Philosophy Shelved: Philosophy’s Displacement in the Library Restricted; Files Only

Abstract

This dissertation examines the theoretical framework undergirding the application of the term “Philosophy” to materials in academic libraries. It does so to consider in what ways the use of the term “Philosophy” norms the discipline and practice of philosophy. Predominantly operating under Library of Congress Classification (LCC) and Subject Headings (LCSH), indexing works as philosophy is supposed to enable library patrons to identify materials of interest or relevance, whether that be for edification, research, or whatever else. In this dissertation, I argue that LCC/LCSH incline library users towards understanding “Philosophy” within a Eurocentric historiographical paradigm. That is, scholarship in philosophy is understood as contributing to a repository of Eurocentric discoveries in the history of ideas. Further, I argue that by presenting philosophy in this way other approaches to philosophy are fragmented, disjointed, and marginalized. By so doing, there is a systemic disincentive to approach philosophy outside of the institutionalized mode. After beginning with a survey of how philosophers read texts in the history of philosophy (Chapter 1), the first part of the dissertation (Chapters 2, 3, and 4) consider the basis for the historiographical approach in both library and philosophical contexts. The second part (Chapters 5 and 6) gives examples of reading and doing philosophy otherwise, emphasizing the ways in which non-historiographical approaches cannot productively draw from existing classification. The final chapter (Chapter 7) reflects on the norming effects of the library in the context of contemporary U.S. academic philosophy.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter I - Cogito, Ergo…?: Models of Reading

Chapter II - To “B” or Not to “B”: Classifying Philosophy

Chapter III - Understanding Understanding Philosophy

Chapter IV - Philosophy Accrued

Chapter V - Philosophy in the Margins

Chapter VI - Philosophy Between the Lines

Chapter VII - Inclination, Acculturation, and Dissonance: The Library as a Site of Norming

Conclusion

About this Dissertation

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School	Laney Graduate School
Department	Philosophy
Degree	Ph.D.
Submission	Dissertation
Language	English
Research Field	Library Science Education, Higher Philosophy
Palavra-chave	Hermeneutics History of Philosophy Library Science Diversity in Philosophy Philosophy Library Metadata
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	John Lysaker, Emory University
Committee Members	Dilek Huseyinzadegan, Emory University Melissa Adler, University of Western Ontario Marta Jimenez, Emory University Andrew Mitchell, Emory University

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