What Is Art?
Leo Tolstoy
Read. Understand. Explore.
A free digital library of major philosophical works, presented with complete public-domain texts and original introductions, summaries, explanations and key ideas.
GUIDED PHILOSOPHY STUDY
Develop your understanding through structured downloadable workbooks designed to help you compare philosophical positions, reconstruct arguments and form independent judgements.
Use the Open Philosophy Library Study Method: Orient · Compare · Reconstruct · Test · Discuss · Write. Personal-use and classroom licences are available.
From the collection
Leo Tolstoy
William James
John Stuart Mill
Plato
Plato
Plato
Plato
Vyasa (traditional attribution)
Ways into philosophy
Free historical texts
The historical texts in this library are drawn from public-domain editions. Every Book includes its author, translator or editor where applicable, source and rights information. The supporting introductions and study materials are original editorial work prepared for Open Philosophy Library.
Read the Credits and Rights information →COMPARE GREAT IDEAS
Discover original comparative studies examining how major philosophers answer shared questions about truth, morality, freedom, knowledge, justice and the good life.
Each debate presents the strongest reasonable case on both sides, explains the logic of the disagreement and considers objections and possible replies. These are editorial comparisons, not invented historical conversations.