Authored by Steven J. Todd, University of Connecticut.
By now you've probably heard that reading philosophy is hard work. And so it is. A reasonable question to ask would be: "How should I read philosophy?" The short answer: carefully.
The rest of this section is devoted to unpacking the short answer - highlighting the issues one should be aware of when reading philosophy.
One thing to keep in mind is that philosophical writing is argumentative. Philosophical arguments concern abstract issues beyond the reach of scientific research - as a matter of fact, science itself is a topic of philosophical inquiry.
We will cover brief explanations of important elements to consider when reading philosophy: arguments, style, and translation issues. Do not be afraid. Think of this as a fun game you are learning to play. As you develop the philosophical habit of mind, you may find you enjoy exercising and honing your own critical reasoning skills. Moreover, reading philosophy is the first step to doing philosophy.
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