The study of philosophy is the study of the truths, concepts and principles that belong to existence and knowledge. You can study philosophy at school or university, but regardless of where you study, you need to know how to read, write and discuss philosophical concepts.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Part One: Bachelor of Philosophy
Step 1. Get a bachelor's or master's degree
At university, philosophy students usually study various philosophical currents from a historical and theoretical perspective.
- You can enroll in the bachelor's degree course, which lasts three years, and then decide to stop. Otherwise, you can continue studying by enrolling in a master's degree course, which lasts two years. In fact, philosophy is a very complex discipline, which is not easy to learn in a short time.
- You will probably study "continental" philosophy, ie the philosophical currents developed mainly in the European continent, and "analytical" philosophy, based mostly on mathematical, logical and scientific analysis.
- Ethics, metaphysics, epistemology and aesthetics constitute the most common subjects of study in a degree program in philosophy.
Step 2. Get your master's degree
If you intend to continue your philosophy studies, after having taken the first level degree, you can enroll in a specialist / master's degree course.
- It is a second level academic degree, which lasts two years.
- Studies during the master's degree program are mostly a more in-depth investigation than the bachelor's degree program.
Step 3. Try doing a PhD competition
Getting a PhD in philosophy can be a bit more complex, as it involves doing research on a specific topic.
You will have to prepare a research project and submit it within a competition that includes two tests, one written and one oral, after which, if you pass, you can begin to carry on the study inaugurated by your project, while being followed by a tutor
Method 2 of 4: Part Two: Studying the Philosophical Works
Step 1. Read the text several times
Most philosophy students have to read the philosophy works several times before fully understanding the content. As you progress in your studies, you will be able to develop your own study method. In the beginning, however, you may want to read the text four times.
- On your first reading look at the table of contents, key points and / or glossary, then take a quick look at the text passages. Move quickly, reading a page in about 30-60 seconds. Underline the terms and concepts you want to emphasize with your pencil. Also underline any unfamiliar terms.
- In the second reading, browse through the text in a similar way, but stop looking for any terms or phrases you don't recognize and can't explain using context. Your focus is still on identifying key terms and concepts. Mark the paragraphs you think you understand with your pencil and mark the ones you don't understand with a question mark or an "x".
- During the third reading go back to the sections marked with a question mark or an "x" and read them more carefully. If you understand them, put a check mark, otherwise if you don't understand the meaning, mark them with a second question mark or another "x".
- During the fourth reading, quickly review the text to remind yourself of the main objective and key topics. If you are studying for a lesson, find the marked passages where you had difficulty, so that you can ask questions of the course.
Step 2. Read as much as possible
The only way to become familiar with philosophy is to immerse yourself in philosophical works. If you don't read them, you won't be able to speak or write using the language that characterizes this study.
- When studying philosophy at university, you should always read the works assigned during the course. Listening to the interpretations reported by the professor or other students will not replace them. It is necessary to examine and confront the concepts alone, instead of thinking that it will be equally useful to exploit the work of others.
- Finding readings on your own is also helpful. When you have become familiar with the different sectors in which the philosophy branches, you can gradually begin to select your readings on any topics of interest.
Step 3. Consider the context of the work
All works of philosophy have been written within the confines of a specific historical and cultural context. While most philosophical masterpieces offer truths and reasoning that can still be used today, each of them may also have cultural biases to be taken into account.
Think about who wrote the work, when it was published, where it was published, the original recipients, and the purpose for which that thesis was initially developed. Also, ask yourself how it was received in its time and how it is perceived today
Step 4. Determine the theses
Some theses are obvious and explicitly stated, but many others are not. Therefore, you will need to consider the key passages and concepts, which you noticed during the first and second readings, to grasp the main idea that the philosopher tries to argue.
A thesis can be positive or negative, meaning that it can accept a particular philosophical idea or reject it. First of all, identify the idea and then use the passages highlighted by the author regarding this idea to understand if the thesis is positive or negative
Step 5. Look for arguments
The supporting arguments constitute the author's philosophical framework. To reconstruct the thesis, you should already know some, but it is better to sift through the key concepts of the work again to identify the arguments that you may have possibly missed.
Typically philosophers use logical argumentation to support their thesis, clearly presenting and using concepts and thought patterns to support their entire philosophical framework
Step 6. Evaluate each argument
Not all arguments presented will be valid. Question the validity of an argument, evaluating the premises and inferences upon which it is built.
- Identify the premises and ask yourself if they are true as the author claims. Try to make a counter-example that proves that the statement is wrong.
- If the premises are true, ask yourself if the inferences, which depend on those premises, are equally correct. Apply the reasoning model to a different case and see if it holds up. If they are not valid, the reasoning will not be valid either.
Step 7. Evaluate the arguments as a whole
After examining all the premises and inferences that belong to a thesis, it is necessary to evaluate whether the final concept is sensible and objective.
- If all the premises and inferences are correct and you cannot think of any logical arguments to oppose the main thesis, it is necessary to formally accept the conclusions, even if you do not yet believe in them personally.
- If any of the premises or inferences have any flaws, however, you can reject the conclusions.
Method 3 of 4: Part Three: Doing Research and Writing in the Field of Philosophy
Step 1. Understand the purpose
Everything you write has a purpose. If you have to write an essay at the end of a course, it may be that you will be assigned a topic to analyze. If not, though, you need to find a topic or concept to review before you start writing.
- Make sure you have a clear answer to your main question. This answer will become your thesis.
- You may need to divide your main question into several points, each of which will need its own answer. As you trace the above points, the structure of your thesis will begin to take shape.
Step 2. State and support your thesis
As already noted above, the thesis will depend on the answer you will develop based on the main question. However, it has to be more than just a statement. You will need to demonstrate the path of reasoning that leads to her.
Step 3. Study all aspects of a problem
Anticipate the counter-arguments that oppose each point of the reasoning. In the thesis he draws attention to these counter-arguments and explains why these objections are not valid or correct.
Spend only a small fraction of your work addressing these objections. Most of the essay should be mainly oriented to explain the concepts
Step 4. Organize the concepts
Before writing, you should organize the concepts you intend to use. You can do this using any word processing technique, although schematics and diagrams are some of the most useful tools.
Put your thesis at the top of the chart or outline. Each main topic should be entered in a chart box or outline entry. The sub-boxes or subtitles must contain the points that further expand the main topics, i.e. your premises and inferences
Step 5. Write clearly
You should use concise and concrete language and write in an active voice.
- Avoid useless and polished expressions that are only meant to impress and focus exclusively on illustrating the most meaningful content.
- Eliminate unnecessary steps. Irrelevant and repetitive steps will need to be eliminated.
- Define key terms and use them throughout your term paper.
Step 6. Review your work
After writing the first draft, go back and double-check the reasoning and style used to write.
- Weak arguments will need to be strengthened or eliminated.
- Grammar errors, disorganized thoughts and chaotic paragraphs will need to be rewritten.
Method 4 of 4: Part Four: Start a Philosophical Discourse
Step 1. Get ready
Perhaps it is not possible to prepare well in advance for a philosophical conversation. However, the philosophical discussions that take place during the studies are planned in advance.
- Review the texts assigned for discussion and draw your own conclusions based on sound reasoning.
- If the discussion has not been planned, briefly review related concepts before actively entering the discussion.
Step 2. Be respectful, but expect a conflict situation
A philosophical dialogue wouldn't be very interesting if everyone had the same ideas. Therefore, it is normal for disagreement to occur, but nonetheless one should maintain an attitude of respect towards others and their ideas, even when trying to prove them wrong.
- Show respect by listening carefully and trying to see objections as valid ideas.
- When a conversation raises an important issue, the exchange of ideas risks becoming more heated and leading to a conflict of visions. However, you should try to end the conversation on a positive and respectful note.
Step 3. Provide quality insights
If you don't have a strong opinion or broad knowledge on the topic of discussion, listen instead of talk. Just talking is not enough. If what you say does not prove very valid, your contribution will not promote any dialogue.
Conversely, if you have a strong argument to make, share it. Don't stop others from talking, but present your ideas and arguments
Step 4. Ask a lot of questions
Relevant questions, which lead to an in-depth topic, can be just as important in a discussion as valid arguments.
- If the points made by another person seem difficult to understand, do not hesitate to ask for clarification.
- If you have an opinion, albeit a lame one, on a point that no one else has yet addressed, do not hesitate to bring it up.
