Learn Philosophy on Your Own:
An Effective 4-Step Guide

Learning philosophy on your own, depending on how you define it, can take various forms and rely on different methods. Philosophy, as the study of fundamental questions about the world, self, knowledge, value, law, art, and nearly everything that matters to us, is a way of thinking that can be learned through studying its history and methodology. Therefore, a great way to begin learning philosophy is to understand how it developed since the ancient Greeks and how its questions are formulated and receive varied responses. I recommend several steps including reading texts, watching videos, listening to lectures, and practicing philosophy through discussion and writing. While you could start with any of these steps, I highly recommend being patient, taking notes, thinking about what you hear or read, and trying to understand the main ideas of each resource.

For the first step, I recommend reading a basic book on philosophy. A good introductory book will provide you with a sense of important and common philosophical questions and how some of them have been answered by notable philosophers. Three books I suggest are Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy (2001) by Simon Blackburn; Philosophy: The Basics by Nigel Warburton; and Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction by  Edward Craig. All these books explore main areas of philosophy such as metaphysics, epistemology, moral and political philosophy, aesthetics, and, in some cases, other interesting philosophical topics like animal rights and the existence of God. One of these three books is enough for achieving the main goal of the first step. Don’t worry if you can’t recall everything from your initial reading (I suggest reading your chosen book(s) several times, though); the key is to grasp the level at which philosophy operates, understand the types of questions it raises, and learn how these questions are typically addressed.

The second step involves listening to a complete introductory lecture on philosophy. YouTube is a good resource but not all videos on philosophy there are valuable. Spend your time on something worthwhile, provided and prepared by someone educated in philosophy, with experience teaching at the university level. A great example is Dr. Daniel Kaufman’s lecture series (31 videos) available on YouTube for free:

Kaufman, an experienced instructor at Missouri State University, does a great job explaining main issues in the history of philosophy.

An alternative is to register for a free online course on coursera.org, like the one offered by The University of Edinburgh, called Introduction to Philosophy . This course offers an excellent introduction to philosophy, with various sections taught by instructors who are experts in their respective fields. Another more casual but comprehensive introduction to philosophy is available on YouTube by Dr. Gregory B. Sadler:

Sadler employs an easy and approachable style, yet he remains knowledgeable and provides a good introduction. While it’s beneficial to sample each option and select the one that resonates most with you, I especially recommend regularly and consistently tuning into this final suggestion, almost like a daily ritual. I personally listen to it every day while driving to work (not the ideal setting for philosophy, but I find it soothing!). This outstanding resource is Peter Adamson’s History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps podcast, which includes hundreds of episodes discussing philosophy in the Western tradition, as well as in the Islamic world, Africa, and Asia.

For the third step, I suggest reading selected excerpts from various philosophers. There are numerous anthologies available, which are collections of selected philosophical texts, typically organized thematically or chronologically. Each anthology has its own strengths and weaknesses. A very well-known and popular one is John G. Cottingham’s Western Philosophy: An Anthology, which covers most classic and modern areas of philosophy with excerpts from important texts from Plato to the present time. Cottingham’s anthology is particularly helpful with his introductions before each excerpt. Another wonderful anthology is Introduction to Philosophy, prepared and compiled by John Perry, Michael Bratman, and John Martin Fischer. Like Cottingham’s anthology, this introduction features numerous excerpts from both classic and contemporary philosophers, each prefaced with an introductory remark. A third option is The Norton Introduction to Philosophy, a treasure provided by a top-notch publisher in anthologies in all areas of art and humanities. It offers selected readings organized based on the areas and specific questions they respond to, each followed by questions to test your understanding and reflect upon.

The fourth and last step is to read a complete book by a philosopher. During the previous steps, you might have developed some interests in particular ideas, figures, books, or questions. Find a book that you think you might be interested in and give it a try. Some philosophical books such as Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit, Heidegger’s Being and Time, or almost any writing by Derrida are notorious for their difficulty, due to their complex language and ideas. But there are shorter and easier, yet deeply insightful texts, such as Socrates’s Apology, Meditations on First Philosophy by René Descartes, or On the Genealogy of Morality: A Polemic by Friedrich Nietzsche.

Finally,

• Revisiting material is crucial. I recommend regularly going back over the steps and exploring new introductory books. Authors with experience in teaching philosophy often present concepts in unique ways, which can deepen your understanding. Remember, most philosophers have spent lifetimes developing their ideas, and it’s challenging to grasp them fully in a just a lecture, or a brief introductory book. However, revisiting these ideas, coupled with the other steps, will make you more comfortable with even the most complex philosophical texts.
• Throughout this journey, you may come across ideas or concepts that are challenging to grasp. Beyond general dictionaries or encyclopedias, there are two free online resources that are exceptionally helpful and reliable: the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy and the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. These can also serve as excellent starting points for any new research on a philosophical topic.
• A crucial aspect of learning philosophy is engaging in discussions with others. Philosophy is inherently argument-based, and the best way to practice argumentation is to argue! If you can, find people like yourself who are willing to discuss philosophy. Create groups and have in-person or online discussions. Exchanging ideas, challenging viewpoints, defending your thoughts, or reading and discussing texts in a group setting can significantly enhance your understanding and appreciation of philosophical concepts.

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