The Point of Sections

Studying philosophy does not have the same aims as studying the natural or social sciences. In studying philosophy, the aim is less to acquire a definite body of knowledge or techniques. Rather, we aim at becoming better at evaluating the reasons we have for doing what we do, believing what we believe, and valuing what we value. The best way to become good at this is to practice it. If you've looked at the suggestions for reading and writing philosophical texts, you can see that both of these activities are intimately bound up with stating and evaluating arguments. Talking about philosophy in sections is a third major arena in which you can practice engaging with philosophy.

Continue to Ways of Participating.

Ways of Participating

Most of the time, sections do not start from scratch. Rather, we spend time thinking about what some important thinkers have said---not necessarily because they were right, but because they've thought hard and in interesting ways about the topics we're discussing in the course. As you'll probably find, it's much easier to get started on a problem, or to further your thinking on it, by starting with what someone else has said and trying to figure out which parts of what they've said seem right, which wrong, and why.

As you can see from the discussion of reading philosophy, it's not always obvious what someone is saying, or what reasons they're adducing. So if you feel as if you're not sure about what you believe, or you're not sure about what someone you've been thinking about means by what they write or say, that's normal. That feeling should not keep you from talking in section. Chances are that most of your class mates feel the same way and appreciate that someone asked a question they had, as well.

Indeed, a well-placed question can often help the discussion along. It will give you and others a chance to try on an answer for size and see if it feels right---you will find that actually stating a reason out loud, in the form of a full sentence, makes it much more obvious whether what you're thinking makes sense or not.

Let me say a little more about what makes a question a good one. At the beginning of a course, a unit within a course, or a section meeting, you might feel completely lost. The temptation at that point is to just throw up your hands and say "I don't know what's happening here. Somebody explain it to me." That gives the people you're talking to relatively little to go on. So let me give you a couple of strategies for turning your befuddlement into a more constructive situation.

Sometimes, you're confused because what the author is saying seems obviously true or obviously false. In either case, it's hard to see why you should talk about it. In these kinds of cases, stating that kind of problem can be extremely helpful. If the claim seems obviously true, try to say why it's obviously true. Perhaps the first reason that springs to mind is one the author has thought about and rejected. Perhaps it's one they haven't thought about, and it'd be good to see why we shouldn't just stop there.

Sometimes, you don't get even that far. Sometimes, the main claim the author is arguing for is couched in terms that seem unexplained, or perhaps the text doesn't really make it obvious what the main claim is in the first place. Suppose you don't know what the main claim is. In this kind of situation, there'll usually be some handful of candidates. Try to say which they are, and what made you think that they could be main claims (i.e., what textual clues point to them) and what made you think that they aren't really the main idea (i.e., what clues point away from them).

Suppose instead that you can point to the main claim, but that you can't make heads or tails of it. Try this: you'll most likely understand some part of it. Make up some claims in your own words that capture what you do understand, and ask which of these, if any, are at issue. Again, it can be extremely helpful to try and state something you don't understand in terms you do understand and then ask others about it.

Continue to Respect Each Other.

Respect Each Other

We read other authors in philosophy classes because our own thinking improves when we engage with others. This is no less true when we talk to each other. But such improvement requires that we act in good faith. Be sincere in what you say in section, and treat what others say as the result of serious reflection. Making fun of others, or trying to convince them that they're silly, is not the way forward.

Also, it's usually a bad idea to pontificate or to bring in material that nobody else has heard of. Chances are that you'll confuse your peers more than help them. There's usually plenty of material in the readings for a course to sustain a discussion. Strive to get clear on that first. What I said about focus in the discussion of writing applies here, as well.

Respect goes both ways. Do not feel as if someone is attacking you because they disagree with something you've said. Rather, it shows that they are treating what you're saying as something that should be accepted or rejected on its merits, independently of who said it. Likewise, if you find yourself not agreeing with what someone said, you should feel free to speak up about it. You're not showing up your peers or being a glory-hound by disagreeing with them. You're getting a discussion started or keeping one going, and so long as you are sincere and respectful, such discussions will almost always be rewarding.