Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
James Fieser launched the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy in 1995. He operated this project through a non-profit organization from its very beginning. The goal was to provide accessible and scholarly information on philosophy without charging fees. This mission distinguished it from commercial encyclopedias that often required subscriptions. Fieser envisioned a space where anyone could access high-quality philosophical writing. The early days focused on building a foundation for future growth rather than immediate profit.
The current general editors are philosophers James Fieser and Bradley Dowden since 1999. They supervise thirty subject-area editors who help recruit authors and referees. These area editors manage the blind-refereeing process for every submission. Articles consist of a brief survey or overview followed by the body text. An annotated bibliography appears at the end of each entry. Contributors come from 35 countries according to the encyclopedia's representative list. They are recognized as leading international specialists within their field. Contribution is generally by invitation only.
The entire website underwent a complete redesign in 2009. This transition moved the platform to the open-source content management system WordPress. Before this change, the site used older technology stacks. The new system allowed for better searchability through an alphabetical index. Users can also perform searches via a Google-power search mechanism. By 2025, the site contained about 900 articles. This technical shift supported the growing volume of scholarly work being published online.
During any twelve month period, it receives 8.2 million unique viewers. Similarweb analytics data confirms these usage statistics from September 2017. Seventy-five percent of this traffic comes through internet searches. Direct access accounts for 18% of all visits. Referral traffic makes up the remaining 5%. Referring websites include other reference sites and university library guides. This distribution shows how students and faculty find the resource daily. It remains the most visited encyclopedia of professionally written philosophy articles.
The American Library Association included the IEP in its listing of Best Free Reference Sites. The Federation of Australasian Philosophy in Schools Associations listed it as an online philosophy resource. EpistemeLinks named it one of the outstanding resources in philosophy on the internet. Many university philosophy guides list it as a reliable resource. These endorsements validate the quality of peer-reviewed content available to the public. The project has gained trust across multiple academic institutions worldwide.
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Common questions
Who launched the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy and when?
James Fieser launched the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy in 1995. He operated this project through a non-profit organization from its very beginning.
What are the current general editors of the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy since 1999?
The current general editors are philosophers James Fieser and Bradley Dowden since 1999. They supervise thirty subject-area editors who help recruit authors and referees.
When did the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy undergo a complete redesign to WordPress?
The entire website underwent a complete redesign in 2009. This transition moved the platform to the open-source content management system WordPress.
How many unique viewers does the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy receive during any twelve month period?
During any twelve month period, it receives 8.2 million unique viewers. Similarweb analytics data confirms these usage statistics from September 2017.
Which organizations have endorsed the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy as a reliable resource?
The American Library Association included the IEP in its listing of Best Free Reference Sites. The Federation of Australasian Philosophy in Schools Associations listed it as an online philosophy resource.