Welcome To My Philosophy Class

[Philosophy Now]

Lecturer Wayne Buck has written a letter to his students explaining what philosophy is, and how to do it.

http://philosophynow.org/issues/71/Welc ... ophy_Class

[HexHammer]

Met many educated philosophers, all fail at thinking holisticly. All they do are trying to define things out of a glaringly ignorent mind.
Rest are group thinkers who can't think out of the box.

[artisticsolution]

Who wants to do this with me? It doesn't have to be any particular thread. It could be on any topic in which we are both a little familiar, I suppose. I would like to try my hand at doing philosophy instead of just blurting out my opinion, as usual. I would like to be held accountable, for a change, for what I think.

Philosophy articles and books cannot be read as you read a novel or a newspaper article. You have to study each book or article, re-reading it several times. You must dissect its contents using your own unique intelligence, and then put it back together in a way that gives you personally a clear and distinct understanding of its arguments. The author must be interrogated – forced to admit to the hidden assumptions in his arguments and the flaws of his reasoning. At the same time, you should bend over backwards to give him the benefit of the doubt, to see your objections as potential misunderstandings of what he means. If you find a mistake in the argument, you must do your best to patch it up for the author and make his case as strong as possible – especially if you disagree with the argument. For only if you can imagine how the author would respond to your criticism can you be assured of not misunderstanding him or of not overlooking a point in his favor. So reading a philosophy text is an activity. Make outlines, mark up the page with comments and questions and doubts, read from the middle, from the end – from the beginning, even – and discuss it with your classmates or philosophically-minded friends.

Quoted from this article by Wayne Buck, in philosophy Now:

https://philosophynow.org/issues/71/Wel ... ophy_Class

[Dalek Prime]

I'm willing to give it a go, AS. A little busy right now with my move (still), but I could use the practice. Perhaps something short and light; readily dissectable?

[artisticsolution]

I'm willing to give it a go, AS. A little busy right now with my move (still), but I could use the practice. Perhaps something short and light; readily dissectable?

Awww thanks Dalek! I am incredibly busy now too....I have been procrastinating! So, I will try to think up a topic to bounce off you, as I am not that knowledgeable about certain subjects that might interest you. I mean, we should choose a subject that is fun for the both of us...right?

[Dalek Prime]

Absolutely, AS. Looking forward to it.