Studying Philosophy Outside of College

A meditation on some of the ways one can begin studying philosophy outside of a colligate environment.

[@justinpaul3110]

Two things that I've found challenging: 1. The terms and language. That was(and is) daunting and dense at times. 2. People! It's difficult to find people to interact with about philosophy. Then it's even harder to find SERIOUS people to talk philosophy with. I often feel I live vicariously through podcasts with decent philosophical conversations.

[@akhilrasheed6436]

He's back!

[@summerliu7341]

Oh thank goodness, our philosopher is back in business!🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳 We miss you! Professor Wes!

[@danstan8346]

Welcome back Wes

[@post-structuralist]

YES, AN UPLOAD. Also, I've never learned a lot philosophy from the great thinkers through normal school. But, I feel as I've learned the most just because I love doing so, and the interest just takes me. I've gained much from you in particular, and I'm glad to know you were just on break instead of something else. Thank you wes, I owe a piece of my education to you, and I will not forget.

[@spikedaniels1528]

Yes, a guided tour of philosophical topics / issues via essays and short writings - for those with a persisting interest, shorter attention spans and limited time - would be a most appreciated contribution!

[@conradgarcia6874]

Hi, Wes, I'd like to thank you for the philosophical content. Your channel helped over the years. They're concise, eloquent and lucid in relation to the philosopher and the subject matter. And the title of your video here hits me since I'm "studying philosophy outside of college" and I'm also writing a philosophy book. My book concerns logic, formal systems and so on, and how it can solve actual human problems which are problems concerning ethics and so on. This video gave me more encouragement to finish the book since I've less than a year to do so. Again, thank you so much.

[@Suite_annamite]

*What synchronicity...* I was just randomly thinking about you and your channel after not listening to you all year ... and it has just occurred to me that *you've been absent as well!*

[@barbcarbon9440]

One of the ways I like to study is to go down lines of influence. If I read someone who I thoroughly enjoy, I will find out who influenced them and read them next, and then continue down that genealogy of thought.

[@cheri238]

Welcome back, Wes. Philosophy in all areas all of my life I have been drawn to. Original texts and books are massive. It has been a journey for me, one who finds another many philosophers, one has not heard about. Reading and understanding what you explained was given to by my papa as he impressed upon mind at the tender age of five. Thank you for giving us the information about Stamford Encyclopedia Higher Learning. I have lived in libraries many years of my life and have a library of my own that began with my Papa's years ago. As for college, I never went. The educational system in our country has many problems. Those who have the opportunity to go, hopefully, they had the opportunity to think outside the box, as we all know our colleges is a beauocracy of its own. With the deepest respect and appreciation for your wisdom and sharing with all of us.

[@pillmuncher67]

German dude here. I was a Punk Rock kid in the early to mid 80s and came to philosophy because already then I felt that modern civilization sucked. An older acquaintance of mine suggested I read Arthur Schopenhauer. When I did, I found he spoke to my teenage soul and was not at all complicated to understand. But after a while, the whole Platonism he was so fond of made less and less sense to me. Then I read "Gödel, Escher, Bach" by Douglas Hofstadter and started computer programming. My girlfriend at the time studied Linguistics and we talked a lot about both natural and formal languages and that brought me to Logic. I had never been any good at math in school, but Logic came super easy to me. Only later I discovered that I love Abstract Algebra and Category Theory. Anyway, I started reading Quine, Davidson, Putnam, anthologies on the Theories of Mind, anthologies on the Theories of Truth, and such. When the philosophical problems discussed in Analytic Philosophy seemed to become more and more esoteric, I started to lose interest. But then I discovered Nelson Goodman, Richard Rorty, John Dewey, and the later Ludwig Wittgenstein. Now, those guys really spoke to me. They gave me a new perspective on the world. From Wittgenstein I learned that very often, what we believe to be true, is only true because we've structured our thinking in such a way that it can't not be true. Practically the same thing that Nelson Goodman said. If we rid ourselves of all these prejudices on which we've built out thinking, we realize that almost nothing in our way of living and thinking is in any shape or form necessarily so. The world could be quite different, and could be changed to be different. Sadly, we as a society stray ever further away from a sustainable way of living, both with regards to the environment we inhabit and to our mental health, and we insist on keeping traditions on artificial life support that have lost all real meaning for us. Tradition is just peer pressure from dead people, anyway, as Beau of the Fifth Column likes to put it. It is not surprising that I loved the Daodejing, the Zhuangzi, and Thoreau's Walden when I discovered them some fifteen years or so ago. So I still think that modern civilization sucks balls, but at least now I can put my finger on its discontents, and they're not at all what Freud thought they were. Nowadays I don't read much philosophy anymore. Every few years I re-read the "Philosophical Investigations", "Wittgenstein on Rules and Private Language", and "Fact, Fiction, and Forecast". The Daodejing and the Zhuangzi I re-read all the time. Those five my favorites and they fit together neatly.

[@bruneldetazamaz6600]

Your comment has piqued my interest on Wittgenstein and his thinking. I have an affinity for the Taoist texts you mentioned, but have never gotten around to reading Wittgenstein due to my perception of him as challenging, which has dissuaded me as I have not felt that I have much time in my life--though I have read elsewhere of his relevance to Taoist thinking so have had an inclination to engage with his work at some point for a while now. I wonder if you could suggest an order in which to read those 3 texts by him or about his thought? I suppose an introductory work may be of use too before these, or do they assume no specialist knowledge?

[@MattFRox]

This is fantastic timing. I did a deep dive on ur channel six to twelve months ago and just fairly randomly thought, 'Hey, I'll check out what's happening up in the Northwest...philosophically!'

[@michaelhardin9123]

I took an intro to philosophy course at Wayne State University back in 2001 and had a great experience. The course had a lecture 3 days per week and then a “lab” one day that was half of the class having an open discussion with a teaching assistant moderator. It was awesome! Having an online lecture and then a zoom open discussion afterward would be great.

[@Davidfrompluto]

Dear Wes, Thank you for the incredible enlightenment you have provided me concerning philosophy. I am 62 and discovering this amazing odyssey of human thought. I've listened to almost all your lectures twice. Welcome back. Please set up a discussion zoom or online group where we can learn through Socratic dialectics with and through one another. I believe it is your calling. You are a true light to the world and humanity in today's age. Gracias!!!

[@memecathar1263]

A small bookshelf with the books you’d like to read, next to your TV or anywhere you’d see it often, is something I’ve found to be helpful. Our culture, workplace, etc doesn’t seem to tell us “go read a book” when we’re bored or have free time. Probably because books are cheap or even free usually. It more likely says “tv, food, drugs, money”. But if the books are right there where you see the titles of the books constantly you will pick them up and start reading them. Works for me anyway. Especially since my partner does it too and she’s always asking me about them and I… well I don’t know I better read em. :)

[@echiantichiletture3474]

Searched for you couple of days ago, we are in touch! Great to hear you back dear Wes!

[@hectorfuenmayor1]

Dear Professor Cecil, that there’s a philosophy profesor that can continually crack students into laughter even on abstruse and boring subjects, is for me like having run into a pile of diamonds. I have kind of gotten an addiction to your talks. And about philosophy and theology coming together, listening to Paul Tillich’s “Courage to Be” recently blew my mind on how that marriage could ever be possible. That of course if you don’t go along with him in his conclusions. Thanks again profesor! How wonderful KZbin can be!

[@user-yb6mc9ln7g]

It's a good day when Wes uploads

[@Kowjja]

I'm a music student and i'm trying to study philosophy to hopefully become a better individual and simply because i'm interested in philosophy. And your lectures have been very helpful, especially when you don't know how to get started like me Also this will probably not surprise you but there's a new found interest in philosophy among younger people

[@eva-lottaforsstrom7687]

Great to hear your voice again!!

[@Xanadu2025]

Awesome to hear new content!

[@tuckerpippin6576]

Happy to see you upload again! Was just checking yesterday to see if the summer lecture series has started.

[@AlexanderKoryagin]

Thank you very much for sharing your insights! And happy to see you back! Namaste! 🕉️

[@falls2shine712]

Your story about having to plough through Schopenhauer for college exams was hilarious! Like mayflies skitting out over pond water.

[@ArtOfWarStudios1]

Glad to hear you voice again!

[@TrentonGauthier]

Yay!🎉

[@schaduwraaf]

Awesome to hear this new content! ✨🌺✨

[@notabene9804]

Heyo! Thank you for your content! Ive been working ny way up from the oldest stuff, getting side tracked on the language seminars rn. I myself think this is an appropriate topic, considering how I've used your lectures to serve as jumping off points into these thinkers. I picked up Ciceros Laws, for example, and found it beautiful if copying Plato (who Karl Popper has some choice things to speak of if you're interested); your fifty minute background on Heidegger was just the thing I needed to help me plow through Being and Time, and keyed me into Hume, Russell, and Witt.; I've revisited my ancient Greek, trying my hand at translating Aristophanes while I fiddle around learning living languages; bro, I tried letter writing (still waiting on it tho smh). I think you said it p good in one of the early vids: its just about trying, not letting yourself say no to yourself about discovery. And I'd like to think there are plenty of people out there who just aren't keen to call it philosophy, they associate the word with a "faluttin'" realm-of-thought instead of just like, thinking, an over-estimation of it. No one is not worth philosophy; there was that one day, out of all the people in the Forum, Socrates thought the person most fit to ask questions with was a slave.

[@tsilaras_exposed3109]

Can't wait for your upcoming content!

[@adrianziebura9420]

Hey man, good to see some new content !

[@DelandaBaudLacanian]

15:28 - are you thinking of Herder (the German classicist/thinker who said ancient Greeks were "white"?). Thanks for all your content Dr. Cecil!

[@migaru7362]

Thank you professor its good to have you back. You well guessed some of us dont have those to share their thoughts with, but atleast your ideas are always great stimuli to one´s mind.

[@dreamcatchersong]

Irish, in Ireland, recently retired. You're a GREAT teacher. Do please continue!

[@HideAndRead]

Been studying by myself for a few years now, no schooling. I found a few books I wanted to understand, but could not. I then spent about a year building up a framework before branching out to more specific topics. I'm sharing this as a relative beginner, not an expert. Here are some books/authors I've found captivating: Dao de ching The Prince Gospel of Mark The Book of Five Rings Meditations Leviathan The AntiChrist Nicomachean Ethics spending more time with the text and less time with commentary is a big plus.

[@jonp3674]

Nice talk. One thing re the online communication thing is that I remember you talking about your 30 day philosophical experiments where you'd just try out an idea in your life for 30 days and report back? That might be an interesting thing because people can all try it together and then each person has their own insight and feedback they can share.

[@grandmasterhiram]

Yes, I can establish a Grant Pool for Independent Researchers. That's one thing I would enjoy to the max.

[@0rangecray0n]

Please continue to upload philosophy has helped every apsect of my life

[@stress2558]

"the more i study the less i feel like i know". Im a philosophical genius I love your content wes

[@obrotherwhereartliam]

Welcome back! It's been three years since I graduated from philosophy and I have to say, doing research on your own is a challenge when you have other things in life to attend to, not even including personal goals that are outside of learning. One of the things I have become increasingly frustrated with is the financialization of degrees and Universities. It has completely pushed me from doing a masters in philo (I would have done it as something personal but the time investment and cost, let alone job prospects, it can't be justified anymore). The other issue of going independent is the cost, you won't have access to most journals and when they are free, the publishers create artificial barriers to incentive you to pay (I have email chains with JSTOR to prove it). On the other hand, I still find it deeply rewarding and worth pursing, I don't think I have a choice not to anyway. Lately I've been spending over a year working on Theravada Buddhism, going back to the ancient texts and comparing it to contemporary practices and authors. It's true what you said, just going back to the primary texts, you are already ahead of the curve (even of supposed experts) and it's been some of the most thrilling work I've done. Can't wait for your future lectures!

[@philalethes216]

@@thotslayer9914 yes

[@david9920]

Hello Dr wes I am65 returning to a passion I started when I when I was younger practice of the epicurean life is why true that philosophy is knowledge is is the for all that seeking that gives to others and makes you see how much they give to you thank you for your sharing your knowledge is valuable to All thank you 💞

[@david9920]

PS ai question ❓ would it be a form of killing to turn off a machine that has the possiblity of being a living entity ❓

[@ZhoraYevich]

Heyyy yeaaah! Back!

[@RubyOnyxx]

I enjoy your videos a lot, at one point I really needed them and I'm so happy they were there, mostly talkng about the 'Uses of Philosophy for Living' series. I haven't talked about philosophy with other people because I have a lot of social anxiety/other issues that make it difficult but I would imagine it'd be lots of fun. If anybody wants some websites here's some I've used for years now: Dailynous - News regarding Philosophy 1000 Word Philosophy - 1000 essays on philosophical topics Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews - reviews of philosophical books The Philosophy Paperboy - Latest academic articles relating to philosophy Standford Encyclopedia of Philosophy - What Wes mentioned, also has a random entry button that can introduce you to something completely new Internet Enyclopedia of Philosophy - Browse Alphabetically and by Topic Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Sort by Regions/Religions/Topics/Periods Philosophy Paperboy and Routledge have information that is locked but you can still learn a decent amount that is provided for free. Also you can email authors and they might send you their article, or so I've read (I haven't done this myself). Enjoy reading.

[@moesaloojee5202]

Much Obliged - I think a community would be great for a start online with the hope of a “gathering” whether that be Called a workshop or conference - a place for people to meet and chat about ideas maybe within certain structures - or we can see where the conversation goes and call it an unconvention !Peace

[@BigAussieDonkey]

Wes is back 🙏

[@Jimmylad.]

Does anyone know who the German scholar who Wes mentioned that said the Greeks were white?

[@scotimages]

Useful. Can I put in a plug for every mature individual starting philosophy on their own to start with at least some understanding of epistemology, especially if you have come from a background of science, engineering, medicine or law. Only read what interests you. Certainly do not start with the SEP as I did. Look at Wikipedia and the IEP before them. Buy general text books at first. Remember when reading primary texts from individual philosphers that they are some of the most articulate people on the planet but are often verbose in the extreme and dreadfully illdisciplined and boring writers. Develop your own ideas but do so with reference to the literature. Develop a philosophical stance.

[@rivmaisr6750]

Finally new vid yayyy

[@darrellee8194]

I wondering, can you publish without a Phd? Can you start a Phd in your late 50's? How might you go about doing either of those things?

[@post-structuralist]

Wes, did you mean the German philosopher Houston Chamberlain?

[@Nopeaintme]

I think one of the most frustrating things in the world for me was having a group project wherein I was given 1 PowerPoint slide for a presentation that I had to cover Karl Marx, Marxism, and his relation to the conflict theories.. Actually wanted to scream

[@omchattar1426]

I was worried something had happened to you

[@alan2here]

employ someone to translate them

[@hejdingamleraev]

Don't knock overviews and introductions, some of them are really good. Readers (books about books) can be great as well when trying to read difficult work. I think that in order to get a broad philosophical education (in a reasonable span of time) you need introductions, overviews or textbooks, as there is so much you would have to read to get the same understanding by reading the original works. But I do agree that reading original works are valuable (and very enjoyable in many cases). Also for those who are new to philosophy I recommend Crash course Philosophy on youtube. It's a good start.

[@jmdigriz]

discovered

[@rama_lama_ding_dong]

Interesting thing about AI is you'd need to read SciFi 😂

[@mr1234567899111]

Thanks (⁠•⁠‿⁠•⁠)

[@JovanJovanovic-rl6zq]

Hi Wes, i would like to ad that Chat GPT has become a great way of learning about philosophy and science in general.. You can for example ask it "what is the famous paragraph of the book the world of will and representation" or you can ask "what was the Schopenhauers stance on man who lives in such a world and what was his position on truth, find me that passage".. whatever you think of.. Therefore i think it has become the single most useful tool for learning what has been said before... Its really unfair how good of a tool it is if you know how and what to ask.. check it out, and thanks for recording again

[@tresjordan982]

This is a subject on my mind as of late. Being a 10th grade drop out I'd taken Twain"s insight that " I never let schooling get in the way of my education" to heart. In Philosophy thats major. 1) DONT EVER READ THEIR BOOKS !! First off you must have a strong understanding of Philosophical language to read almost all of them. Sadly many have taken the tact of confusion and complexity to make them feel legitimate scholars. Read of their lives, geography, era, relationships, habits to get a feel for why they were what they thought. For instance. I found it disconcerting that Wittgenstein"s letters home from the abysmal trenches of WW1....never mention the war that was going around him!! HOW CAN THAT BE !! He also wrote Tractus while he was hauling around dead bodies. 2) Get condensed and plainly written explanations of the foundations of each Philosopher. Before the Net there was a line of paperbacks from England called " Introducing "......each one introducing complex subjects , Chaos theory etc;, we now have You Tube and Wes Cecil for that. 3) AGAIN,,,,learn the language....if you think ontology is the study of Cancers, your lost. 4) Realize that everyone is a philosopher....they just dont know it!! The many times Ive discovered that a great mind like Voltaire was having the same thought that I'd been having about XYZ,,,, well it was humbling and exciting at the same time. 5) Take your time,,,,,most should be digested slowly. Occasionally a Montaigne will come by that you can inhale in one glorious sitting,,,but its rare. 6) Seek out the outliers ,,,,there have been so many that have been ignored but are of great value. 7)Philosophy is a way of life! Reading this stuff should stain you....mainly in a positive way but not always...beware what you adopt. Schopenhauer has been a huge influence on me,,,,but if you dont thouroughly understand it and adopt it willy nilly ....you'll just sound like an old grouch....which towards the end of his life he most certainly was not, School of Pessimism be damned!! Which of course brings us to a most important 8) once youve been around the campus for awhile,,,, read their books, it it now safe. 9) Ignore Nietzsche !!!

[@FormsInSpace]

just read the philosophy books that interest you. school dictates you read philosophers you have no interest in. that's lame