Reading Philosophical Texts

Front

What are the two types of problems encountered in philosophical reading?

Back

Terminological and logico-conceptual problems.

Front

What is a common accusation against philosophers regarding their language?

Back

They are often accused of using 'big' words that baffle the ordinary man.

Front

What is the first terminological problem beginners may encounter?

Back

Certain technical terms such as 'analytic' and 'a priori' may sound strange.

Front

How does the meaning of terms differ between philosophers?

Back

Terms like 'categories' and 'idea' can have different meanings in the philosophies of Aristotle and Kant, or Plato and Locke.

Front

What are traditional terms in philosophy?

Back

Terms whose meanings are found within a particular tradition of thought, such as those used by René Descartes.

Front

What is an example of a new terminological creation in philosophy?

Back

Terms like 'intentionality', 'noesis', and 'noema' introduced by Husserl.

Front

What is the first suggestion for overcoming terminological problems in philosophical texts?

Back

Attempt to reconstruct the meaning of a term in the broader context in which it appears.

Front

What should you do if reconstructing the meaning of a term does not work?

Back

Consult appropriate reference works such as subject dictionaries, encyclopaedias, and commentaries.

Front

What is the first type of conceptual-logical problem when reading philosophical works?

Back

Making sense of an abstract claim in the absence of appropriate concrete instances.

Front

What is the second type of conceptual-logical problem?

Back

Understanding that concepts do not function in isolation and must be examined together.