Writing to Learn: An Introduction to Writing Philosophical Essays

Based on the premise that one of the best ways for a student to understand a topic is to write about it, this is a book that teaches students how to write philosophical essays. Geared toward first-time philosophy students, the book is a supplement for any Philosophy course in which the instructor requires the students to write essays. Most of the work involved in a Philosophy class is reading assigned material, thinking about it, and then writing about it – whether on an exam or in an essay written outside of class. This book is designed to make all three of those activities easier. Writing to Learn begins with helpful hints on how to read philosophy (chapter 2). In chapters 3 through 7 students are guided through several different types of essays, beginning with the simplest summaries that demonstrate knowledge and understanding, and progressing through essays that require the application of theories to new situations, the analysis and evaluation of arguments used, and finally, the synthesis of several theories or arguments.