I have posted and discussed on many philosophy issues here, mostly with respect to coaching and syllabus. But this post is more concerned about basics and fundamental principles for learning and developing better cognition skills which will ultimately enhance your answer writing skills too.
Content put forward is based on my intense analysis, research and observation over a period of 5 years sicnce my engineering days. I have just tried to summarize as lucidly I can. I hope that is wisdom rather than knowledge will benefit all beginners in all walks of life as analysis, reading is part of our life.
I receive messages seeking advice on learning philosophy. And I have replied to numerous such queries. So here is all that summarised in a single post.
1. Always focus on terms- mostly on etymology- which means its origin. Example word Epistemology can be break down into:
Epi- Upon or above; Stem- I take it stems as source of knowledge emanating from a tree, Logy- Study or theory, so it become- Theory based(Upon or above) Knowledge/ Theory of knowledge.
Whenever you don't understand, just seek the meaning of the term. You will get the most of it. Words make the world.
2. First Principle: Reduce all the complex theories to the base, where it cannot be further simplified. Now start thinking from over here.
eg. from Philosophy.- Buddha's Pratitya Samutpad-
Simplify it and form very clear idea like- What is Pratitya Samutpad, Why Buddha propunded it? Does it has any relation to vedas, Jaina's? Does it has any western counterparts. And now co-relate with Ksanikbvad, Nairatmyvad.
ALWAYS REMEMBER- everything in this world is CO- RELATED. There are many few thing in this world which are independent. So any theory has to have some co-relation with its cohort.
Never see anything in isolation. When you try to co-relate, you open up your brain, you stimulate your nerve cells and push your dendrites to grow.
3. Apply what you have- I realised this much later in my teens, rather than reading more, I should focus on what I have and how can I utilse this better. More you apply the things you possess in your knowledge bank, more creative you become. Your essays turn out to be creative and multi-dimensional. This specially assists in civil services preparation. Just review and rethink what you read. I mean it. In the long run, you will have much more clarity in thoughts and its a memory booster.
eg. you read something about LGBT in a paper- think- where you can apply it- discrimation, inequality, globalisation ; was there any provision in the past; what about other countries?
Make it a habit whenever you read to co-relate that thing to past, present and future. I guarantee you, when you make it a part of your life, your analysis about any issue will be much better than majority of the population.
More points will be discussed in the later part.
P.S. Some points has its source in the personal test discussion which I had with Mitra sir.
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