In our December "how can we help you?" thread, Tom writes:
I have a Bachelor's degree in philosophy, and I am going on my second semester as a teaching assistant at my alma mater for sections of ethics and philosophy of religion. I'm not a graduate student, but I was for a few weeks before I quit due to a lack of proper treatment for my mental disorders. However much I might like to return to a master's program to improve my knowledge of philosophy, my mental health professional has advised against it. I read a lot in my area of interest, which is a particularly narrow domain of inquiry. I still write from time to time. I have some people who are willing to give me feedback on my writing, but without attending graduate school, my goal of publishing my two most cherished pieces of philosophical writing seems impossible. Now to my question: how do I improve my writing and develop my ability as a philosopher independently and largely in isolation?
I'm not sure that I have a great answer to Tom's question. I guess my suggestion would be to simply keep up with new articles coming out in their area and try to seek out feedback from professional philosophers or grad students who are willing to read their work. I do think it is probably very hard (though not impossible) to publish and develop as a philosopher independently and in isolation, especially with only a Bachelor's degree. However, it's been done by many philosophers (and scientists!) in history, and I'm strongly inclined to not discourage people or make pronouncements about what 'cannot be done.' If human history shows anything, it is that dedication and resourcefulness can go a long way.
But these are just my thoughts. What are yours?
Leave a Reply