Hi Jared, I have to say this post comes at a timely manner. I for one, was afraid of reading old and difficult texts as a new reader (the same reasons that you have kindly highlighted in your post). I am currently reading Aristotle - Ethics and had to put aside my lens as a modern reader, which was fogged by my own assumptions. I love the three questions that you have laid out for your students, and would be adopting it for my reading practice as I progress further.
Hey Jared, I was wondering if you could do a video or post on how to read Aristotle? I’ve been wanting to read him so I can read the Summa but it’s just so dense! Loved this post keep it up.
Thanks Jared. I have always had a desire to learn and get as close to the source of something as my intellect can achieve. I think in our current cultural context this desire is told it must find its end in academia. But I think inquiring minds are everywhere, so I appreciate the message from you and people like you encouraging us to pursue these desires wherever we’re at.
I've recently been really enjoying reading both Plato and Aristotle. However, I do think that, when it comes to learning something like philosophy (especially outside the classroom), one benefits from reading both modern introductions and primary sources.
I've found introductory books which put a set of thinkers on a given topic into a context and so give you the general layout of the land invaluable when it then comes to reading a given text as it allows me to situate what I'm reading in its context and be aware of some of the work in which that text is in conversation. In a sense, the introductory texts function like a lecture series might at university, giving the background so I can get more out of the 'set reading'.
I certainly agree we shouldn't shy away from primary texts, but I would say they should be paired up with or preceded by at least one broader survey in order to get the most out of them.
Hi Jared, I have to say this post comes at a timely manner. I for one, was afraid of reading old and difficult texts as a new reader (the same reasons that you have kindly highlighted in your post). I am currently reading Aristotle - Ethics and had to put aside my lens as a modern reader, which was fogged by my own assumptions. I love the three questions that you have laid out for your students, and would be adopting it for my reading practice as I progress further.
Hey Jared, I was wondering if you could do a video or post on how to read Aristotle? I’ve been wanting to read him so I can read the Summa but it’s just so dense! Loved this post keep it up.
Thanks Jared. I have always had a desire to learn and get as close to the source of something as my intellect can achieve. I think in our current cultural context this desire is told it must find its end in academia. But I think inquiring minds are everywhere, so I appreciate the message from you and people like you encouraging us to pursue these desires wherever we’re at.
I've recently been really enjoying reading both Plato and Aristotle. However, I do think that, when it comes to learning something like philosophy (especially outside the classroom), one benefits from reading both modern introductions and primary sources.
I've found introductory books which put a set of thinkers on a given topic into a context and so give you the general layout of the land invaluable when it then comes to reading a given text as it allows me to situate what I'm reading in its context and be aware of some of the work in which that text is in conversation. In a sense, the introductory texts function like a lecture series might at university, giving the background so I can get more out of the 'set reading'.
I certainly agree we shouldn't shy away from primary texts, but I would say they should be paired up with or preceded by at least one broader survey in order to get the most out of them.
Brilliantly put, Jared!