The Philosophical Review

The Philosophical Review. It is a highly influential, peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to publishing original scholarly work across all major areas of philosophy. Founded in the late 19th century, it has consistently been regarded as one of the premier publications in the field, shaping discourse within analytic philosophy and beyond. The journal is distinguished by its rigorous editorial standards and its history of featuring groundbreaking contributions from the most prominent philosophers of the modern era.

History and founding

The journal was established in 1892 at Cornell University, with the inaugural issue published in January of that year. Its founding was part of a broader movement to professionalize philosophical scholarship in the United States, providing a dedicated venue distinct from publications like The Journal of Philosophy or Mind (journal). Early editors included figures such as Jacob Gould Schurman and James Edwin Creighton, who were instrumental in defining its scholarly character. For much of its early history, it was closely associated with the Cornell University Department of Philosophy, helping to establish the reputation of the Ivy League institution in the discipline. The journal's stewardship transitioned to Duke University Press in 2006, marking a new chapter in its long publication history while maintaining its commitment to foundational philosophical inquiry.

Scope and editorial focus

The journal publishes articles, discussions, and review essays encompassing the full spectrum of philosophical sub-disciplines. Its core focus areas include metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, and the history of philosophy, with particular strength in the tradition of analytic philosophy. While its roots are in the analytic tradition, it also features work in political philosophy, aesthetics, and the philosophy of science. The editorial process emphasizes argumentative clarity, logical rigor, and substantive contribution to ongoing debates, rather than allegiance to any specific school of thought. This approach has made it a central forum for debates involving ideas from Gottlob Frege, Bertrand Russell, and Ludwig Wittgenstein, as well as contemporary developments.

Notable articles and contributors

Throughout its history, the journal has published seminal papers that have become required reading in the discipline. Early influential contributions came from philosophers like John Dewey and G. E. Moore. In the mid-20th century, it featured landmark articles such as W. V. O. Quine's "Two Dogmas of Empiricism" and John Rawls's "Justice as Fairness," which laid the groundwork for his later work A Theory of Justice. Other notable contributors include Saul Kripke, Donald Davidson, Thomas Nagel, David Lewis, and Philippa Foot. More recently, leading figures like Derek Parfit, Martha Nussbaum, and Timothy Williamson have published significant work within its pages, continuing its tradition of featuring the most influential voices in Anglophone philosophy.

Impact and influence

It is universally ranked among the top journals in philosophy, consistently achieving high impact factors and shaping the research agendas of generations of scholars. Articles published within it are frequently cited in major works and are central to graduate education at institutions like Harvard University, Princeton University, and the University of Oxford. Its influence extends beyond academic circles, as pieces on topics like moral responsibility, personal identity, and distributive justice often inform broader public intellectual debates. The journal's long-standing prestige makes publication within it a significant career milestone for philosophers and a reliable indicator of influential, high-quality scholarship for the global philosophical community.

Publication details

The journal is published quarterly, with one volume per year, by Duke University Press under the auspices of the Sage School of Philosophy at Cornell University. It is available both in print and electronically through platforms such as JSTOR, Project MUSE, and Ingenta Connect. The editorial board is composed of distinguished philosophers from leading universities worldwide, with the editor-in-chief, a position long held by figures like Sidney Morgenbesser and currently by Tamar Szabó Gendler, providing overall direction. Its bibliographic identifiers include the ISSN 0031-8108 for print and 1558-1470 for electronic versions, and it is indexed in major services like The Philosopher's Index and the Arts and Humanities Citation Index.

Category:Philosophy journals Category:Publications established in 1892 Category:Quarterly journals Category:English-language journals Category:Duke University Press academic journals