans (1946-1980); methods of ontology; and value in nature. The emphasis is on analytic philosophy in both form and content. Language, reference, mind, and formal ontology all receive particular attention. There is, however, the occasional foray into other territory, such as existential phenomenology. Despite the present hiatus in its publication, EJAP retains its status of having set an exceptionally high standard for an online journal. Many of the authors are established philosophers in their field, and the archived articles would be of interest to advanced undergraduates and researchers in analytic philosophy.
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Ethics of ambiguity, The
http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/philosophy/existentialism/debeauvoir/ambig
French philosopher and feminist Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986) wrote many influential works, including 'The Ethics of Ambiguity', which addresses issues of existence, freedom and morality. The full-text version of Bernard Frechtman's translation of this text (ISBN: 0-8065-0160-X) is here reprinted and available to download free of charge. The site's creator Bob Corbett states that the text will be available at this site while the book remains out of print. Corbett has divided the work into four parts, which are each available to download separately: Ambiguity and Freedom; Personal Freedom and Others; The Positive Aspect of Ambiguity; and the Conclusion.
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Existential primer
http://www.tameri.com/csw/exist/
This enthusiast website provides an introduction to existentialism and existentialist philosophers, as well as Continental philosophy in general. The site contains a basic guide to the ideas that have shaped existentialist thought. There is an introductory discussion about what does and does not constitute existentialism, a lexicon defining concepts and terms favoured by existentialists, a page on the divisions between different types of existentialist thinkers, and a "context" section featuring a timeline of existentialism. A resources section has a basic reading list along with links to sites of further interest. The site also has more detailed information on individual thinkers; there are hyperlinks to brief biographies of many of the philosophers mentioned on the site. The site is very easy to navigate. The author of the site is adamant that it is not intended as a study guide. It may, however, serve as a useful jumping-off point for those seeking an introduction to existentialism, and there is clear advice about and links to further resources.
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Friedrich Nietzsche society
http://www.fns.org.uk/
This site is primarily concerned with the promotion of the activities of the Friedrich Nietzsche Society, which organises an annual conference on the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche and publishes the Journal of Nietzsche Studies biannually. Full-text articles from the journal are available online by subscription only, but the site provides information regarding contents of back issues and contact details for contributions.
The site also features information regarding previous and forthcoming Nietzsche conferences as well as links to other related philosophy resources. In addition, there is information for individuals interested in subscribing to the society and also a downloadable membership form. The Friedrich Nietzsche Society is intended for anyone with an interest in the life and work of Nietzsche, but it will be of most relevance to graduates and professional philosophers with a specialist interest in him. The site is easily navigable and informative.
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Gabriel Marcel Society
http://www.lemoyne.edu/gms/
The Gabriel Marcel Society website is committed to promoting international discussion of the French Christian existentialist philosopher and playwright Gabriel Marcel (1889-1973). Founded in 1986 by Thomas Anderson, philosophy professor at Marquette University, USA, the Society aims to encourage scholarship on Marcel and his writings. On the site, the user will find information about the Society's activities. Sections on the site include: Events and News; Meetings; Newsletter; Research Centers; and References and Related Links. There are also a number of sections dedicated to Marcel's theatrical work. The site is well-presented and easy to navigate. All information is in English and freely accessible.
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Glossary-guide for translating Husserl (GTH)
http://www.filosoficas.unam.mx/~gth/gthii.htm
GTH is an online glossary for translating the works of philosopher Edmund Husserl (1859-1958), founder of the branch of philosophy known as phenomenology. The glossary takes the form of a database, accessible both online and available to download free of charge. Work on the database is ongoing and the primary aim is to establish and maintain a glossary to translate Husserl's works into Spanish. However, much work has also gone into providing a glossary for translating Husserl into English, French, Italian, Catalan, and Portuguese. While still a work in progress, the GTH represents a useful tool for postgraduate researchers of Husserl. Contributions to the site are welcomed and its authors regularly update information held on the database.
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Håndskrifter fra Søren Kierkegaard arkivet på Det kongelige bibliotek
http://www2.kb.dk/kultur/expo/sk-mss//index-en.htm
This website presents a selection of excerpts from the manuscripts of Søren Kierkegaard dating between 1834 and 1855. The selection is based on an exhibition of 1996 displayed in Copenhagen at the Round Tower. The images are generally clear and easy to read (although, of course, the papers are in Danish and some familiarity with nineteenth-century handwriting is an advantage). The site itself has an English version, and is equipped with an index of manuscript titles and call marks, two essays on Kierkegaard, a selection of portraits, information on his contemporaries, and a chronology. The contemporaries section provides brief biographical notices and a selection of portraits. There are also photographs of old Copenhagen. This is a charming site which should be of use not just to the specialist but to a general reader who would like a sense of Kierkegaard and his times.
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International Kierkegaard information
http://www.utas.edu.au/docs/humsoc/kierkegaard/
International Kierkegaard Information is a very comprehensive resource that gives information about and (where applicable) online access to resources dedicated to the work of the nineteenth-century Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855). The site is compiled and maintained by Julia Watkin. Kierkegaard himself is widely considered to be the founding father of the existentialist movement in contemporary philosophy. The site itself provides comprehensive and often annotated entries for various Kierkegaard organisations and societies, conferences, courses, websites, and other resources, located worldwide. It also hosts the "International Kierkegaard Newsletter" webpage, which gives relatively up-to-date information on events, research, and publications in the world of Kierkegaard scholarship. The site is attractive to the eye, well-laid out, and simple to navigate, with hyperlinked access to the various sub-sections.
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Karl Jaspers's Web site
http://www.karljaspers.info/
This is the Web page of the Austrian Karl Jaspers Society. Jaspers (1883-1969) examined the link between psychology and philosophy in his books 'General Psychopathology' and 'Psychology of the World-View'. He opposed the Nazi government and in 1946 published 'The Question of German Guilt' as a study of how the German populace was led by Hitler and the Nazis. The website contains a short news section, and a section on events (not up-to-date at the time of writing this), along with a select list of useful links to other Web resources on Jaspers. Its principal value, however, lies in the reproductions of the contents pages and abstracts of articles published in the 'Yearbook of the Austrian Karl Jaspers Society'. Not all volumes include abstracts, but those that do are written in both German and English. A link to the publisher of the journal is also provided.
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Nietzsche circle
http://www.nietzschecircle.com/
Nietzsche Circle is an organisation dedicated to the exploration and promotion of aesthetic theory and practice inspired by or pertaining to the work of Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900). The activities and resources of the Circle are wide and varied, and clearly presented on this, its official website. Information on the organisation, membership, and events, as well as links to further sites of interest, can be found in the Circle section of the site. The Home section of the site provides formal essays, less formal "interviews" or discussions of Nietzschean aesthetics, a blog site, and news on Nietzsche Circle events and related matters. The Circle has also recently launched an electronic journal, Hyperion, current and past issues of which are fully available online. A further section, entitled Nietzsche's Work, supplies a wealth of biographical and bibliographical information on Nietzsche, along with the promise of forthcoming sections on Nietzsche's philosophical legacy and his influence on art and culture. Invitations to contribute to the journal or to other sections of the site are given, along with the opportunity to join a mailing list. This is a well-presented resource which, though still partly in the development phase, should prove of interest to Nietzsche students and scholars, especially those concerned with his aesthetic work and influence. Note that some texts on the site are in PDF format, and some large images are used.
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Ortega y Gasset - razón vital
http://www.e-torredebabel.com/OrtegayGasset/OrtegayGasset.htm
'Razón Vital' is a Spanish website dedicated to the Spanish philosopher and essayist José Ortega y Gasset (1883-1956), founder of the 'Revista de Occidente', and author of 'La Rebelión de las Masas' or 'The Revolt of the Masses' (1929). On the site, users will find a fairly up-to-date full, searchable bibliography of publications in Spanish on the life and works of Ortega; studies on Ortega's ideas on psychology; and Spanish doctoral theses on Ortega, as well as a complete bibliography of the philosopher's works. The site offers a good introduction to and overview of Ortega's thought, and a collection of full-text articles on, and reviews of, his work and international secondary criticism. Also featured on the site is an image gallery of photographs and sketches of the philosopher; his genealogy; a small collection of recordings of Ortega reading from his work, together with transcriptions; and related news such as new editions of Revista de Estudios Ortequianos and forthcoming conferences. All in all, this is an excellent online resource for students beginning work on Ortega, or for researchers as a reference tool and means of keeping up-to-date with scholarship in the field.
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Phenomenology and the cognitive sciences
http://www.philosophy.ucf.edu/pcs/
Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences is a website from the University of Central Florida's Department of Philosophy, offering a wealth of information and resources that bear on the connections between these two disciplines. Classic and recent or in-progress texts can be found via the Research Papers and the Bibliographical Resources sections. There are several pages of links, covering topics including: neurophenomenology; phenomenology; cognitive science; teaching resources; bibliographies of significant phenomenologists and cognitive scientists; and announcements of related conferences and events (although unfortunately these lists do not seem to be updated particularly frequently, and there are some broken links). The site also offers information on the related International Association for Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences, including their previous and upcoming colloquia and projects, and on the journal Philosophy and the Cognitive Sciences. Many of the people connected with the International Association for Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences are outstanding in their field, and this site would be of use to anyone researching or otherwise wishing to explore this area.
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Realm of existentialism
http://www.dividingline.com/
This resource provides an overview of existentialism and phenomenology, and includes information on an extensive range of existentialist writers, poets, psychologists, and philosophers. The site is primarily aimed at those hitherto unacquainted with the basics of existentialism and phenomenology, and perhaps as a consequence of its target audience, it is burdened by an excessive use of flashy advertisements for unrelated objects or activities which detract from its informational purpose. That purpose is to offer a helpful summary and definitions of the two schools of thought, as well as elementary accounts of some of their essential themes. (Definitions and explanations are illustrated throughout by quotations taken from primary existentialist sources.) The site also features an inventory of canonical figures in the history of existentialism, a selection of quotations from each of these, reviews of books on existentialism, and a forum for discussion. There are in addition links to considerably less philosophical pages concerning love poetry, haiku, dolphins and the works of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. Advertisements aside, the site is clearly presented and very easy to use. It may be of use to the absolute beginner in existentialism and phenomenology wishing to learn more about the fundamental figures and ideas behind the movements. Or hoping to win a free laptop or download a dolphin screensaver.
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Romanian Society for Phenomenology
http://www.phenomenology.ro/
The Romanian Society for Phenomenology aims to promote research in phenomenology in order to achieve a better understanding of it and to constitute a specialised community in the field. The Society was founded in autumn 2000. It publishes two book series: Heidegger and Acta Phaenomenologica, as well as a journal called Studia Phaenomenologica. Articles in these publications are in various languages. The website features information on the Society's publications, tables of contents of Studia Phaenomenologica, a Society newletter, a newsgroup with information on events and announcements, and an extensive collection of phenomenology-related links to other sites of interest. There is also a section on the history and significance of phenomenology in Romania, and a member's area in Romanian. This is a busy website with much useful information hidden amongst the sub-sections of various pages; it is worth exploring in detail for those researchers interested in phenomenology in general, or in Romania in particular. The site requires a JavaScript-enabled browser.
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Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy
http://www.spep.org/
The Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy, founded in 1962 by John Wild, is an organisation dedicated to fostering philosophical scholarship inspired by Continental philosophical traditions. Such traditions include, for example: critical theory; existentialism; German Idealism; phenomenology; hermeneutics, and post-structuralism. The Society holds an annual conference and periodically publishes the papers delivered at conferences in its series entitled, 'Selected Studies in Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy', now well over twenty volumes in length. Past titles of the series include: 'Phenomenology, Interpretation, and Community'; 'Conflicts and Convergences'; and 'Extending the Horizon of Continental Philosophy'. Information for those wishing to order past publications and/or become members of the Society is readily available, as are calls for papers, links to sites of related interest, and a listing of graduate programs in Continental philosophy. The site is extremely well presented and highly accessible.
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Study guide for Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra, book one
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/hum_303/zarathustra.html
The website "Study Guide for Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Book one" has been prepared by Professor Paul Brians of the Department of English, Washington State University. It is aimed at those analysing one of Friedrich Nietzsche's (1844-1900) most significant works. The site provides a close reading of Nietzsche's text, divided into sections that reflect the Penguin edition of the Walter Kaufmann translation. Brians explains, amongst other things, cultural references that the twentieth century reader might find daunting. As well as a detailed exploration of the themes and questions raised by this work, Brians has added a link to his essay on the influence of Nietzsche. The site does not purport to offer any explanations, but instead is meant to stimulate debate. As such it is a useful aid for those coming to Nietzsche for the first time, or as a resource for teachers.
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