PHIL 2306 (Introduction to Ethics) - Dr. A. Antoninka

Reading philosophical sources like articles and books can be difficult. But, there are ways to make it easier on yourself! Read about the three methods for reading philosophical articles below, and try each one to see which works best for you.

Three Ways to Read Philosophical Texts

1. Jim Pryor's method: Jim Pryor, a philosophy professor at UNC-Chapel Hill, recommends first skimming the article to find its conclusion. Then, read the article carefully. Finally, evaluate the author's arguments. Read more about this method at his website. 

2. Connie Rosati's method: Connie Rosati, a philosophy professor at the University of Arizona, gives eight general suggestions for reading philosophical texts. Read her suggestions on the University of Arizona website.  

3. Jones, Cardinal, and Hayward method: Gerald Jones, Dan Cardinal, and Jeremy Hayward recommend reading philosophical texts through five lenses: context, vocabulary, concepts, argument, and structure. Learn how to apply each of the lenses in this article. 

Try a few different methods and see what works best for you!