I need a pep talk

[PrincessFiona]

I dubbed this year my year of learning. I got a Great Courses "Great ideas in psychology" CD set for Xmas, a world history audible download for my phone, and another GreatCourses DVD about the history of the earth to watch with Thomas. Go me, right?

Wrong. The audible course and DVD are fine. I'm listening and learning. The Psychology course? Holy crap. This is not Psychology. It is the history of philosophy starting with Ancient Greece.

I am not up-to-date on the history of philosophy or ancient Greece, so I feel more overwhelmed with each lecture. I decided to buy the author's book, "an intellectual history of psychology" and it came today.

I simply can't follow along starting with the first chapter. He assumes a level of knowledge of Ancient Greek literature, history, and philosophy that I don't have (but was hoping to learn).

I. Feel. So. Dumb.

Now I'm obsessed that I have to "get" this and don't know where to start.

Kris

[Ladybug]

I have a whole pile of half-started books and great courses too. I give us both points for enthusiasm

[MrsK]

Honestly, I haven't been able to keep a linear thought in my head for about the last two years. I've become so accustomed to the interruptions that I have developed ADD.

[diggitydot]

You're not dumb. Whomever made that course either didn't describe it well (needing the prerequisite history and philosophy under your belt), or they're just a shitty teacher who can't actually break their material down well for people who don't already know what the teacher knows.

I'm leaning towards shitty teacher. A smart person isn't automatically a good teacher.

[Curegirl]

What DD said. You are not dumb!

[PrincessFiona]

This is one of those people who uses ... big words and talks about intellectual philosophical ideas with ease. He sounds very smart. He just doesn't break it down, you're right. I got the course so that I could learn these ideas and instead I'm having a hard time figuring out what in the hell the guy is talking about most of the time.

Earlier I bought a brief history of philosophy book as well as a quick primer on ancient Greek history. The best I'll be able to do probably is to skim-read them, but I'll try. I really *want* to understand what he's saying. It's dumb that it takes this amount of effort though. (and I'll probably forget everything I learn within a week of learning it! LOL)

Kris

[diggitydot]

Definitely a shitty teacher. It takes a LOT more than just being smart to be able to teach.

[PrincessFiona]

DD you are so right. Thanks.

[spotty_dog]

I love autodidacticism! I would also be obsessed with "getting" this if I were interested in the overarching subject. This will be an amazing opportunity to broaden your horizons!

Bear with me here but I recommend Mortimer Adler's "How to Read a Book" for starters. I was so shocked to learn that the ability to read competently for most purposes in school and college, doesn't *actually* prepare one for reading the kind of very difficult works that used to be the way that an author would pass down all they knew in a way that challenged the reader to grapple and grow by the reading.

You don't need to understand a book on the first reading. Skim to understand the structure and how the contents are organized...then read, but quickly, and take notes of the difficult parts...THEN read the difficult parts slowly and carefully, and determine the works that came before that you might want to get into as well in order to help you to fully grasp the new material. Decide at that point if you want to read something like Guerber's Story of the Greeks (eg. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/23495...OPHER_SOCRATES) and/or go to the primary sources (a list of Great Books is provided in the appendix of How to Read a Book.)

Nobody gets a thorough education like this any more, but tackling the material without the intermediary of an in-person teacher is so incredibly valuable for growing your mind and building your understanding! You go, girl.

[PrincessFiona]

! ThAnks, Alison! Great suggestions!

[Sheherezade]

I had this same experience reading The Invisible Constitution. I have an interest in constitutional law but I'm no lawyer. I was soooo over my head! Maybe I'll give it another go with the advice Alison passed on.


Angie