PHILOSOPHY 100 READINGS SPARK NOTEA TV

Many students use highlighters when reading text, but readers have a tendency to highlight too much, which makes the highlighting useless when you go back and reread. If you are working with a printed text, use a pencil so that you can erase and rewrite notes in the margin. You will need to write notes, underline, and flag portions of the reading, so use text you can alter whenever possible. Find the setting that helps you concentrate. Some people like music others prefer silence. Some people find it helpful to have a little bit of bustle around them (for example, you might choose to work in a café or library), while others find this distracting.

PHILOSOPHY 100 READINGS SPARK NOTEA TV

Have something to drink nearby, and avoid distractions, like TV or music with lyrics. Sitting up straight improves concentration. Read at a table with a comfortable chair instead of on a couch or in a bed.

Preparing your reading space will help you focus and improve the chances of retaining the reading material. Eventually, you will reach the point where you can begin to reflect on, evaluate, and engage with the philosophical concepts presented. Using the strategies described below, you can track the key claims and arguments in your reading. Or you may get lost in the back-and-forth of arguments and counterarguments, forgetting which represent the author’s opinion. You may find yourself rereading a passage several times without having a clear notion of what the author is trying to say. Many students in their first philosophy class struggle with the required readings. To be successful in a philosophy course, you must be able to read primary and secondary sources in philosophy.

Employ a three-part method for reading philosophy.

Distinguish the goals of philosophical reading from other types of reading.

Describe strategies for reading philosophy.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

Philosophy 100 readings spark notea