Scott Hughes asked:


If you read or study philosophy, you probably want to discuss the philosophical ideas that you come across. Even if you do not have a formal education in philosophy, you may want to have philosophical conversations with the people around you.

You can have philosophical discussions in everyday life. You can discuss philosophy and philosophical topics with your friends, family, co-workers, and associates. You can discuss it while on dates. You can discuss it with strangers that you find yourself talking to in public places, such as in waiting rooms or at social gatherings.

Most people have a general interest in philosophy. Plus, it may surprise you how many people have taken a philosophy class or read some philosophy books. Most people at least have some basic knowledge about well-known philosophers and their ideas. Nonetheless, remember when talking in a general setting to avoid getting too technical. For example, avoid the jargon that mostly only philosophers use (such as “a priori”). Also, do not cite specific philosophers or books too much, as outside of philosophy-focused academia people may not know much about such topics.

You can ensure not to exclude anybody by keeping the discussion focused on the ideas and opinions of only the people involved. Tell others what you think about certain philosophical topics, and ask them what they think about those topics. Ask them philosophical questions, such as, “What do you think is the meaning of life?”

You will get people to talk philosophy more often if they enjoy it and feel comfortable. For that reason, avoid talking down to anyone or talking to them in a condescending or patronizing tone. Create a comfortable atmosphere for others to put forward their ideas.

You may have the desire to try to show off. However, doing that would just make others not want to discuss philosophy with you. Do not try to impress people by purposely talking about topics they do not know well. Do not try to impress them with your knowledge of people, books, or facts that they do not know. Do not use big words that they do not understand (and that you probably barely understand) to try and impress them. You will just make them feel bad, and make yourself look arrogant, neither of which will foster quality discussion.

Just speak your mind in a way that the others will understand best.

Also, avoid rambling. When telling others your philosophical thoughts you can easily just ramble on and on, which will bore others. Instead, sum up your thoughts in quicker, simpler statements, and then give the other person a chance to talk.

The normal etiquette and tricks of conversation also apply. Others will judge you and the conversation based on your listening skills more than your speaking skills. Listen intently to what others say, and ask them questions about it so they know you listened. Additionally, asking questions will keep the conversation going. To spark further conversation, ask open-ended questions.

Whatever you do, good luck and have fun!



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Scott Hughes asked:


When discussing complex topics such as philosophy, skillful conversation becomes even more important. If conversationalists fail to use good technique, then they will not communicate with each other effectively, and the conversation will become unproductive. Let me suggest some ways to make and keep a conversation productive when discussing philosophy.

Listen – Most importantly, you need to listen as well as you can to the other people in the discussion. Many people talk too much and listen too little. Ironically, if you talk too much, you will have a lot of trouble expressing yourself. If you listen well, you can express yourself better because you can tailor your response to what the person has already said. Additionally, if you listen to others intently, they will likely return the favor. If you do not listen to them and just try to talk over them, then they will likely do the same to you.

Ask Questions – Plato’s dialogues show how Socrates used questions to have productive philosophical conversations with others. The Socratic Method can come in great use in discussions of philosophy. Asking questions will help you better understand the other speakers, and it will cause them to express their contentions more clearly to you. That will greatly reduce misunderstandings. Additionally, asking questions makes you seem genuinely interested in the other person’s ideas. Making disagreeing statements, instead of asking questions, may make the other person feel attacked and may make you seem preachy, both of which will make the discussion less productive.

Speak Clearly – This may seem obvious, but many people instead try to show off or make their ideas seem stronger by using more complex language. However, you will have most productive conversation by having the least misunderstandings, which you can do by expressing yourself as clearly as possible. Using concise, simple, and specific phrasing will usually help you express yourself clearly. Rambling, over-elaboration and the unnecessary use of “big words” will make you less clear. Additionally, you can express yourself most clearly when you match the formality of your speech or writing to the formality of the situation. In other words, use formal phrasing in a formal situation and more informal phrasing in a more informal setting.

Speak Nicely and Politely – If the conversation turns into a contest, or if any of the speakers feel angry or offended, it will greatly reduce the philosophical productivity of the discussion. A discussion about philosophy can quickly degenerate into a name-calling, insult-throwing fight. The other person will listen to you more if they feel more comfortable and respected. Do not just speak as nicely as you must in order to keep the conversation philosophical; instead, speak as nicely, respectfully, and politely as you can. Avoid insults, name-calling, or offensiveness as much as possible. Also, especially if you disagree, try thanking the other person for discussing the topic with you.

If you genuinely try to have a productive conversation, you almost always will. Most people do philosophy for fun out of interest, so why not try to have a productive conversation when discussing philosophy?

Whatever you do, good luck and have fun!



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