How Can I Study Philosophy At Home?

1. Start from a position of ignorance.
2. Expect to go slowly.
3. Read when you are most alert.
4. Pick whatever interests you the most.
5. Get a philosophical dictionary.
6. Familiarize yourself with the history of Western Thought.

Is philosophy easy to study?

Readings for philosophy courses are generally not long, but they are difficult and challenging. You cannot expect to go through an assigned reading once and have an adequate grasp of it. Some students seem to thrive on the painstaking study required, while others simply don’t have the patience for it.

Can I study philosophy online?

Explore a free online course on the birth of Western philosophy, taught in English, from Tsinghua University. Find many philosophy and ethics courses on edX from major universities around the world. Many online classes are self-paced so you can enroll and start learning today.

Can you learn philosophy on your own?

Self-learning has many advantages: It is more affordable. You don’t have to pay the full tuition for a conventional degree in philosophy, but you can still follow the curriculum of most top universities from any part of the world. You can learn at your own pace .

Is a philosophy degree useless?

Philosophy majors develop valuable career skills , such as reading and understanding complex materials, making logical arguments, explaining ideas clearly in oral and written form, and thinking about things from multiple perspectives. ... Philosophy majors who apply their skills in the world of business tend to do well.

Why is philosophy so hard?

Thought cannot be touched nor smelt, seen nor grasped. ... Philosophy requires us to not only deal with something ostensibly intangible, but also to refine, clarify, and use proper language for that intangible thing. Put otherwise, when we do philosophy, we are to paint a ghost.

What job can I do if I study philosophy?

These highly critical, analytical, and argumentative skills that are developed often lead students to pursue legal studies, MBA programs, or seminaries. Jobs for philosophy majors include a lawyer, systems analyst, cultural affairs officer, technical writer, and a critic .

Can you be a philosopher without a degree?

Can I become a philosopher without any degree but by just being able to understand the world, god, nature and religions? Yes . By definition, a philosopher is a person who offers views or theories on profound questions in ethics, metaphysics, logic and other related fields.

What is the best way to study philosophy?

1. Do the assigned reading. The philosophical texts simply are the content of the course; if you do not read, you will not learn. ...
2. Consider the context. ...
3. Take your time. ...
4. Spot crucial passages. ...
5. Identify central theses. ...
6. Locate supportive arguments. ...
7. Assess the arguments. ...
8. Look for connections.

How long does it take to learn philosophy?

Studying for a bachelor’s degree in philosophy usually take four years of full-time classes . In some cases, a student has prior credits from high school or a baccalaureate program that is applicable to his or her undergraduate study.

What are the most useless degrees?

• Advertising and public relations. ...
• Anthropology / Archaeology. ...
• Communications / Mass media. ...
• Criminal justice. ...
• Education. ...
• Ethnic and civilization studies. ...
• Fashion design. ...
• Film, video, and photographic arts.

Do you have to be smart to study philosophy?

TL;DR: Undergraduate philosophy doesn’t really require smarts . It requires good writing, attendance, and research. The biggest problem I have with philosophy is the lack of clarity of language and thought in more recent philosophers.

Do philosophy majors make money?

And when it comes to earnings for people who only have undergraduate degrees, philosophy majors have the fourth-highest median earnings, $81,200 per year , out-ranking business and chemistry majors, according to the ETS. Bar none, philosophy majors have the highest salary growth trajectory from entry to mid-career.

Is philosophy hard to read?

Reading Philosophy is a difficult task , especially coming to uni with little or no background in the subject. Reading lists can look long and daunting, vocabulary can be confusing and it seems to take ages to understand even the smallest part of a chapter.

Does philosophy make you smarter?

Therefore, by simply studying philosophy diligently, you open yourself up to years of learning. With that much time, you will undoubtedly become smarter than you previously were.

How does philosophy help you in life?

Philosophy helps us express what is distinctive in our views , it enhances our ability to explain difficult material, and it helps us to eliminate ambiguities and vagueness from our writing and speech.