How do I break down, criticise and memorise a philosophical or ethical argument?

Often it can be difficult to break down the arguments given in textbooks for different philosophical and ethical theories. In the exam you'll have to demonstrate your understanding of these theories and arguments. Rather than just repeating what the textbooks say, you'll find that you'll be able to better explain the argument if you have first broken it down into its logical steps or premises for yourself. This reliable approach also makes it easier to revise, as often philosophical arguments boil down to just a few bullet points of text. The added bonus is that once you have these bullets points written down, it is also easier to see where the argument's assumptions lie. This will allow you to better critique it, also very useful in your exams.

To do this, start by reading your textbook's explanation. Then, if you really want to clarify you understanding, read a different textbook or explanation of the argument online. You might be struck by how different two explanations can be, but do not worry! It can be helpful to reflect on how the same information can be presented in different ways and orders. Choosing whichever explanation seems clearest to you or picking and choosing the best bits from both will help you refine your understanding.

Write down the argument as you understand it from the explanation you have decided upon and make an effort to use your own wording where possible. Now, read the explanation back and note down the claims that are being made. Often philosophical arguments start fro basic premise, through a few more premises, to a conclusion based on these premises.

Consider this well known argument which claims that 'all swans are I white'. I see a swan that is white and think 'this swan is white'. I see another swan which is also white and think again that 'this swan, like the last one, is also white'. This happens again and again so I finally think to myself 'all swans are white'. One day at a party I get into an argument with someone that claims they've seen a black swan. To convince them otherwise, and to give you an example of this approach, I might break my argument down into its premises as follows:

Premise 1: This swan is white.

Premise 2: This other swan is white.

Premise 3: That third swan is white. …

And so on....

Conclusion: All swans are white.

It is clear then from this example how I've got to my conclusion and how my argument flows. It is also clear where I might have gone wrong. My friend at the party might note that just because I haven't seen a black swan doesn't mean they don't exist. I've just happened to only see white ones she might claim.

We can see here then how breaking down arguments will help you understand and critique them. You can also see how separating the conclusion can be useful. This will allow you in an essay to make strong statements that will guide your argument. If for example you wanted to summarise my view on swans you could write: 'My tutor Gabriel argues that all Swans are white'. Later in the essay you could explain how I've argued this and why I might be wrong. Following these instructions then will allow you to break down much more complicated arguments, expose their weaknesses, and more easily memorise them for your exam, and all just from a few bullet points!