Two-year associate programs in philosophy are somewhat rare since the study of philosophy can be applied to so many different areas of knowledge. As such, four-year bachelor programs taken at liberal arts institutions are more common. You will likely study both “continental” philosophy—the work of Greek and European philosophers—and “analytical” philosophy–mathematics, logic, and theoretical physics. Common areas of study include ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, and aesthetics.
Master’s programs in philosophy usually take about two years to complete. For the most part, you will complete the same sort of work expected in a doctorate program. The primary difference is that you will not need to write a dissertation.
Most Ph. D. programs focused on philosophy are labeled as degrees in “social philosophy” or “applied philosophy. "
During the first reading, look at the table of contents, key points, and/or glossary, then quickly scan through the passage itself. Move quickly, reading one page in roughly 30 to 60 seconds. Underline terms and ideas that jump out at you in pencil. Mark any unfamiliar terms, as well. For the second reading, flip through the text at a similar pace, but stop to look up any terms or phrases you do not recognize and cannot define by context. Your focus should still be on identifying key terms and ideas. Check off paragraphs you think you understand in pencil, and mark those you do not understand with a question mark or “x. " During the third reading, go back to the sections you marked with a question mark or “x” and read them in greater detail. Check them off if you reach an understanding, or mark them with a second question mark or “x” if you do not grasp their meaning. During the fourth reading, quickly review the text again to remind yourself of the main focus and key arguments. If you’re reading for class, identify the marked passages you had difficulty with so that you can ask questions.
When studying philosophy for a class or degree program, you should always do the readings assigned to you. Listening to others’ interpretations of those readings in class is not a good substitution. You need to review and grapple with the ideas on your own instead of having others do the work for you. Reading on your own is also beneficial. As you become more familiar with different branches of philosophy, you can gradually begin selecting your own readings on potential topics of interest.
Think about who wrote it, when it was published, where it was published, its original intended audience, and the purposes it was originally developed for. Also ask yourself how it was received in its own time and how it has been received since then.
A thesis can be positive or negative, meaning that it can accept a particular philosophical idea or reject it. Identify the idea being addressed first. Then, use the writer’s statements about that idea to figure out if the thesis is positive or negative.
Philosophers usually use logical argumentation to support their theses. Ideas and patterns of thought that are clearly sound will be presented and used to support the thesis.
Identify the premises and ask yourself if they are as true as the writer claims. Try to come up with a counter-example that proves the statement wrong. If the premises are true, ask yourself if the inferences derived from those premises are sound. Apply the pattern of reasoning to a different case and see if it holds up. If it does not remain valid, the inference is not sound.
If all of the premises and inferences are sound and you can think of no logical argument against the thesis as a whole, you must formally accept the conclusion, even if you still do not believe it personally. If any of the premises or inferences are faulty, though, you can reject the conclusion.
Make sure that you have a clear answer to your primary question. This answer will become your thesis. Your primary question may need to be divided into multiple sub-points, and each of these points will need its own answer. As you plot out these sub-points, the structure of your essay will begin taking shape.
Only spend a fraction of your paper addressing these objections. The majority of the essay should still focus on explaining your own original ideas.
Identify your thesis at the top of your chart or outline. Each major supporting argument should be given its own box in your chart or heading in your outline. Your secondary boxes or sub-headings should list points that further expand those main arguments—i. e. , your premises and inferences.
Avoid unnecessary, flowery language meant to sound impressive and focus solely on providing meaningful content. Leave out anything unnecessary, for that matter. Irrelevant and repetitive material should be left out. Define your key terms and use them throughout your essay.
Weak arguments should be strengthened or cut from your paper. Poor grammar, disorganized thought processes, and cluttered paragraphs should be rewritten.
Review the assigned materials for the discussion and draw your own conclusions based on sound reasoning. For unplanned dialogues, briefly review your knowledge of related concepts before actively entering into the discussion.
Show respect by listening thoroughly and trying to view opposing points as worthwhile ideas. When a conversation brings up a significant issue, the exchanges will likely become more passionate, and conflict can occur. You should still try to end the conversation on a positive, respectful note, however.
Conversely, if you do have strong arguments to make, speak up. You should not try to override others, but you should definitely make your ideas and support known.
Ask for clarification on any point another person makes when it seems hazy to you. If you have a point that no one else has addressed yet, but do not have a firm stance on it, bring that point up as a question.
