tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post8254962914432559011..comments2024-03-28T19:14:33.619-07:00Comments on The Splintered Mind: Should Philosophy Be Read Slowly?Eric Schwitzgebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11541402189204286449noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-14056482180070336352013-06-16T16:27:56.971-07:002013-06-16T16:27:56.971-07:00Jonathan: I've never inflicted 400 pages in a ...Jonathan: I've never inflicted 400 pages in a week on students. It might be interesting to try that, since it's *so* unattainable the conventional way that they'll be forced to skim and choose, which could be an interesting exercise, as long as I'm very clear that that's the intent....Eric Schwitzgebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11541402189204286449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-15732394454480301332013-06-16T15:43:29.468-07:002013-06-16T15:43:29.468-07:00Did you ever do the 400-pages-in-a-week thing with...Did you ever do the 400-pages-in-a-week thing with the students, Eric? I'd be interested in how it panned out. I've just begun an undergrad degree and struggle with not just the fire-hose blast of material I'm asked to read, but equally my strong wish to actually read it all, comprehend, care about it, understand why it matters, and so forth.Jonathan Meldrumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06097959132812030970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-86468832512376761662007-12-10T08:37:00.000-08:002007-12-10T08:37:00.000-08:00A story about Rorty pertinent to Josh's comment: I...A story about Rorty pertinent to Josh's comment: In 1991 or 1992 I was at a conference on metaphysical realism at which Rorty and John Searle were both present. Rorty commented at the end of the conference on everyone else's presentations (of which written versions had been submitted in advance). When it came time to comment on Searle, Rorty said he was pleased to hear John say that "there is not a reality independent of our minds".<BR/><BR/>At that moment, Searle stood up in the audience and said, "I did not say that!" -- interrupting the talk. Rorty said, "Yes you did. I have the quote right here." Searle said "what page?". Rorty cited a page number and Searle whipped out his copy of the text. He read the quote aloud: "'There is a reality independent of our minds!' No 'not'! You <I>added</I> the 'not'!"<BR/><BR/>Needless to say, Rorty was quite embarrassed!<BR/><BR/>Thanks for all the comments, folks, and for the "slow reading" link, John!Eric Schwitzgebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11541402189204286449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-83309996943505116422007-12-09T07:52:00.000-08:002007-12-09T07:52:00.000-08:00You may be interested in the discussion of variabi...You may be interested in the discussion of variability in the Wikipedia entry I posted on slow reading a few months ago. <BR/><BR/>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_readingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-74004884812609544672007-12-08T20:47:00.000-08:002007-12-08T20:47:00.000-08:00I agree with the way you relate the two ideas of 1...I agree with the way you relate the two ideas of 1.) reading quickly and @.) reading closely/slowly. The way to bring these two ideas together though is by 3.) reading with a pen or pencil, marking what you find important, etc. Afterwards with the context in place one can better re-engage with the central theses and problematic margins that you marked. I think one of the most important skills to teach young students is the importance of "mapping" a text. With a good system of codes and signs, key points ("X") or what you don't understand ("?") and as to what is important (as well as secondary code for lesser important) can be retained. I also use a particular sign to mark a point exceptional in the text or thought ("!") and sometimes when a text makes a startling point and needs rethinking I put a exclamation point and a question mark ("!?!"). I don't think we should forget that good speed reading needs a good system of marking or mapping the text.Mark Koesterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09381494138988308929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-35910053950218978932007-12-08T12:46:00.000-08:002007-12-08T12:46:00.000-08:00For what it's worth, I have heard that the late Ri...For what it's worth, I have heard that the late Richard Rorty was a speed reader. This can be taken as an argument for or against reading philosophy slowly, depending on one's view of Rorty's work.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-85539659843141362372007-12-08T08:53:00.000-08:002007-12-08T08:53:00.000-08:00Part of it is a talmudic thing. The assumption is ...Part of it is a talmudic thing. The assumption is that these great old philosophers were so profound, if only you could understand what they were trying to say, tease out the true meaning, you'd know everything. It's in the text we just need to discover it. A certain amount of that needs to go on, for historical research, translation, etc. But people forget that these were just men, not gods, and what they wrote wasn't perfect. The same thing is done with the constitution, as if the "founding fathers" were gods whose "original intent" is what we need to tease out to figure out what to do now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-25598590569583472052007-12-08T06:34:00.000-08:002007-12-08T06:34:00.000-08:00Hi, I agree that variability is the key to slow re...Hi, I agree that variability is the key to slow reading -- reading quickly over lighter passages and slowing down for the rich ones. Not all passages are equally deserving of slow reading.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com