Philosophical Writing: An Introduction [Paperback]

A. P. Martinich (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0631202811 | ISBN-13: 978-0631202813 | Publication Date: February 10, 1997 | Edition: 2

Substantially updated and revised, the third edition of Philosophical Writing is designed to help those with little or no experience in philosophy to think and write successfully.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"There is an intimate and difficult-to-articulate connection between clear thinking and writing. A. P. Martinich has written a masterful book, chock full of examples, in which this connection is made explicit ... There is nothing like it in the available literature. I recommend it enthusiastically." Professor Avrum Stroll, University of California at San Diego

"Beautifully crafted, Philosophical Writing dispels the myth that the art of good writing cannot be taught. In a most engaging manner, Martinich details how students can incorporate the virtues of cogency, clarity, and directness into their writing. It is difficult to imagine any undergraduate who will not benefit from reading this exemplary book." Professor Mark Bernstein, University of Texas at San Antonio

From the Back Cover

This is the substantially updated and revised edition of A. P. Martinich's best-selling text, Philosophical Writing: An Introduction. It's goal is to help those with little or no experience in philosophy to write successfully. By improving students' ability to present their knowledge and thoughts clearly, it helps them gain confidence in their essay-writing skills.

This new edition includes three new sections on Contraries and Contradictions, Distinctions, and Definitions, as well as a glossary of those terms peculiar to philosophical prose (such as "obtain" and "straw man"). The second edition retains the highly acclaimed commentary on features of an essay, showing the evolution from draft stage to completion of a good paper, a crash course on logic, and a clear description of types of reasoning. It also discusses the special problem of being a student-author writing for a professor.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell; 2 edition (February 10, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0631202811
• ISBN-13: 978-0631202813
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #851,654 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An essential guide, March 13, 2002

By 

Joseph C. Long (Tallahassee, FL United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Philosophical Writing: An Introduction (Paperback)

While working on an M.A. in theology, I learned that there is life after grammar and syntax. I have always enjoyed writing in general, and my written work has always received high marks. Writing philosophy, however, is a whole new game, and in Philosophical Writing, A. P. Martinich clearly and concisely explains the rules. Although it is designed for students, anyone interested in arguing well through the written word would benefit greatly from this book.

Philosophical Writing consists of eight chapters and two appendices. In the first chapter Martinich points out that students writing philosophical essays are placed in the rather ironic situation: the student must play the role of a writer writing for an audience who (usually) knows the subject matter far better than the writer does. Martinich then offers practical advice for dealing with this odd situation.

The second chapter provides a nice, little introduction to the uses of logic in constructing that which is the heart of the philosophical essay: a well formed and well written argument.

In chapter three, the structure of a well-formed philosophical essay is discussed. The last half of this chapter contains a tiny essay on Hobbes, which Martinich uses to illustrate his points.

In "Composing", the fourth chapter, Martinich offers advice on everything from selecting a topic, through getting the stumped student started researching and writing, to polishing the final draft. From the information presented in this chapter, I have been able to develop an approach to philosophical composition that has been useful throughout the process of writing my masters thesis. This help alone has been worth the price of this book.

As in every field, there are tricks of the analytic trade, and in chapter five, Martinich explains seven tactics for analytic writing such as how to know which terms should be defined and how to define them, the role of counterexamples, and how to use dialectical reasoning in one's argument.

In the sixth chapter, although no specific rules exist, per se, Martinich discusses what it takes to make a sound argument (a valid argument, the premises of which are true) compelling.

The seventh chapter, sort of miniature Strunk and White, presents the elements of philosophical style. This is what separates the great writing from the merely good.

Like many, Martinich waits until the end to deal with the introduction. It seems that introductions have difficulties which are peculiar to it, and Martinich offers some advice on dealing with these difficulties.

Philosophical Writing concludes with two appendices. Although I am not inclined to procrastinate, Appendix A, "It's Sunday Night and I Have an Essay Due Monday Morning", has saved my backside a couple of times. Interestingly, the content of this appendix provides a good way to get the juices flowing even if the writer is not short on time. The book wraps up with a glossary of philosophical terms and common Latin phrases.

As stated in the beginning, anyone interested in writing well constructed arguments will do well to use this book as a guide. I highly recommend it.

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A methodical guide intended for novice philosophers to successfully organize their thoughts on paper, January 10, 2006

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Philosophical Writing: An Introduction (Paperback)

Now in an updated and revised third edition, Philosophical Writing: An Introduction is a methodical guide intended for novice philosophers to successfully organize their thoughts on paper. New to the updated edition are examples of the structures of a philosophical essay, new examples of rough drafts, advice for studying for a test, and a new section on how to make effective use of the internet. Written by a professor of philosophy, history, and government, Philosophical Writing: An Introduction is packed from cover to cover with plain terms, good advice, and rigorous structural guidelines, making it a "must-have" reference book, especially for undergraduate philosophy students.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars It's okay for your first few undergrad classes, January 19, 2010

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A. Hobbs - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Philosophical Writing: An Introduction (Paperback)

I was required to use this text for my undergrad thesis class. Martinich is a heavy logic guy, so your mileage may vary. His samples don't seem to be 'plucked from the wild' either, but that may not matter to you. I think this would have been an excellent book for a freshman or sophomore taking their first few philosophy classes, especially the comical but so so true short section titled something like 'help, may paper is due tomorrow and I haven't started writing yet.' M knows who his audience is and I think his style is easy to digest overall.

Like any writing primer, the author glosses over some things and takes a heavy-handed approach with others. I don't think there is anything harmful in here though. I'm a writing tutor so these things interest me.

However, once you're to the point of writing an undergrad thesis I feel that the lessons in this book have to have been learned before getting to that point. It was a nice refresher, but I feel it should have been given to me waaay before now to make the most use of it. We were also expected to rely on M's outline for philosophy papers, which didn't seem comprehensive for non-logic heavy papers, fist of all, and secondly it didn't seem detailed enough for the length of paper we are expected to write. It's fine for term papers but definitely not for a thesis.

So if you are just starting out taking a few philosophy classes I would say definitely look into this book and probably one or two others just to balance out the views, especially if you aren't getting productive feedback from your professor on your writing. If you're at undergrad thesis level and beyond though, you will want something different if you are looking for help on your writing -- unless you have never written a philosophy paper in your life somehow.