Why stop at two? Susan Rigetti suggests four times! [1] I've never tried that but I fully agree with her :) and just quietly dream about regaining my focus for

Why stop at two? Susan Rigetti suggests four times! [1] I've never tried that but I fully agree with her :) and just quietly dream about regaining my focus for reading so I could reread books 4 times. Quote to save people from falling into the rabbit hole of her blog: > Over the years and after much formal and informal study, I’ve learned a pretty foolproof method for studying philosophy: read everything four times. Here’s how it works: > - First read: Read casually, as if you’re reading a novel or a newspaper or magazine article. Your goal here is simply to observe, not to engage (yet). > - Second read: This time, read to understand. Take notes. Ask yourself, “what does the author really mean here?” Summarize things in your own words. Try to break down the arguments being presented into bullet points, identifying the premises and the conclusions. When you read a term you are unfamiliar with or want to understand better, google it or look it up in the SEP. > - Third read: Read again, and this time engage with the text. Go back to your notes, where you identified the arguments being presented. Think of arguments in favor of what the author is saying and arguments against. Think of counterexamples. > - Fourth read: Now read for one last time. Read casually, the way you did in the first read. Notice how your understanding of the text is now so much richer and deeper than it was on the first read. > If you study this way, you’ll walk away with an incredibly solid understanding of philosophy and an intellectual foundation that will serve you well for the rest of your life. [1] https://www.susanrigetti.com/philosophy https://www.susanrigetti.com/philosophy