Open Educational Resources and Philosophy

This collection was curated by an ASCCC OERI discipline lead. A comprehensive list of current discipline leads is available.

Unless otherwise specified, all resources are texts. They have been organized in order based on the OERI Philosophy Discipline Lead’s subjective assessment of appropriateness for California Community College students. However, everything listed here would be appropriate in any college classroom teaching the respective course. If you are a CCC faculty using OER to teach a philosophy course that is not included here, please let us know.

Introduction to Philosophy (C-ID PHIL 100)

Texts

• Learning from Arguments: An Introduction to Philosophy (Korman, 2022) (CC BY-NC)

  A textbook focused on argumentative essays on essential topics in philosophy for students to both analyze and use as guidance for argumentative writing.

  

• Introduction to Philosophy (Smith, N., et al, 2023) – OpenStax (CC BY)

  Traditional textbook covering a broad range of topics, including non-Western approaches.

  

• Introduction to Philosophy Reader: An Open Educational Resource (Levin, 2020) – LibreTexts (CC BY-SA)

  Introduction to Philosophy Reader: An Open Educational Resource (Levin, 2020) (CC BY-SA)
  A collection of classic and contemporary readings on such topics as skepticism, personal identity, philosophy of religion, and ethics. Designed for California Community College students.

  

• An Introduction to Philosophy (Payne, 2015) – LibreTexts (CC BY-NC)

  An Introduction to Philosophy (Payne, 2015)
  Traditional textbook covering topics including Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Science, and Social Justice. Designed for Washington State Community College students.

  

• The Originals: Classic Readings in Western Philosophy (McLaughlin, 2017) (CC-BY)

  Anthology of a broad range of traditional topics from classic readings.

  

• Reading for Philosophical Inquiry: A Brief Introduction to Philosophical Thinking, An Open Source Reader (Archie and Archie, 2004) (CC BY-SA)

  Anthology of a broad range of traditional topics from classic readings.

  

Online Collections of Interest

• MIT Classics Archive: Many late 19^th/early 20^th century translations of Ancient Philosophy, especially Greek and Roman, as well as some Asian (Public Domain)
• Early Modern Texts: Recent translations and updates of Early Modern Texts (Copyrighted, but with a license that resembles CC BY-NC; see website for licensing information)
• Project Gutenberg: Numerous works in the public domain
• Perseus Collection: Ancients, especially Greek and Latin, including the original Greek and Latin texts (Public Domain)

Introduction to Logic (C-ID PHIL 110)

Additionally, see the texts listed under Symbolic Logic, C-ID PHIL 210, as they could work for this C-ID as well.

• Logic & Critical Thinking: An Open Educational Resource (Levin and Sheley, 2019) (CC BY-NC-ND)

  Covers the basics of formal and informal logic, including fallacies, inductive logic, sentential logic, and natural deductions. Includes some exercises. Designed for California Community College students.

  

• Fundamental Methods of Logic (Knachel, 2017) – LibreTexts (CC BY)

  Fundamental Methods of Logic (Knachel, 2017) (CC BY)
  Covers the basics of formal and informal logic, including fallacies, inductive logic, and sentential logic. Includes some exercises.

  

• Logical Reasoning (Dowden, 2020) – LibreTexts (CC BY-NC-SA)

  Logical Reasoning (Dowden, 2020) (CC BY-NC-SA) 
  Covers the basics of formal and informal logic, including fallacies, inductive logic, Aristotelian logic, and sentential logic. Includes some exercises. Designed for CSU students.

  

• Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking (Van Cleave, 2017) – LibreTexts (CC BY)

  Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking (Van Cleave, 2017) (CC BY)
  Covers the basics of formal and informal logic, including fallacies, inductive logic, and sentential logic. Includes some exercises. Designed for Michigan Community College students.

  

• Clear and Present Thinking (Myers, 2017) (CC BY-ND)

  Covers the basics of formal and informal logic, including fallacies, inductive logic, and sentential logic. Includes some exercises.

  

• Thinking Well: A Logic & Critical Thinking Textbook (ver 3.2) (Lavin, 2022) (CC BY)

  Covers the basics of formal and informal logic, including fallacies, inductive logic, categorical logic, sentential logic, and natural deductions. Includes some exercises. Designed for California Community College student

  

Introduction to Ethics (C-ID PHIL 120)

• Introduction to Ethics: An Open Educational Resource (Levin, 2019) – LibreTexts (CC-BY)

  Introduction to Ethics: An Open Educational Resource (Levin, 2019) (CC-BY)
  A collection of classic and contemporary readings on applied topics and moral theory, including abortion, immigration, animal rights, Utilitarianism, virtue ethics, and Kant. Designed for California Community College students.

  

• Introduction to Ethical Studies: An Open Source Reader (Archie and Archie, 2004) (CC BY-SA)

  Anthology of a broad range of traditional topics from classic readings.

  

• Ethics for A-Level (Dimmock and Fisher, 2017) – LibreTexts (CC BY)

  Ethics for A-Level (Dimmock and Fisher, 2017) (CC BY)
  Covers a variety of normative, metaethical, and applied topics, including Kant, Utilitarianism, sexual ethics, and abortion. Designed for UK A-Level (Secondary School) students.

  

• Introduction to Philosophy: Ethics (Matthews, 2020) (CC BY)

  Multiple author of traditional textbook focusing on moral theory, including relativism, Utilitarianism, Kant, and Feminine ethics.

  

History of Ancient Philosophy (C-ID PHIL 130)

Texts

• Ancient Philosophy Reader: An Open Educational Resource (Levin, 2018) (CC BY-SA) – LibreTexts

  Ancient Philosophy Reader: An Open Educational Resource (Levin, 2018) (CC BY-SA)
  Anthology of classic texts in ancient philosophy, including Pre-Socratics, Plato (Socratic Dialogues and The Republic), Aristotle, and Hellenistic Philosophy.

  

Online Collections of Interest

• MIT Classics Archive: Many late 19^th/early 20^th century translations of Ancient Philosophy, especially Greek and Roman, as well as some Asian (Public Domain)
• Project Gutenberg: Numerous works in the public domain
• Perseus Collection: Ancients, especially Greek and Latin, including the original Greek and Latin texts (Public Domain)

History of Modern Philosophy (C-ID PHIL 140)

Texts

• Modern Philosophy (Ott and Dunn, 2013) – LibreTexts (CC BY-NC-SA)

  Modern Philosophy (Ott and Dunn, 2013) (CC BY-NC-SA)
  A collection of source texts with commentary and pedagogical tools. A self-described “workbook.”

  

Online Collections of Interest

• Early Modern Texts: Recent translations and updates of Early Modern Texts (Copyrighted, but with a license that resembles CC BY-NC; see website for licensing information)
• Project Gutenberg: Numerous works in the public domain

Symbolic Logic (C-ID PHIL 210)

All of these texts meet the requirements delineated in this C-ID descriptor but vary in focus, breadth, presentation, and exercises.

• The Carnap Book (Leach-Krouse and Ehrlich, 2024) (CC BY)

  An open symbolic logic project that includes a textbook, sample problems, and an interactive proof testing system.

  

• forallx: Calgary, An Introduction to Formal Logic (Magnus, 2020) (CC BY)

  

• forallx: An Introduction to Formal Logic (Magnus, 2017) – LibreTexts (CC BY-SA)

  forallx: An Introduction to Formal Logic (Magnus, 2017) (CC BY-SA)

  

• A Concise Introduction to Logic (DeLancey, 2017) – LibreTexts (CC BY-NC-SA)

  A Concise Introduction to Logic (DeLancey, 2017) (CC BY-NC-SA)

  A Concise Introduction to Logic is an introduction to formal logic suitable for undergraduates taking a general education course in logic or critical thinking and is accessible and useful to any interested in gaining a basic understanding of logic. This text takes the unique approach of teaching logic through intellectual history; the author uses examples from important and celebrated arguments in philosophy to illustrate logical principles.

  

• Open Logic Text (Open Logic Project, 2021) (CC BY)

  

• Symbolic Logic: An Accessible Introduction to Serious Mathematical Logic (Ray, 2021) (CC BY-NC-SA)

  

• Modern Formal Logic Primer (Teller, 1989 – LibreTexts (Copyrighted, Free for Instructional and Educational Use)

  Modern Formal Logic Primer (Teller, 1989) (Copyrighted, Free for Instructional and Educational Use)

  

Philosophy of Western Religions

South and East Asian Philosophy

Texts

Online Collections of Interest

• MIT Classics Archive: Many late 19^th/early 20^th century translations of Ancient Philosophy that includes some Asian philosophers (Public Domain)
• Project Gutenberg: Numerous works in the public domain

Political Philosophy

Texts

Online Collections of Interest

• MIT Classics Archive: Many late 19^th/early 20^th century translations of Ancient Philosophy, especially Greek and Roman, as well as some Asian (Public Domain)
• Early Modern Texts: Recent translations and updates of Early Modern Texts (Copyrighted, but with a license that resembles CC BY-NC; see website for licensing information)
• Project Gutenberg: Numerous works in the public domain
• Perseus Collection: Ancients, especially Greek and Latin, including the original Greek and Latin texts (Public Domain)

Philosophy of Mind

Texts

Online Collections of Interest

• Early Modern Texts: Recent translations and updates of Early Modern Texts (Copyrighted, but with a license that resembles CC BY-NC; see website for licensing information)

Argumentative Writing and Critical Thinking (C-ID ENGL 105)

Because courses are often taught in Philosophy Departments with this C-ID, resources for it have been included here. Additionally, please see the texts listed under Introduction to Logic, C-ID PHIL 110, as they could work for courses with this C-ID designation.

• Reading, Writing and Evaluating Argument (Werry, 2019) – Word (CC BY-NC-SA)

  Reading, Writing and Evaluating Argument – teaching materials
  This resource focuses on developing students’ abilities to read, write, and evaluate arguments effectively. It covers rhetorical concepts in accessible language and provides practical strategies for constructing and analyzing arguments, Produced by the Department of Rhetoric and Writing Studies at SDSU (piloted fall 2019).

  

• Arguments in Context: An Introduction to Critical Thinking (Robinson, 2021)

  Arguments in Context: An Introduction to Critical Thinking (Robinson, 2021) – LibreTexts (CC BY-NC)

  Emphasizes the importance of asking the right questions and understanding psychological influences on reasoning. It includes classroom-tested examples and exercises that highlight the relevance of critical thinking in everyday life, with discussions on disagreement, cooperative dialogue, and the impact of social media.

  

• Write What Matters: A modular open educational resource to support first-year writing courses in Idaho (Long et al., MSL Academic Endeavors, 2020) (CC BY-NC-SA)

  This textbook offers a comprehensive guide for first-year writing students, featuring lessons, examples, exercises, and definitions tailored to various reading and writing scenarios encountered in academic settings. Its modular design allows instructors to select sections that complement their teaching approaches, making it a versatile resource for enhancing students’ writing skills.

  

• Informed Arguments: A Guide to Writing and Research (Pantuso, et al, Texas A&M, 2019) (CC BY-NC-SA

  All contributing works are copyrighted and CC-licensed by their respective authors. Informed Arguments is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
  This textbook focuses on developing students’ abilities in reading, writing, researching, and speaking within the context of freshman composition. It emphasizes critical thinking and civil public discourse, guiding students through the process of constructing well-informed arguments. The content includes discussions on thesis statements, paragraph structure, and ethical considerations in research, providing a comprehensive foundation for academic writing and research skills.

  

• Claim Your Voice in First Year Composition, Vol. 2 (Kiefer and Rock, 2021) (CC BY-NC-SA)

  This is volume 2 of a a two-part instructional text series for first-year composition students. Volume 2 is intended for students who have some college composition and rhetoric knowledge and experience.

  

• A Dam Good Argument (Delf et al, 2022)

  A Dam Good Argument (Delf et al, 2022) – LibreTexts (CC BY except where otherwise noted)

  This book focuses on understanding persuasion in everyday contexts, aiming to make readers more thoughtful and skeptical consumers of content. It covers the four tiers of sources and leads to discussions on style, form, and mechanics, providing practical guidance on evaluating sources and constructing arguments.

  

• How Arguments Work: A Guide to Writing and Analyzing Texts in College (Mills et al.,  ASCCC OERI, 2022) – LibreTexts

  How Arguments Work Ancillaries – Canvas Commons (CC BY-NC)

  How Arguments Work takes students through the techniques they will need to respond to readings and make sophisticated arguments in any college class.  This is a practical guide to argumentation with strategies and templates for the kinds of assignments students will commonly encounter. It covers rhetorical concepts in everyday language and explores how arguments can build trust and move readers.

  

Using an OER resource that is missing from the list above? If so, please let us know.

This page last updated on October 11, 2024.