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"____ For Dummies" (pg. 4)
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| all-nite-freak |
| quote: | Originally posted by RJT
Well then you socialist folk up in Canada must have really exceptionally financial aid/student loan programs - because Mama and Papa RJT aren't paying for a ing thing, sweet-pea, and I know plenty of folks who either have no parental support, or flat out don't have parents, who have found ways to fund their education, regardless of what they wanted to pursue. |
Quoted for truth.Work will be paying a part of the tab for me:)A 28 years old back at University.I feel like John Belushi.Theresa if you want to do it you will and can.There are so many resources here you can take advantage of.Trust me, I've not wanted to go back to to school and made excuses too...but thats what it comes down to..wanting it. |
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| astroboy |
| quote: | Originally posted by Theresa
Well, I will spill the beans on which one I got.
With the coversation about John Dewey and philosophy last night, I had philosophy freshly in my mind, so I decided to get the "Philosophy for Dummies" book.
Much of it I have studied already, but it does cover some things I have yet to read. I saw some comic strips and some "factioids" while flipping through it, so that should lift off on some of the heavy reading.
I would really like to go to Uni for phil. Too bad it's a pretty useless degree. :( |
Generally Western Philosophy is one discipline in which I would not recommend reading a "for dummies" book. Just start with the Greeks and move forward chronologically, reading the original texts. Have a crack at Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosophy if you really need a book that somehow ties them together (just keep in mind that it is highly biased).
Finally if you really must get a "cliff's notes" style summary of a philosophical movement try the IconBoks "Introducing..." series [CLICK]. They are not too shabby at all. But at the end of the day no summary of a particular philosophical theory will ever come close to the primary texts of the theorists. As for a book that claims to encompass the entire body of Western philosophy in a couple of hundred pages? - the idea that one could gain anything but the most cursory, superficial familiarity is laughable. |
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| astroboy |
| quote: | Originally posted by Psy-T
other than towards internet bills, i've never paid a dime on studying philosophy. i refused a full scholarship in philosophy that was offered to me based on my participation in a free-to-attend class at the university. it's likely that i study and practice philosophy more than most post graduates. |
You really should consider getting one. You clearly have a natural talent for it. Not because you need the education, just for the piece of paper that gives you and any ideas you decide to publish etc 100 times more credibility and power. |
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| MrJiveBoJingles |
I would recommend you pick up a few different introductory texts. Try looking through the tables of contents to see what their emphases are, since some texts will deal mostly with metaphysics / epistemology, some mostly with logic, some mostly with ethics / social philosophy, just depending on the bias of the author(s). Getting a few different intro books will help avoid getting too much of a "weighted" impression of philosophy one way or the other.
After you read through a few of those, start reading any primary sources that happen to interest you. Any introductory text worth the money will have at least some original works contained within it, so by the time you get done with the introductory books you may have some idea of what figures or movements you'd like to know more about. |
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| MrJiveBoJingles |
There are generally three different approaches that philosophy introductions take:
1. The "field" focus, where you'll have a few chapters on epistemology, a few on metaphysics, a few on ethics, a few on political philosophy, and so on.
2. The "historical / figure" focus, where you'll have a few chapters on one philosopher or movement, a few on another, etc., often in chronological order.
3. The "problem" focus, where you'll have a few chapters addressing one philosophical question, a few addressing another, etc.
You can use these general approaches in your own philosophical self-education... |
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| Trance Nutter |
No one yet has mentioned a TA has written a .....for Dummies book.
DJ Recess (the same guy with the excellent djing website for beginners) wrote "DJing for Dummies" recently. I haven't read it but some guys in the DJ Booth said it was really good. |
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| MrJiveBoJingles |
| Just looking through the table of contents of the "For Dummies" book, it looks like it uses a "question-centered" approach. For a follow-up to that you might want to get a "history / figure" approach book to give some more context for those questions. |
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| Psy-T |
| Throatjobs For Dummies! :gsmile: |
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| Theresa |
I already have several texts on Philosophy (mostly books from Uni, and they were not cheap either.)
I am not really asking advice for where to find good philosophy texts. I've got enough philosophy to read for at least a year or two.
I got the Philosophy for dummies so I had a lighter read to have at work. Since my interest lies heavily in philosophy, I chose that one.
I am just curious if people find them helpful, and what they think of these books in general.
Thanks for the advice anyway. |
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| Slylee |
| i have Home Buying for Dummies |
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| Lira |
| quote: | Originally posted by Theresa
I would really like to go to Uni for phil. Too bad it's a pretty useless degree. :( |
*slaps Theresa softly in the back of the head*
No degree is useless - pessimistically, it's an interesting a way of getting a master's degree later in pretty much any other subject that you feel more "useful". But, on the other side, it's also a great way of working with something you enjoy.
Hell, all my employers so far were thrilled by the fact that I'm graduating in Japanese Language and Culture, as I, according to them, should have an insight different than that of most people. |
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| DigitalPhoenix |
| I got the "Puppies for Dummies" book,...but then he ate it :( |
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