How to Read Philosophy (for Beginners)
Vložit
- čas přidán 6. 02. 2023
- In this video, I give you some tips on how to read philosophy. I talk about what to look for as you're reading, how to take notes, and the varieties of reading.
Reading philosophy is immensely valuable. But some people find diving into the great works of philosophy to be difficult or intimidating. Let's fix that.
→ Support
Join this channel to get access to perks:
/ @_jared
Or support me on Patreon: www.patreon.com/user?u=84329184
→ Thinker
My newsletter, all about philosophy: jaredhenderson.substack.com
→ The Classical Mind
Check out my podcast where I discuss a great work of literature or philosophy every month: theclassicalmind.com
→ Video Gear
Mic: amzn.to/3Uw7ZVw
Recorder: amzn.to/3Tz1uQp
Camera: amzn.to/3Ust3MT
Lens: amzn.to/3WXbAhd
These are affiliate links with Amazon. The channel earns a commission from each purchase - but it doesn't cost you anything.
I am someone who decided to go to college in their 30s, with no skill set to prepare me for the challenges of majoring in philosophy. From me and the other people I have met in the same situation, thank you so much Jared; you are a gem.
What you did is really inspiring and valuable. 👌
I’m happy that there’s more of us. 32 here and going back to university to major in philosophy. 🙏🏻
I've decided to get philosophical education as well last year (in hopes to find some firm ground in light of the war that was started in Europe in my name). I'll be 40 when I finish university, which is a bizarre thought...
I’m 31 and just re-applied at UCLA, stokked to go back to school.
People sometimes question why philosophy, those above will understand - life experience helps you re-discover what your really into and have a focused attitude in schools
Cheers people and thanks for the encouragement to keep learning no matter how old you are
any advice for a 21 year old going to uni i feel like ill come out 25 and ill be older than everyone else during it
I have very little interest in philosophy, but I have a deep appreciation for thoughtful and insightful content. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite channels. Keep doing what you’re doing, Jared!
I have a great interest in theology and philosophy has a lot of overlap with it. Especially in metaphysics and epistemology.
Well, what would you define philosophy as? The original idea of philosophy was the love of wisdom. Would you not agree with that definition?
I believe you may have more interest in philosophy than you think you do.
@@PhilosophiaeAmatoryou are not Socrates
@@jakemango-zu5vz Obviously.
Having looked at similar videos years before taking philosophy courses in university, I can honestly say that having a curriculum, deadlines and lectures to attend got me through the history of philosophy better than I ever could have on my own.
It is certainly helpful. Someone who wants to study philosophy on their own would probably need to be quite disciplined and would need to adhere to some kind of schedule.
@@_jaredould they or( i ) need to read more non fictional books before reading philosophy such as Plato Republic or some sort?? Or can i just pick it up and start reading??
Love your clarification between engaged reading versus purely understanding! It's important to reflect on your purpose for reading each book and defining what you hope to get out of it. This will help direct your process of note-taking, analyzing, and the act of reading itself
Reading 'about' philosophy, or the history of philosophy is one thing. 'Doing' philosophy, actually thinking about things, is another. As much as i have read in books and watched in videos about thinkers and their statements, I still don't have the cutting edge skills to do it myself.
Gread, Jared! Thanks a lot! I'm going to use this in my phil. seminar today right away!
Omg this video is AMAZING! Insta sub!
I'm a complete noob to philosophy and have recently at aged 50 to take on A level philosophy.
I've never been an academic because of poor mental health, but stoicism seems to have grounded me and prepared me to take on more. I accidentally found the 2 types of reading on my own (yay me 😊)
Read it first to get the gist and maybe some key points highlighted. Then read again the following day but much deeper. Looking forward to seeing your back catalogue of content!
Many thanks! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
As a Turk living in Gaziantep, one of the cities that was affected by the earthquake, thank you for your thoughts and thanks to everyone donating. Although it's been a long time since the quake, I've never seen a youtuber do this for us. Liked and subscribed❤
god bless I hope things are getting easier for you
God bless you
the notes idea was very helpful thank you!!
Preach! Nothing more important than the re-read. Love what you said about points of confusion. That is not the place to just say eh, and skip over. Dig in! Great video, friend!
Thank you so much. I didn't study philosophy back in school, but I've begun now and you've been a huge part of this effort.
Your tips really are helpful! I’m looking forward to studying philosophy in my next academic year, since it’s the first time I can take it as another school subject. I’m more than happy to admit that I’ve been introduced to it with the most excellent tools out there. Thank you so much for it, and please keep uploading interesting content!
I really had a hard time reading philosophy but looking forward in understanding it. Thanks for this kinds of content ❤
Hi Jared, new subscriber here. Great video. I see a number of comparisons here with Mortimer J. Adler's work "How to Read a Book", and it works quite well for people wanting to find a way into more difficult texts. Over the years I have tried to obtain a self taught classical education (my background is in Theoretical Physics) but philosophy was always left in the background as I always felt that I could finish a larger number of other books in the time it takes to finish the one work. As I get older, I'm finding that quality is more important than quantity, and I think this video just tipped that balance. I have a complete collection of "The Great Books of the Western World" by Adler (as a Philosopher, you may appreciate the selections), and Plato's Dialogues will be my door into your world; I can't wait!
An amazing video, thanks. I love philosophy soo much.
Thank you @JaredHenderson for this amazing, simple and comprehensive overview of. It helped me a lot to understand how to tackle Philosophy. I was drowning in my assignments😢 and looking forward to apply some of skills you shared 👍
Having read Descartes's meditations even years before I went to university (aged 37), I took a proseminar on it. I did not understand a single thing in the text, although I read it a few times. Reading slowly, closely, and over a long period trained me to "look closely" at other things in life, too. Almost nothing appears in its original way in life. Slowing myself down, and going deep into something, an essential tool in philosophy, is worth so much in all life topics. I recommend everybody to go into philosophy, not necessarily in an academic way just by reading something from the old guys.
Thank you for this video. As a political science student, I needed this to start my journey. I can now have a good foot into this, and it's because of this video, so thank you again.
I started reading philosophy about 6 months ago (fully by myself) and already use sole of ur tips. Thanks a lot for the new ones!
I feel this video on a deep level! I’m delving into the more philosophical end of music this semester with a seminar on Spirituality and Music that also explores secularism, religious practices, and modernity, so my head is pretty much always spinning…
Great vids! Thanks sharing
I absolutely love how philosophy instills in us the ability to do critical thinking. I like to say that I am good at being a critical thinker, but I went to high school in Brazil and philosophy classes didn't teach us critical thinking. However, I'll take a couple philosophy classes in my university in the US and I can't wait to engage with the professor and the works he's going to share with us
When I was in school, I took one philosophy class, and I got nothing. I am enjoying this now that I don't "have" to study.
Thank you for starting from the very basics.
As a beginner reader of philosophy, the primary issue that i stumble upon is being convinced by every other philosophical text, while reading more and more gives you a sense of where and how the arguments might fail and point out fallacies, but for a beginner it is difficult. Any tips?
You get better with this over time. I certainly had this problem when I was starting. You eventually start to find more critiques as you read.
But if this isn’t helpful enough, just think of a few questions to ask when you’re reading. Is what the philosopher saying necessarily true? Why have other philosophers said otherwise? How would we settle this question?
@@_jared makes sense,thank you!
Here's my main takeaway: Reading philosophy is doing philosophy itself. Thank you for this great content! As I'm watching, I thought to myself (who wants to take a Degree in Philosophy) the question: Is it necessary for me to have a degree in philosophy in order to read philosophical books? Thank you in advance for the answers. It means a lot.
You do not need a degree! It has its benefits, but I think philosophy can be read by anyway with the time, patience, and basic reading skills. Just know that it can be difficult work. But many great, beneficial things are difficult work!
there are philosophers who did not have degrees in philosophy.
Yea then you can control all these people reading other crap and the generation before you
I really like this video, because you explained how to read and understand for a beginner. I'm not a beginner in philosophy.
I love this. I'm actually reading "How To Read A Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading," by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren.
These two great men were proponents of classical learning of the Liberal Arts!
This video sounds pretty much the same thing they are talking about!
I became aware of this book because Shaykh Hamza Yusuf Hanson, President of Zaytuna College, gave a lecture about this topic several years ago and it was on my booklist as I endeavor to become a better reader, even as a college graduate.
Zaytuna College is the First (accredited)Muslim Liberal Arts College in America. Were the 'Great Books' tradition of the West and the Islamic tradition are engaged and mastered.
people kind of meme on this book but honestly, I found it to be life changing. Sounds dumb but realising you can/ should read a text more than once was a revelation to me lmao!
@@socialswine3656 I didn't realize that. I only know that the majority don't read well and are quite ignorant about reading.
I faintly remember learning about this from a high school teacher, but sadly wasn't hearing this at the time and wasn't very interested in doing extra reading as a teen.
The uncurious attitude that I've seen from the population over that years has made me realize that even though this may be a meme amongst the educated, I feel that it is sorely needed among the masses. Or those like myself who may have gaps in their education and are on a sort of autodidactic path.
All that said I feel that book lays out how to read more advanced in a wonderfully systematic way that is easy to follow.
Wow the crazy part I bought this book by accident and I was having trouble reading one of other books so I picked it up and It really helped
Watched this video more than once and took notes.
please make more videos. a beginners guide for learning philosophy
5:00 (personal use lol)
Points of Importance
Points of Confusion
Points of Connection
What a fine video....Who talks about philosophy?? What fresh air! I hope you continue such high quality work. Thank you. D. New Hampshire
I think to be able to read it helps to be able to see the small black words. So I say glasses are a must have for reading.
my reread of crime and punishment was a drastically different experience than the first. and with a book like brothers karamazov, you could read that for the rest of your life and never reach the bottom.
super helpful even for intermediate readers
Very useful video. Could you make a video on *How to Write Philosophical Essay Questions*, Please
Thanks.
I like to also read a biography of the philosopher, keeping in mind that the biographer might have a bias.
I good knowledge sir ...
I am feeling like I get older, am in in mid 40s and begin to feel I should give up to struggle to beomce successful in writing and film making.. not sure where it came from.. but after a large injury lying a year in bed I now seem to only write and reflect over lives mysteries but got no aspirations to succeed or make it in life anymore.. and I grow up as an actor, dancer in NEW York city in the later 90s... but now life is kind of different.. but somehow I feel I should find my way back to wanting to write for success as an author and not only for my own self reflections.. hut is as if my mind shut down just one day last Fall... and now I been lying in my bed 90% of the time after this injury.. How can one by writing find back to motivation and energy and start to do rehab and get out to see people again and find that feeling that ones life is worth anything and that there must be a way to make it in life as a writer again? I feel so lost and blue these months.... really need advice of how to re-set the inner engine in myself .. I love writing, philosophy and play directing.
If you provided some examples you would have knocked this video out of the park; even without that, however, great stuff! Teach on.
Hi! I wanted to let you know that your channel has been super helpful for me. I never finished s🥲undergrad, but my favorite book, The Philosophy of Horror by Noel Carroll, opened up a whole new world for me. I’ve been watching your videos about reading and what books to read to learn philosophy. Keep up the great content 🤗
I would suggest you to try Sobers Rodrigues' book The Vasai side story. It's amazing.
Excellent vid. Could've sworn you were formally trained at least on a graduate level. Been interested in philosophy for a while (the past few years) and I'm just at a lost as to where to start. Do I jump in head first and read the often-hard-to-understand classics? Do I start with a cursory view of the basic concepts? Should start with challenging my own views, biases, and prejudices? Help me out bro please!!!
Sincerely,
Lover (I think) of philosophy...
hello, I was surprised you are suggesting to only read a book twice) I would say 4-5 times. 1st time - fast, 2nd - with notes and highlights, put the book down for a couple of days and read again (to test what stayed with me), etc.
But here is how I know how many times is enough for me personally: I have a "neighbor test")) my neighbor likes to read and every time we bump into each other, we discuss what we are currently reading. So, if I can't recite to my neighbor what I just read, it means I have to read it again. That's my system 😊😊😊 best! pls keep your videos coming
Thanks for well-put thoughts and tips. Cohesive and insightful. Greetings from Ukraine 🇺🇦
Philosophy also spike a bit in china.
One chinese professor in fudan university who spent his whole career teaching philosophy, had some of his uni lecture records uploaded in chinese website 2 years ago, its a series of records in total 50 hours of education content, has around 5 million viewed now.
His lecture records is precisely the reason I started to engage philosophy as a hobby. Its like a man breathing fresh air once more, after diving into the sea for far too long,
Another professor from taiwan recomended prof copleston's book, "history of philosophy" for beginners, i think i shall start by reading his book？
I want to start reading Søren Kierkegaard, but I don't know which one to start with ?
Any ideas for a career having studied philosophy?
Спасибо!
Западная Сибирь слышит
My issue right now is that on my first "quick" reading I get absolutely nothing out of it. I don't understand the words on the page enough to gleam the structure of the whole. I am attempting the opposite at the minute. I'm doing aa detailed reading followed by a faster reading.
I'm the opposite of the target audience of this video. I love reading philosophy, I am currently majoring in the stuff. But I find it incredibly hard to read fiction. I lose track of characters really easily and tend to end up skimming more than I would like to admit. Would you be able to make a video similar to this on how to read fiction???
Wow that’s amazing tho, really shows how life works different for each individual
😊
I loved his tips, but I slightly disagree with reading twice, once fast, once comprehensive. Here’s what I do personally.
Systematic Approach to Learning:
1. Don’t read like a novel. Flip through the pages to quickly grasp it (graphs, images, layout, etc.)
2. Read the notes at the end of the chapter, this will highlight the authors main points.(if there is any)
3. Go through, find all bold print, titles, subtitles, and topic headings.
4. Read the first and last sentence in each paragraph.
5. Comprehensive read.
Exposure before learning; this adds repetition before comprehensively reading rather than reading it multiple times.
Repetition aids learning. This is also how I read text books in college.
I hope this finds you all well.please help me , I am 21 years old boy studing first year of college in India,.The very unfortunate thing for me is i can,t read due to low sense of English language tell me what should I do.when I try to read I can,t comprehend it .some time I understand every world but even can,t understand. This things makes me feel low in life
Please I need some suggestions from you
Thanks
this is a more elementary question but do you have tips for learning new vocabulary, be it a technical term (e.g. elenchus) or just an unfamiliar English word? once upon a time I used to gobble up new words without thought but now I'm finding I need to look up a definition multiple times and then I'll still forget
How essential is the time between reads? Better to immediately start again while it’s fresh in mind, or give it weeks/months/years to digest?
I've give it some time. Maybe space out your reads by a month or two if you're doing some dedicated studying, or just know that you'll revisit the book in a year or two with your notes.
i’ve tried checking out philosophy books at barns and nobles and decided to not purchase because the words simply don’t make sense to me. it’s just very confusing
Stupid question: Should I study critical thinking first before studying philosophy or could I just study it right away?
Thanks.
Thank you. I have a question - should you, for preparation, read books like "Routledge Philosophy GuideBook to Kant" or reading primary text recommended first?
Dive into the primary text first. When it gets too difficult, find supplemental works to help you along.
@@_jared thank you!
I thought that to reading philosophy,you read the passage three or more times To understand it
Damn I wish I could read.
Reading a book twice and slowly trying to understand becomes very difficult when I want to read a 1000 page book like either/or by by Kierkegaard.
Reading and understanding that single book would probably take me well over a year
Try to read a chunk of it, and then reread that chunk. And so on :)
It's funny how you use Nietzsche as an example, since I tried to read "Apart from Good and Evil" and failed miserably. Maybe I was to naive, because German is my mother tongue and I thought that I would have it easier. I was wrong. But thanks for the video, I am definitely encouraged to try again.
I took it up in english, and it wasn't easy too haha
Many many attempts at each section to actually extract anything out of it.
But it is very rewarding once you do.
The secret to me was to find the main argument in each section and then later pay attention to the tangents he goes in.
@@luisgustavo6117 thanks for the hint, I appreciate it. One mistake while reading Nietzsche, and certainly one I did as well, was that I tried to see a bigger, coherant philosophy. But Nietzsches works are purely aphoristical. He has some well known ideas like the Superhuman, the Will to Power etc. but these ideas don't have an connection in between. And yes, from the little of Nietzsche I actually understood, I could learn some lessons. In "Apart from Good and Evil" e.g. he said, that the upsoming 20th century is going to be a century of wars between the great powers of the world. And as we all kniw, he was right.
@@alexanderfritz3888 I recommend reading Genealogy of Morals and then returning to Beyond Good and Evil. It helped me a lot (+ just the extra time inbetween gave me time to experience things which I would then suddenly link back to some passage from Beyond Good and Evil and be like "Ohhhh that's what he meant")
You dont read philosophy. You think philosophy.
TND
I wish I could translate it to Bangla ((Bangladesh)
Pov : you try reading Hegel
My current struggle, in fact!
The problem with good philosophers is that there is no way to distill what they say, because they already did it.
Is it ever morally acceptable to sacrifice one life to save many? Where do we draw the line?
Спасибо и привет из России)
Summary: Philosophy is not something you just read but rather something you study.
Have a lot of money.
The best way to read philosophy is to not bother with authors who don't understand it. This will save a lot of time, and allows one to skip over almost all of Western philosophy.
I love your videos but sorry, there were 8 commercials in 10 Minutes - no way to understand your thoughts with that many interruptions
If it's playing 8 ads in 10 minutes, something's gone wrong. I'll look into it.
@@_jared I would definitely appreciate that, if you need more details please let me know. Greetings from Schellings birthplace.
tip 1: don't do Kant or Hegel. X
🫶🏼
Donate me some of your books.
every video is nothing but clickbait. unsubscribing.
call me hater like a damn kid would
@@elvis._ i agree completely.
agree, just water
???
“what?! I actually have to work hard to read philosophy?? there’s no one quick trick that’ll help me understand everything I read on wikipedia instantly?!? click bait!!!!”
the ‘kid’ comment is pure projection
Recommend books for beginners to read philosophy))
Check out my profile page. I have a video on exactly that topic.