Doing Philosophy A Practical Guide for Students

Doing Philosophy provides a practical guide to studying philosophy for undergraduate students. The book presents strategies for developing the necessary skills that will allow students to get the most out of this fascinating subject. It examines what it means to think, read, discuss and write philosophically, giving advice on: Reading and analysing philosophical textsPreparing for and participating in seminarsChoosing essay topicsConstructing arguments and avoiding plagiarismUsing libraries, the internet and other resourcesTechnical terms, forms of expression and logical notation The second edition is fully revised and expanded throughout, packed with practical exercises, useful examples and fully up-to-date resources. It also features for the first time a full companion website with additional resources and a range of pedagogical tools and activities designed for students and lecturers to use both in the classroom and in seminar preparation.Concise and accessible, Doing Philosophy equips the student with the tools needed to successfully engage in discussing, reading and writing philosophy.

Introduction \ 1. Studying Philosophy\ 1.1 What is philosophy? \ 1.2 Why study philosophy? \ 1.3 What does studyingphilosophy involve? \ 1.4 Summary \ 2. Reading Philosophy \ 2.1 What toread \ 2.2 How to read \ 2.3 Summary \ 3. Taking Notes \ 3.1 Why isnote-taking important? \ 3.2 Content- what should I write down? \ 3.3 Method-how should I go about taking notes? \ 3.4 An example of effective note taking 3.5 Tailoring your methods to your context \ 3.6 Making best use of your notes\ 3.7 Summary \ 4. Discussion \ 4.1 The value of discussion \ 4.2Discussion seminars \ 4.3 Other forms of discussion \ 4.4 Summary \ 5.Writing Philosophy \ 5.1 What to write \ 5.2 How to Write 5.3 Example assignments \ 5.4 Assessment and feedback \ 5.5 Summary \ 6.Resources \ 6.1 Library resources \ 6.2 Internet resources \ 6.3 Supportsystems \ 6.4 Some useful philosophical terms \ Index