FOR WISDOM SEEKERS, CREATORS, AND DEEP THINKERS
4 Week Philosopher
Read Your First Philosophy Book.
Start To Finish.
(In Just 28 Days)
Learn how to read philosophy in 4 weeks so that you can:- Teach yourself pretty much anything and become irreplaceable
- Think more clearly so that you make better life decisions
- Create deeper and more meaningful social media content
PHILOSOPHY ONLY GETS EASIER
FROM HERE.
A harsh, but important truth:
Millions of people want to read philosophy for its incredible benefits, but never get started or make any progress.Why?Because before this course existed, there were only really two options:1) Figure it out on your ownor2) Pay $1500+ for a traditional college course (which is more likely make you read a bunch of stuff than actually teach you how).Some people think that if you can't read philosophy by yourself, then you shouldn't even try because you aren't smart enough.I couldn't disagree more.I think almost anyone can read and understand philosophy with the right approach and training.I know this because I used to struggle read.Not just philosophy.Everything.I distinctly remember picking up my best friend's copy of Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire and trying to read it.I sat there for about 20 minutes, got bored, and gave up.Why was he able to enjoy these things but I couldn't?Eventually, though, I was able to figure it out and go on to complete a PhD at an Ivy-League University.If I was able to do it, then there isn't any reason you can't.My goal is to help as many people as I can avoid making the same mistakes I did.This course is specifically designed to help regular people develop a meaningful relationship with philosophy by reading and understanding their first philosophy book so that they can become more independent thinkers.
This Course is for you if:
You have always wanted to read philosophy because you believe it is important and can give you a deeper engagement with life, but don't even know where to start.
You have tried to read philosophy (maybe even more than once) but keep getting stuck, bored, or confused before you get the benefits.
You don't fully believe (or often question) that you are capable of doing hard things like reading philosophy, and end up never trying.
You are not part of an intellectual community and think that it is pointless to invest so much effort into something hard by yourself.
You struggle to understand or remember what you read, are not confident that you could even use these ideas in conversation, or to improve your life.
You have limited time to learn new skills or ideas outside of what you know, and the bar for reading philosophy is too high.
You have already spent years going through school (or never benefitted from traditional courses) and don't want something that feels too academic.
You don't want to spend several thousand dollars enrolling in a college philosophy course.
I Used To Hate Reading Until I Developed My Own System That Finally Made It Enjoyable
and
Interesting
My Reading Journey:
When I was a kid, I hated to read.I wasn't good at it, and it made me feel either dumb or bored.Eventually I just stopped trying.Whenever I wanted to learn something, I would just watch a television show, documentary, or movie instead.In high school, things changed when I started having more intellectual discussion with my friends about space, politics, history, and philosophy.I wanted to be able to keep up with my them, so I tried to start reading the kinds of books they were reading.Around the same time, I was working at Dominos and worried that my grades were not good enough for me to get into college.I was at a fork in the road.Something had to change or else I would be stuck working at a job that I hated with no plan, or hope that things would get better.So I decided to start trying harder in school and see where that could get me.I decided that, for the first time in my life, I was going to actually try.That summer, I signed myself up for Advanced Placement English Literature and U.S. History.I was either going to sink or swim.At first it was challenging.I actually had to spend hours reading, taking notes, and preparing for class.My mind would wander, tempting me to go play video games, or basketball.But I stayed focused on the challenge in front of me.Eventually, something clicked. I started to ... enjoy reading!?This was the turning point for me.All it really took for me to reach the point where I could enjoy reading for the first time was forcing myself to just sit there and do the damn thing.It wasn't easy, but it was simple.Since then I haven't looked back.The more you do an activity, the more you notice little tips and tricks about what works and what does not.I began to experiment with different ways of taking notes, reading out loud, reading silently.I tried everything.Over time I developed my own personal reading system that would, eventually, make it possible for me to complete a PhD in Philosophy at an Ivy-League University.These methods have worked for me, and made it possible to go from never reading actually finishing any of the books assigned in school to teaching the world's brightest undergraduates how to read philosophy.I went from hating reading to breathing reading.Reading philosophy has now become one of the great joys in my life, and something that I am deeply grateful for and plan to do until I die.Here is a general overview of my personal reading system that I will teach you in this course.
Introducing
The Micro-Reading System
MY PERSONAL READING SYSTEM
FOR PHILOSOPHY
01
Pre-Reading
02
Micro-Reading
03
Post-Reading
Break Down Difficult Texts
The Exact System I Used To Teach 1000+ Students How To Read Philosophy (Including Myself)
Every semester, I teach my students how to read philosophy using the Micro-Reading System.I use the same exact framework regardless of whether I am teaching Ancient Greek Philosophy, or 20th Century Philosophy.The underlying principles are universal.This system has made it possible for students to go from never having read any philosophy before, to speaking intelligently about assigned texts throughout the course.More importantly, it teaches students how to have more self-confidence when reading difficult material, to ask questions and think for themselves, and enjoy studying and learning.
4 WEEK PHILOSOPHER Has
2 Goals
1) For every student to finish their first philosophy book in 4 weeks2) To teach every student the Micro-Reading System so that they can dramatically improve their reading skill moving forwardThe book we will use to accomplish these two goals is Existentialism Is A Humanism by Jean-Paul Sartre.
Why Existentialism Is A Humanism?I chose this book for 3 Reasons:1) It is a philosophical classic2) It is short enough to finish in 4 weeks3) It is challenging enough to develop your reading skills, but not too challenging compared to some philosophy books~I want to be clear.This is not a course on Jean-Paul Sartre, or Existentialism.First and foremost, this is a course about how to read philosophy that uses Sartre's text as raw material to practice so that you will be able to read more confidently on your own after the course.There will be opportunities to discuss the content of the book in the community attached to the course if that is something you are interested in, but this is a reading course first and foremost.Here Is Exactly What You Will Learn:The Micro-Reading System:Learn how to completely analyze a text into its most fundamental parts, starting with individual words, and building up from there.The 3 Phases Of Reading:I like to think of reading as a process that can be broken down into 3 phases:1. Pre-Reading Phase
2. Micro-Reading Phase
3. Post-Reading PhaseLet me briefly go through each phase.Note: This system is specifically calibrated for reading philosophy. Some of it is certainly useful for reading in general, but not all of it.Pre-Reading PhaseA lot of people set themselves up for failure and frustration before they even open a philosophy book.The main reason is that philosophy is such a complicated and difficult field that so many things can go wrong in the pre-reading phase.You might:-Choose a book that is too difficult
-Choose a bad translation
-Have the wrong expectations of the textReading philosophy is not like reading a series of philosophical quotes.A lot of people like philosophical quotes, but then go to read philosophy and think it is boring.
Reading philosophy is more like weight training for your mind.It challenges you to think.It changes who you are.It is not meant to be entertaining, but fascinating, awe-inspiring, and rewarding.In the first module of the course, I will explain in detail everything that I think you should do before even opening a philosophical text.This includes:-Choosing the right book
-Setting realistic expectations
-Familiarizing yourself with the authorEventually, the need for pre-reading decreases as everything you read begins to flow together into a natural progression, with each book pointing its way to the next in a seamless flow of information.But that requires building up research momentum and reading skill.Micro-Reading Phase:The main focus of this particular course will be the actual skills and tips for reading real philosophical sentences.Not sentences about philosophy, but actual philosophy.Over many years, I developed and refined these skills.I like to teach students from the ground up how to analyze a text starting with individual words and building up to complete sentences and paragraphs.At each level there are different challenges.For example, an individual word might be a technical philosophical term that you have never heard before, or a translation from another language. A philosophical sentence, meanwhile, might contains words you understand individually, but can't put together into a meaningful whole.At the chapter level, a strong reader of philosophy must be able to relate the various ideas of each chapter into a coherent overarching argument in order to access the deeper meaning of the text.The better you become at utilizing the Micro-Reading System, the faster you and more effortlessly you can read.You want to eventually be able to seamlessly move between reading a text smoothly at a moderate pace, and then revisiting difficult passages in great detail.Again, the approach you take to a text will depend significantly on the work you put in during the pre-reading phase.For certain authors, there is no way to read them quickly, and this requires adapting your expectations accordingly.Post Reading:Finishing a book is a huge personal accomplishment.But what do you do after finishing the book to get the most out of it?In the final module of the course, I will teach how to:-Talk about what you have read with others**
-Choose what to read next
-Efficiently re-read a text
Course Structure
Here's What To Expect
4 Week Curriculum
The curriculum is designed to be completed in 4 weeks. Each week is built around 1 weekly assignment and 1 live group call. By the end of the 4 weeks, you will have finished the book.
4 Live Calls
Each week we will meet for a live group call and talk about the past week's lessons. You will be able to ask questions, share your experiences, and practice with others.
4 Assignments
Each module contains 1 weekly assignment. This assignment will tell you exactly what to read and how to approach it so that you practice specific reading skills.
1 Private Call
A 45 minute one-on-one call either during the 4 week curriculum, or up to 2 weeks after. I will communicate with you about what your goals for the call are so that we can use the time effectively.
✓ BONUS
BONUS #1
Arguments Primer (e-book)
In this short guide, I will teach you the basics of how to identify and analyze philosophical arguments.Philosophy is known for its arguments, and it is essential to your philosophical development to be able to pick out an argument when you see it.
✓ BONUS
BONUS #2
15 Philosophy Books You Should Read Before You Die
A short guide outlining which philosophy books are worth reading at some point, with advice about how to approach them and what to look out for.
✓ BONUS
BONUS #3
Micro-Reading Kortex Template
A free Kortex template that you can use to analyze any philosophical passage as you read.
But, Can't I Just Read Philosophy On My Own?
I'm going to be honest.I fully believe that you can figure out how to read philosophy on your own.If I was able to do it, then there is no reason why you can't do it too.There is nothing special about me.But I would hate for you to make all of the same mistakes that I did.I would hate for you to waste thousands of dollars (literally thousands) buying books that you never read, and never making any progress.Maybe you have thousands of hours of free time to figure it out, or enough money to hire a private tutor to help you.If that doesn't describe your life, and you just want to become fluent in philosophy sooner rather than later, then I will make sure that happens as quickly and enjoyably as possible.
My promise to you...
If you follow the steps of this course, there is a very high chance that you will finally finish your first philosophy book (and enjoy it along the way).
If neither of those things happen, I will:
1) Schedule a private call with you and figure out what went wrong and how to make it right.or2) Give you a complete refund in 7 days, no questions asked.(Yes, that's right, even if you finish the course I will give you a full refund!)
Are You Ready To Finish Your First Philosophy Book And Join A Community Of Readers, Thinkers, and Writers On The Same Journey As You?
There are 2 ways to get involved:
CURRICULUM ONLY
$69
Gain lifetime access to the complete curriculum, which consists of video lessons, text based lessons, and downloadable templates.
✓ Lifetime Curriculum Access
✓ Free Community Access
PREMIUM PACKAGE
$297
Gain lifetime curriculum access + 4 weeks of coaching, community support, and all 3 bonuses.
✓ Lifetime Curriculum Access
✓ 4 Weekly Calls
✓ 1 Private Call
✓ Premium Community Access
✓ Bonus #1: Arguments Primer
✓ Bonus #2: How To Think Philosophically
THE ANSWERS YOU NEED
Frequently Asked Questions
I Wouldn't Be A Philosopher If I Didn't
Love Answering Questions
How Long Will It Take To See Results?
If you follow the course curriculum and complete the assignments, you will see improvement every time you open a book. The reason is that you will be empowered before you read with new skills and the right intentions to have a productive reading session.
When Does The Course Begin?
As soon as you enroll in the course, you will have instant access to the course page and materials. You will also receive an onboarding email the following day which contains instructions for your onboarding call. You can choose the start date of the 4 weeks of coaching during your onboarding call.
What If I Have Already Read Some Philosophy?
Whether you have already read some philosophy or not, the Micro-Reading System can help take your reading to the next level. I use this same approach whether I am reading a beginner friendly text, or a more advanced text.
What If I Don't Like The Chosen Text?
If you would rather apply these concepts to something else, I would be happy to work with you in selecting a text and going over it with you in our private call. The concepts can be applied to pretty much any philosophical text with small modifications.
Do I Need To Buy The Book?
Existentialism Is A Humanism is available for free online, but I would recommend buying a physical copy, since I strongly believe in the benefits of reading physical books. It will also be nice to own a copy of the first philosophy book you finish.