Philosophy Skills Book

Stephen J. Finn is Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Assistant Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at the United States Military Academy, West Point, USA.

• Introduction; Part I: Reading Philosophy Assignments; Part II: Reading Philosophical Texts; 1. Reading Historical Texts; 2. Close Reading for Alternative Meanings; 3. Drawing Inferences; 4. Discovering Arguments; 5. Finding and Resolving Inconsistencies; Part III: Writing Philosophy - Content; 1. Brainstorming and Outlining; 2. Summarizing a Philosophical Argument; 3. Elaborating; 4. Responding Critically; 5. Arguing; 6. Introductions and Conclusions; Part IV: Writing Philosophy - Style; 1. Writing Clearly; 2. Using Quotations; 3. Common Errors; Index.

One of the most challenging things about teaching introductory courses in philosophy is that our memory of our own experience as a student is often the worst guide to teaching. The Philosophy Skills Book understands what philosophy looks like for a typical intro student rather than for the student who will end up in graduate school. It isolates the most basic questions -- how to read a text, what do these words mean that the teacher thinks we know -- and explains them in a way that students can understand. It is a great resource for both students and professors.