Philosophy studies the truths, ideas and principles surrounding the existence and knowledge of things. You are studying philosophy in the context of formal education, but wherever you study it you need to know how to read, write and debate philosophical ideas.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Part One: Philosophy Education Degree
Step 1. Earn a diploma or bachelor's degree
At the undergraduate level, philosophy majors usually study a variety of philosophies from both historical and theoretical perspectives.
- Two-year philosophy diploma programs are rare, because philosophy can be applied to so many fields of knowledge. For this reason, four-year undergraduate philosophy programs at social science (or "liberal arts") educational institutions are more common.
- You may study world philosophy, namely the thoughts and works of Greek and European philosophers, and analytical philosophy, namely mathematics, logic and theoretical physics.
- The fields of science that are generally studied are ethics, metaphysics, epistemology and aesthetics.
Step 2. Earn a postgraduate degree
If you want to continue your education in philosophy after earning a bachelor's degree, you can pursue post-graduate education to earn a Masters in Philosophy (also known as “Master Philosophiae” or abbreviated as M. Phil.).
- Postgraduate programs in philosophy usually take two years to complete.
- For the most part, you will complete the same learning tasks as required in a doctoral program. The main difference is that you will not need to write a dissertation.
Step 3. Study in a doctoral program
Obtaining a doctorate in philosophy does seem complicated, because many fields of science award the title "doctorate in philosophy" (Ph. D.), or "Doctorate in Philosophy". You will need to investigate further to find a doctoral program that focuses on philosophy, not other disciplines.
Most doctoral programs that focus on philosophy are called “social philosophy” or “applied philosophy”
Method 2 of 4: Part Two: Reading Philosophical Works
Step 1. Read the entire text several times
Most philosophy students need to read the entire philosophy literature several times before they can really understand it. As your studies progress, you may be able to develop a reading system that's right for you. However, at first, reading each material four times will be of benefit to you.
- When reading material for the first time, look at the table of contents, key ideas, and/or glossary of terms, then briefly read the entire content. Read quickly, and complete each page in about 30-60 seconds. Underline important terms and ideas in pencil. Also mark terms that are new to you.
- When reading a second time, use a similar pace, but stop to look at any terms or words you don't recognize and can't explain from context. Your focus is still the same, namely identifying key terms and ideas. Put a check mark with a pencil on the paragraphs that you think you understand, and mark the paragraphs that you don't understand with a question mark or a cross.
- When reading a third time, go back to the sections marked with the question mark or cross, and then read the passages more carefully. Put a check mark if you understand it, or add another question mark or cross if you still don't understand it.
- When reading for the fourth time, reread the entire material quickly, so that you keep the main focus and key arguments in mind. If you're reading the course material, find areas where you're still having trouble understanding, so you can ask questions about them later in class.
Step 2. Read as much material as possible
The only way to get acquainted with philosophy is to immerse yourself in the philosophical works of others. If you don't read philosophical works, you won't be able to talk about or write about them.
- If you study philosophy formally, you should always complete the required reading assignments. Don't just listen to other people's interpretation of the reading material in class. You need to learn and grasp the ideas yourself, not just let someone else do it for you.
- Finding reading material on your own is also helpful. As you become more familiar with the various branches of philosophy, you can gradually start choosing reading material based on topics you may be interested in.
Step 3. Learn the context of the work you are reading
Every work of philosophy is written in relation to a particular historical or cultural context. It is true that works that are timeless present truths and arguments that can be applied in modern times, but every work also has a cultural bias that you need to take into account.
Think about who the author is, when the work was published, the target audience, and the original purpose of the writing. Also question the public's response to the work at the time it was published, as well as the public's response in the years since
Step 4. Determine the main key idea
Some of the main key ideas will be obvious and explicitly stated, but many will not. You need to study the passages and the key ideas you find when you read them the first and second times, in order to determine the main key ideas that are being debated or that the philosopher is arguing.
This key idea can be positive or negative, namely that he accepts/agrees with certain philosophical ideas or rejects them. Find the ideas discussed first. Then, use the author's statements about the idea to find out whether the key idea is positive or negative
Step 5. Look for supporting arguments
Supporting arguments must support the author's main key idea. You may already know some of them when you have to re-read them to find the main key ideas, but you should still comb through each key idea to find supporting arguments that you might have missed earlier.
Philosophers usually use logical arguments to support key ideas. Clearly stated ideas and thought patterns will be seen and used to support the main key ideas
Step 6. Assess each argument
Not all of the arguments presented are valid arguments. Question the validity of each argument by examining its premises and underlying grounds.
- Identify the premises and ask if they are true according to the author's claims. Try to have conflicting examples that can prove the premise false.
- If the premise is true, ask if the basis is solid. Apply the same pattern of argument to the other cases, and observe whether the premises hold up and prove true. If the premise becomes invalid, it means that the basis is not strong enough.
Step 7. Evaluate all arguments
After you've explored each premise and basic foundation surrounding a key idea, you need to evaluate whether the idea itself is true and successful.
- If all of its premises and groundwork prove to be valid and sound, and you can't find any other logical argument that can disprove the key idea, you should accept the conclusion formally, even if you may not personally believe it.
- On the other hand, if any of the premises or basic premise is proven to be false, you can reject the conclusion.
Method 3 of 4: Part Three: Conducting Research and Writing Philosophical Works
Step 1. Understand the purpose
Each paper you write has its own purpose. If you are writing an essay as a class assignment, the questions you need to answer may have already been provided. If that's not the case, though, you'll need to identify a question or idea you'd like to address before you start writing.
- Make sure that you have a clear answer to the first question. This answer will be your main key idea.
- Your first question may need to be broken down into several sub-topics, each of which requires a separate answer. As you formulate your sub-topics, the structure of your essay will begin to take shape.
Step 2. State and support your main key idea
As mentioned earlier, your main key idea will emerge from the answers you gave to the first question in your essay. This key idea must be more than just a statement. You need to present an argument that is working and moving towards it.
Step 3. Discuss the topic at hand from all sides
Anticipate the arguments against each of the points you put forward. List these contradictory arguments in your essay, and explain why the objection is invalid or not strong enough.
Discuss these contradictory arguments in only a small part of your essay. A large part of this essay should stay focused on explaining your original ideas
Step 4. Organize your ideas
Before you start writing this work, you will need to organize the ideas that you will use. You can do this by drafting or any other doodle technique of your choice, but creating outlines and grouping diagrams often proves to be the most useful way.
Identify your main key idea at the top of your chart or outline. Each supporting argument must have its own group or box in the diagram or be a separate title in the outline. The next box or sub-heading must then contain the main ideas that are the development of each of the arguments, namely the premise and basic foundation
Step 5. Write clearly
If you're writing an essay, you should use concrete, concise language and active voice.
- Avoid using flowery language unnecessarily for the sake of making a great impression. Focus only on useful content.
- Get rid of everything that is not needed. Irrelevant and repetitive discussions should be discarded.
- Define key terms and use them throughout your essay.
Step 6. Revise your work
After writing the first draft, re-read it throughout and re-test your argument and writing.
- Weak arguments need to be strengthened, or even removed from your writing.
- Rewrite sections that have grammatical errors, disorganized thought processes, and paragraphs that are too garbled.
Method 4 of 4: Part Four: Conducting a Philosophical Dialogue
Step 1. Prepare yourself
It may not be possible to prepare ahead of time if you are following an existing philosophy dialogue, but usually the philosophical discussions held during your studies can be planned.
- Reread the assigned discussion material and draw your own conclusions based on strong arguments.
- If you are about to enter an unplanned dialogue, briefly review your knowledge of the concepts involved, before engaging actively in the discussion.
Step 2. Be respectful, but know that you may run into conflict
Philosophical dialogue will not be interesting if everyone has the exact same idea. There will be differences of opinion, of course, but you should still be polite and respectful towards other people and their ideas, even when you are trying to prove them wrong.
- Show courtesy by listening to their entire opinion and trying to view opposing points of view as ideas worth considering as well.
- If this discussion raises a significant issue, the debate will become more vibrant, and conflict may arise. However, you should still end the conversation in a positive manner and show respect.
Step 3. Give weighty thoughts
If the ideas being discussed are not ones for which you have a strong enough opinion or a fairly deep knowledge, it is better to listen more than to be actively involved in the discussion. Don't just talk. If the points you put forward are weightless, your contribution will be of no use to the discussion at hand.
On the other hand, if you have a strong enough argument, speak up. Don't just try to twist other people's ideas, but of course you have to voice your own ideas and supporting arguments
Step 4. Ask lots of questions
The right questions are as important in a discussion as a strong argument.
- Re-clarify any points raised by others that are still unclear to your understanding.
- If you have a point that no one else has put forward but you don't have a solid basis for, put it in the form of a question.
