The word "philosophy" means "love of wisdom". A philosopher, however, is not just a person who knows a lot or loves to learn. To be more precise, he critically reflects on big, seemingly unanswered questions. The life of a philosopher is not easy, but if you like to explore complex concepts and think deeply about important, but often difficult, topics, the study of philosophy could be your destiny (assuming there is such a thing).
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Preparing the Mind
Step 1. Question everything
Philosophy requires a rigorous and critical examination of life and of the world as a whole. To do this, one must be free of prejudice, ignorance and dogma.
- The philosopher feeds on reflection and observation: he welcomes every single experience and tries to understand it, even if this requires brutal honesty. It has to get rid of preconceived notions accepted in the past and submit all its opinions to critical scrutiny. No opinion or source of ideas is immune, regardless of its origins, authority or emotional power. To think philosophically, one must first of all think independently.
- Philosophers do not simply form opinions and they do not speak for the sake of it. Instead, they develop arguments based on assumptions that can be - and will be - tested by other thinkers. The goal of philosophical thinking is not to be right, but to ask good questions and seek understanding.
Step 2. Read works of philosophy
Your analyzes of the world were preceded by hundreds of years of philosophical thinking. Inquiring about the ideas of other thinkers will raise new opinions, questions, and issues to ponder. The more philosophical works you read, the more you will improve as a philosopher.
- For a philosopher, reading is one of the foundations of their work. Anthony Grayling, professor of philosophy, describes reading as an extremely important intellectual task; in addition, he suggests reading literary works in the morning and philosophical works during the rest of the day.
- Read the classics. Some of the most enduring and powerful ideas in Western philosophy come from great thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle, Hume, Descartes, and Kant. Current philosophers recommend becoming familiar with their important works. In Eastern philosophy, the ideas of Laozi, Confucius and Buddha were equally fundamental, and deserve the attention of any budding philosopher.
- Similarly, if you start reading a book by these thinkers and it doesn't stimulate you, don't be afraid to put it aside and choose a work that you find more engaging. You can always come back to it later.
- Enrolling in a bachelor's degree in philosophy is a good way to structure your studies, but many great thinkers were self-taught.
- Balance your copious reading with self-analytic writing. Reading broadens your perspective of the world, and writing allows you to deepen that understanding. Write your impressions at the same time as reading philosophical texts.
Step 3. Think big
Spend time reflecting on the world, such as the meaning of life, death, existence and the meaning of it all. These topics lead to big, unanswered questions that are often impossible to answer. These are matters that only philosophers, children and other enormously curious people have enough imagination and courage to dwell on.
Even more practical topics, such as those deriving from the social sciences (for example political science or sociology), the arts and even the physical sciences (for example biology and physics) can offer insights into philosophical thought
Step 4. Engage in debates
As you develop your critical thinking, you should participate in any debate that arises. This improves your ability to think freely and critically. Indeed, many philosophers believe that a dynamic exchange of ideas is an important path to truth.
- The goal is not to win a competition, but to learn and develop analytical skills. There will always be someone who will know more than you, and arrogance hinders the ability to learn from others. Keep an open mind.
- Your arguments should be solid and logical. The conclusions should follow the assumption and the premises have evidence to support them. Weigh the evidence you really need, and avoid being defeated purely by repetition or ignorance. Practicing the construction and critique of arguments is essential for any novice philosopher.
Part 2 of 3: Practicing the Philosophy
Step 1. Develop a research approach and put it into practice
Research and analysis of the world are important to philosophy. In other words, one of the main tasks of the discipline is to find ways to define and describe the fundamental structures and patterns of life, often segmenting them into smaller parts.
- There is no single research method that imposes itself on all others, so you will need to develop an approach that is intellectually rigorous and interesting to you.
- The decisions you make at this stage include the different types of questions you will ask or the relationships you will explore. Are you interested in the human condition? To political issues? To the relationships between different concepts or between words and concepts? Different areas of study could lead you to various approaches to asking questions and forming theories. Reading other philosophical works will help you make these choices by exposing yourself to the ways other thinkers have dealt with philosophy in the past.
- For example, some philosophers only trust their own mind and logic, not their senses, which can sometimes be misleading. Descartes, one of the most respected thinkers in history, was a major proponent of this approach. In contrast, others use personal observations of the world around them as a basis for researching the nature of consciousness. They are two very different but equally legitimate ways of doing philosophy.
- If possible, try to be the source of your research yourself. Since you always have access to your inner self, any kind of self-inquiry (and there can be many) allows you to constantly make progress. Consider the basis of what you believe in. Why do you believe what you believe in? Start from scratch and ask yourself about your reasoning.
- Whichever topic you decide to focus your research on, try to be systematic in your reasoning. Be logical and consistent. Make comparisons and contrasts, separate ideas on a mental level to try to understand how they work, ask yourself what would happen if two concepts were combined (synthesis) or if an element was eliminated from a process or a relationship (cancellation). Keep asking these questions in different circumstances.
- There are four areas that help you think: convergent thinking (all existing conceptions - the starting point of all your investigations), critical thinking (logic and deduction), creative thinking (induction and extrapolation) and divergent thinking (free association and brainstorming). These strategies develop from what you know to what you wish to discover by increasing the cognitive spectrum and therefore a powerful tool for reflection.
Step 2. Start writing your ideas
Write down what you think about the research subjects, including any ideas you intend to discard (perhaps you want to exclude them because you believe others may find them nonsense). While it is not certain that you will come to surprising conclusions, at least you will expose your hypotheses to yourself. You will probably be surprised to find that some assumptions make no sense, and in the process you will mature.
- If you don't know where to start, you can start with questions that other philosophers have explored before you, such as the question of the existence of a god, free will or predestination.
- The real power of philosophy lies in the continuity of thought that you will maintain in writing. When you investigate an issue, writing about it once won't help much. However, as you come back to the subject over the hours or days, the different circumstances you may have encountered in the meantime will allow you to bring fresh perspectives to the investigation. It is the cumulative power of thought that will take you to the fateful moments when you will say: "Eureka!".
Step 3. Develop a philosophy of life
As you write, you should begin to develop a philosophical perspective of your own, coming to logical and well thought out ideas about existence and the world.
- It is common for philosophers to adopt a perspective over time, especially on a specific topic. These are conceptual structures, thought patterns. Many of the greatest thinkers have developed such scaffolding. At the same time, remember to look at each issue with a critical eye.
- The central task underlying a philosopher's work is to develop a model. Whether you are aware of it or not, each individual has an adductive reality model that is constantly modified to fit their observations. It is possible to employ deductive reasoning (example: "Given the existence of gravity, the stone will obviously fall when I let it go") and inductive (example: "I have seen these climatic conditions many times, so it will rain again") to configure this model of consecutive approximations. The process of developing a philosophical theory is to make these models explicit and examine them.
Step 4. Rewrite and ask for opinions
After several drafts, you should organize the ideas formally and let others read what you wrote. You can ask friends, family, teachers, or classmates to offer you thoughts on your work. Alternatively, you can post your text online (via a website, blog, or forum) and watch reader reactions.
- Be prepared for criticism, and use it to improve your ideas. Always remember to analyze the evidence presented in order to understand it. Let others' perspectives and criticisms help you expand your thoughts.
- Be wary of criticisms that do not allow you to make a well-thought-out exchange (for example, your assumptions have not been understood or even read). These "critics" assume that they are thinkers, without however accepting the true basis of the philosophical discipline, and mistakenly think they have the right to elaborate conceptual considerations. Such "debates" are useless and go on ad nauseam.
- Once you've received your readers' opinions, rewrite, incorporating any ideas you find useful.
Part 3 of 3: Becoming a Professional
Step 1. Get an advanced degree
For a successful career in philosophy, you need to do a PhD or, at least, a master's degree.
- Carrying out this profession means using your knowledge and (perhaps) your wisdom to develop original works of philosophical thought. Usually, teaching is added to this. In other words, today's professional philosopher is typically an academic figure, and this requires a specialized degree.
- Furthermore, it is important to remember that the rigor of a specialized course will help you enrich your philosophical thinking. In particular, you must learn to write respecting the style expected by the trade magazines.
- Spend time analyzing the PhDs in Philosophy offered by various universities. Choose the ones that convince you the most and start preparing for the application. The admissions process is highly competitive, so don't expect to be accepted everywhere. It is best to apply at several universities.
Step 2. Publish your ideas
Before you even complete a master's degree, master's or PhD program, you should start making attempts to publish your philosophical ideas.
- There are many academic journals focusing on philosophy. Publishing in these journals will help you earn a good reputation as a thinker and improve your chances of being hired as a philosophy professor.
- Also, it's a good idea to present your work at academic conferences. Attending these events is a great opportunity to get more opinions from colleagues, and it's also good for your job prospects.
Step 3. Learn to teach
Many of the greatest philosophers in history have been teachers. Additionally, any university you apply to for a PhD will expect you to be able to teach budding philosophers.
The PhD will likely give you the opportunity to teach undergraduate students and develop pedagogical skills
Step 4. Look for a job
After completing his specialist studies, he begins looking for a job as a professor of philosophy. This process can be even more competitive than a PhD. Be prepared to face several rejections before finally succeeding.
- Many philosophy graduates are unable to find work academically. Nonetheless, the skills acquired during your specialist studies will be useful to you in many professional fields, and you can always continue to devote yourself to philosophy in your spare time. Remember that the validity of the works of many of history's greatest philosophers was not recognized while they were alive.
- The benefits of disciplined thinking should not be underestimated, even if you don't have to do philosophy-related work. In today's world, where huge amounts of data are instantly accessible, some information is misleading or, worse, deliberately poisons people's mental health. It is the investigative mind of the philosopher that possesses the tools necessary to recognize half truths or total lies.
Advice
- Asking questions means doing philosophy, doing philosophy means asking questions. Never stop asking why, even when you are given an answer.
- Look for a meaning that hides behind everything around you. Whenever you come across something that intuitively feels foolish or deceptive, try to understand why. Doing philosophy goes beyond reading books: true philosophy comes from everyday thinking and from the analysis of everything around you.
- Don't hesitate to challenge ideas as opposed to yours. Being able to see the multiple perspectives of an issue is an excellent way to hone your own arguments and opinions. A true philosopher can (and probably will) challenge even the most ingrained beliefs in society without fear of criticism. That's exactly what Darwin, Galileo and Einstein did, and that's why they are remembered.
- As Thomas Jefferson said: "Whoever receives an idea from me gets knowledge without diminishing mine; similarly, whoever lights his candle with mine receives light without leaving me in the dark." Don't be afraid to let others use your ideas. Sharing your views with others will stimulate criticism and input, which will reinforce your own concepts and counter-arguments.
- Presumption is the torment of philosophy, of fresh and intelligent thinking. Never stop asking yourself why things are.
Warnings
- Don't be afraid to voice a radical opinion, but don't let its novelty and originality stop you from understanding the validity of more conservative ideas.
- By doing philosophy, your ideas will mature, sometimes to the point of pushing you to distance yourself from your friends. You may find that they are not interested or that they are unwilling to question their views. This is normal, but it can isolate you. The philosopher's research is personal, so his life can be lonely.
