The step of finding which philosopher you want to work with can be a challenge. However, once you learn to use the resources I've placed here, things should move along much more efficiently.
- Step 1 - Use the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy or the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy to read about what different philosopher have said about your subject.
- The key to making this a success is using the right "key words." You may find something right away with your original search terms. If not, read the articles and keep track of the words they are using to discuss the issue. Words like "metaphysics" or "epistemology" might not be the first ones you tried, but they may yield significantly better results!
- Step 2 - Find the actual text, including which section of it is relevant to your question. Under the "Resources" tab, I added a list of links to the philosophical texts I think will be used most often for this project. Also, on the right hand side, I added in a link to the Liberty Fund's Online Library - there are links there to just about any text you need.
Once you find the text, read it carefully - spend time with it - listen to what it has to say and how it makes its argument. Maybe it is totally different from the way you thought about these issues and opens up new possibilities for you. Maybe you completely disagree with it. There are many possibilities.
Your goal with section 3 is to bring the voice of your chosen philosopher(s) into your project. You are explaining and clarifying their ideas - summarizing the key points, showing the different parts of their argument, and highlighting key quotations. Later, in section 5, you will think and write about how it links to your project overall.
Happy reading, writing, and thinking!
