How do you read a difficult philosophy book?

1. Read Secondary Texts. The entirety of Philosophy is like one continuous story.
2. Develop a Philosophers Toolkit. Analytic Philosophy is really rigid.
3. Don’t Miss the Bigger Picture. Philosophers write with an agenda in mind.
4. Be Open to Interpretation.
5. Take Things Slow.

What makes the study of philosophy so difficult?

Philosophy is Hard Because of Intangibility The subject matter of philosophy, as far as we are concerned, revolves around something intangible. Philosophy requires us to not only deal with something ostensibly intangible, but also to refine, clarify, and use proper language for that intangible thing.

How do you study philosophy books?

10 Books For Beginners to Start With

1. Plato, The Last Days of Socrates — this includes four dialogues: the Euthyphro , the Apology , the Crito , and the Phaedo.
2. Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics.
3. Epictetus, Discourses, Fragments, Handbook.
4. Augustine of Hippo, Confessions.
5. Boethius, Consolation of Philosophy.

Is it hard to understand philosophy?

Reading Philosophy is a difficult task, especially coming to uni with little or no background in the subject. Reading lists can look long and daunting, vocabulary can be confusing and it seems to take ages to understand even the smallest part of a chapter.

How do you prepare for a philosophy class?

How to Get an A in a Philosophy Class

1. Take Notes. This should be obvious, but you should be taking notes.
2. Read & Re-Read.
3. Do Research.
4. Talk About It.
5. Know What Arguments Are.
6. Research Essay Writing.
7. Take Your Time.
8. Go to Office Hours.

What is your philosophy reading?

The five pillars of reading are considered to be phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.

What should I read to understand philosophy?

The Best Philosophy Books for Beginners

• Plato: Five Dialogues by Plato.
• The Emperor’s New Mind by Roger Penrose.
• Mengzi: With Selections from Traditional Commentaries translated by Bryan W.
• Meno by Plato.
• Republic by Plato.
• Discourse on Method by Rene Descartes.
• Symposium by Plato.
• The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins.

How does your understanding of philosophy influence your teaching perspective?

By learning philosophy, a teacher would be able to view and analyze from the perspective of their students. Apart from understanding why students are behaving in a particular way, teachers would also be able to know how students perceive their actions. Just as if it helps students, it helps them as well.

How hard is it to read Philosophy?

Reading Philosophy is a difficult task, especially coming to uni with little or no background in the subject. Reading lists can look long and daunting, vocabulary can be confusing and it seems to take ages to understand even the smallest part of a chapter.

Is speed thinking a bad way to approach philosophical criticism?

Philosophical criticism does not typically go well with speed-thinking. Philosophy is reflective: while it’s perfectly OK to think while you are reading, you should go through your responses at least three times to be sure they really hold up. Your brilliant insights and criticisms may turn out to be poorly constructed.

How can I improve my philosophical reading skills?

To build great philosophical reading skills you’ll need to cultivate some philosophical empathy and self-criticism. Writing philosophy is challenging. Be empathetic: after you come up with some possible criticism, imagine taking the role of your opponent and try to answer your criticisms.

What do you do when a book is too difficult?

Write down any questions you have. If the concepts are still too difficult to grasp try talking about it with a friend to flush out what you are thinking (and feeling) about the work. Don’t stop reading for too long. It can be tempting to put off finishing the book when the book seems too difficult but don’t give in to that temptation.