Philosophical Treasures

The University of Oxford has many philosophical treasures exhibited in the Bodleian Library, as well as items and manuscripts to be discovered in its many colleges. Below are just some of these intriguing objects.

Phaedo Manuscript
Plato's Phaedo
The Phaedo makes a central claim for the soul’s immortality, and explores its nature and role beyond the body.
Berlin's Letter
Sir Isaiah Berlin's Letter to Rowland Burdon-Muller (1891-1980)
Shostakovich visits Isaiah Berlin at Oxford
John Locke desk
John Locke's Desk
Images of the desk that resides in Christ Church are featured in Oxford Philosophy magazine
Manuscript - Aristotle's works
Mid-late C15th manuscript at Corpus Christi College
Works by Aristotle, including Physics, De Caelo, De generatione et corruptione, and Analytica
Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy
Philosophiae naturalis principia mathematica (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy)
Principia mathematica provided the basis for modern physics
John Stuart Mill Library
John Stuart Mill Collection
A library of 1674 volumes owned by the political philosopher John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) are now in the possession of Somerville College.
Isaiah Berlin Drawing
The Isaiah Berlin Virtual Library
Wolfson College host this online resource looking after all aspects of Berlin’s literary estate