A Guide to Philosophical Text Commentary

Posted on Oct 15, 2024 in Philosophy and ethics

Step 1: Reading and Understanding

Careful reading is crucial for text commentary. A two-step approach is recommended:

  • First Reading (Skimming): Quickly read the text to grasp the main idea and potential title. Focus on understanding the overall message without taking notes.
  • Second Reading (In-depth): Carefully analyze the text’s structure, key concepts, arguments, and ideas. Highlight important points and take notes in the margins or a separate document.

Step 2: Analysis

Deconstruct the text to understand its components:

1. Key Terms and Concepts

  • Identify the central philosophical terms and concepts. Create a concept map.
  • Select the two or three most relevant terms. Analyze their meaning, especially any unique interpretations by the author.
  • Determine if any terms have multiple meanings or are used unconventionally.

2. Text Structure and Ideas

Title

  • What is the text about?
  • What underlying problem or question does it address?
  • What solutions are explored?
  • Develop a title based on the subject or thesis.

Summary

  • Summarize the main problems and ideas.

Structure

  • Identify the different parts of the text.
  • Describe the content and purpose of each part.

Outline of Ideas

  • Illustrate the connections between ideas using a hierarchical structure. Show relationships like opposition, inclusion, causality, and exemplification.

3. Argument Analysis

  • Does the text have a clear conclusion?
  • Outline the steps of the argument.
  • Identify any argumentative tools like persuasive definitions or biased terms.
  • Locate weaknesses such as contradictions, ambiguities, fallacies, or unjustified leaps in reasoning.
  • Determine the type of reasoning used (deductive, inductive, etc.).

4. Type of Philosophical Discourse

  • Determine the primary branch of philosophy addressed (epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, etc.).

5. Expository Resources

  • Identify the resources used by the author to present and justify their thesis (examples, comparisons, paraphrases, etc.).

Step 3: Summary and Explanation

Elaborate on the points identified in the analysis. Critically reconstruct the discussed elements and create an essay that considers the author’s perspective.

Explain the author’s intended meaning for each statement. Distinguish between texts focused on a specific issue and those offering a direct interpretation of an author’s work.

Image

For issue-focused texts, the richness of the text itself is paramount. Image For author-focused texts, knowledge of the author’s thought is essential for accurate interpretation. Contextualization within the larger work, philosophical tradition, and historical period enhances understanding.

Address the following:

  1. What are the relevant philosophical problems or issues?
  2. What are the strengths of the argument?
  3. What are the underlying assumptions?
  4. Are there important issues that are not fully developed?
  5. What is the author’s purpose?
  6. Does the author critique other positions?

Maintain a consistent order, strive for clarity, ensure accuracy, and present the information neatly and legibly.

Step 4: Conclusion

Summarize the main points and provide a critical evaluation of the ideas and their presentation.

  1. Does the author reach a definite conclusion or leave the issue open for further discussion?
  2. Which arguments are most compelling?
  3. Can you contribute to clarifying the issues?
  4. Can you formulate and support any claims for or against the author?
  5. Are the discussed ideas still relevant today?
  6. What have you learned from this text?
  7. How do the discussed issues relate to your prior knowledge, ideas, and expectations?