Philosophical Writing

"Writing with such clarity and sensitivity about how to think and write philosophy is a remarkable achievement; the book is a resource that every philosophy teacher should know and recommend."
Michael Morgan, Indiana University "There are several introductory texts to philosophical writing; Martinich's is the best."
Mark Bernstein, Purdue University Philosophical Writing: An Introduction teaches students how to craft a precise, coherent, and persuasive philosophical essay. With a practical and systematic approach, author Al Martinich guides students through the entire writing process, from the initial outline and early draft stage to completion. Organized into eleven chapters, Philosophical Writing clearly explains the basic concepts of logic and rhetoric, the structure of a philosophical essay, the basic criterion of a good philosophical essay, key tactics for analytic writing, and more. Essay examples, composing techniques, advice for evaluating philosophical essays, and tips for avoiding common problems serve to build student confidence and strengthen writing skills. Focused on what students should do in writing a philosophical essay, this new edition is fully revised with enhanced language and improved explanations throughout. Two entirely new chapters delve into the intricacies of belief networks and explore the properties of sound interpretations, accompanied by a wealth of new exercises and examples. With levels of difficulty ranging from fundamental to moderately advanced, Philosophical Writing: An Introduction is an excellent textbook for lower- and upper-division courses in philosophy, as well as courses with significant writing components that cover logic, rhetoric, and analysis.