Video Resources For Self-Directed Study In Philosophy

Many of my readers, viewers, listeners, and other followers are very interested in philosophy. Some of them are fortunate enough to be able to study the subject in a traditional academic institution with professors well-trained in the topics, perhaps even a decently organized curriculum or course of study to follow.

Many went to college or university, but didn’t get to study philosophy in the way they now wish they had. And many more simply don’t have the means or opportunity to go to school and study what they would like. Fortunately, philosophy isn’t a subject that a motivated learner absolutely must go to school in order to make progress in. It is possible to engage in study on one’s own, directing oneself, though likely taking some cues and clues, or even a suggested course of study from others.

In the last several years, I started producing a series of videos intended precisely to help motivated learners start and engage in self-directed study of particular philosophers or movements in philosophy. There are also a number of other videos I’ve produced in other series that I’ve realized could be quite useful for self-directed learners. Some of them were originally produced for students in my Introduction to Philosophy courses. Others are from my “quick takes” series and provide encouragement, cautions, context, and advice for those who engaging with philosophy.

Advice For Self-Directed Study Videos

With each of these videos, you’ll find the same basic format. I discuss why you might want to study the philosopher or school, what texts will be useful for you, a suggested order for approaching texts, what to keep in mind about format as you’re studying the texts, what secondary literature could be most helpful, and issues you don’t need to be sidetracked by as you’re starting out. In a number of them, I also talk about the main intentions or projects of the philosopher.

I’ll be updating this list regularly as new videos come out. For the present, here’s the philosopers and movements I’ve produced videos on

• Plato’s Dialogues and Thought

• The Cynic School of Philosophy

• Aristotle’s Works and Thought

• Epicurean Philosophy, Texts, and Practices

• Stoic Philosophy, Texts, and Practices

• Cicero’s Philosophy, Texts, and Thought

• Early Christian Philosophy

• Anselm of Canterbury’s Philosophy

• Rene Descartes’ Philosophy

• David Hume’s Philosophy

• Immanuel Kant’s Philosophy

• G.W.F. Hegel’s Philosophy

I’ll be producing a lot of additional videos providing advice about how to profitably study thinkers and movements in medieval, early modern, 19th century, and “contemporary” philosophy (which typically includes all the 20th century stuff — maybe that convention will change sometime in this 21st century).

Introduction to Philosophy Videos

There’s a number of other videos I’ve produced that could be helpful for self-directed learners focused on Philosophy. One is a set that I produced for my own students taking Introduction to Philosophy classes. When you’re getting into the field, it’s easy to assume that — as seems to be the case for other topics you could study — you’d want to begin with some definitions or least descriptions of what Philosophy is. As it turns out, that itself is a vexed but productive question within the field’s own history, down to the present.

So this sequence of short videos might be useful for someone starting out to watch:

• Can Philosophy Be Defined?

• Boundaries of Philosophy — What Philosophy Isn’t

• Philosophy As Discipline, Literature, Activity, Vocation

• Common Elements of Philosophical Work

I shot this longer video a long time back - so you’ll not only see a much younger me in it, but it’s also somewhat lower video and sound quality. I have plans to do an updated and expanded version of it sometime down the line, but I’d still stand by all the advice I give in the video.

• How to Read a Philosophical Text: Matters to Keep in Mind

I’ll be adding more videos of these sorts here later on.

Quick Takes Videos

Several of my “Quick Takes” videos might be very useful for self-directed learners, since they focus on problematic assumptions, ideas, or attitudes that people in Philosophy can find themselves falling prey to. Each of these videos discusses one of those. They’re the sort of “if the shoe fits, wear it” type of talks — if you recognize that the topic is a problem or issue for you, then watch it and see if the video helps.

Here they are:

• You’re Feeling Intimidated About Reading Works of Philosophy

• Texts With Auras | What To Make Of Them As You Study Philosophy

• Worries/Concerns About Being “Truly Well Read”

• Noting Similarities and Connections Between Different Philosophers

• Not Letting (The Desire For) The Best Become The Enemy Of The Good

• Should I Study Philosophy In Chronological Order?

• Contradictions Or Inconsistencies In Philosophers’ Works

• Worries About Taking Too Much Time In Reading Philosophers’ Works

• Worries Because A Philosopher Has Been Criticized or “Critiqued”

• Assuming Important Philosophical Terms Have Only One Meaning

As I produce any additional Quick Takes videos that might be relevant, I’ll add them to this list.

So there you go. If you’re someone who wants to engage in self-directed study - even if just a bit - in the discipline and literature of philosophy, perhaps these resources will be of some use to you. If they are, and you want to leave a comment, feel free to do so!