How to Become a Philosopher, Or Just Learn to Think Like One

A live 3-hour workshop on how to read theory and begin to develop your own ideas.

Workshop · Saturday, November 14, 2026 · 12:00 PM PST / 3:00 PM ET / 9:00 PM CET

Reserve your spot →

Capped at 16 live seats so the small-group practice actually works.

Reading philosophy isn’t like reading a novel, and it’s not like a nonfiction book you can skim for the gist. If you’ve bought the books, read and even underlined passages, and still struggled to find a way in to talk or write about the ideas you are reading about, this workshop teaches you how to read and engage with theory from your own unique perspective.

What you’ll walk out with

Establish a reading practiceA regular time or a trigger tied to something you already do, plus ritualising your time so it's sacred and protected you-time.

Practice the C.I.A. methodContent, Intentions, Assumptions — you’ll run these twice on a real philosophy passages, so you' know how to go deeper on your own later.

Start an ideas notebook to track and develop the ideas that matter to youSome tips for creating a running index and how to begin developing your own annotation shorthand.

Accept an individual challenge to continue after the workshop endsYou leave already enrolled in the challenge, with an accountability pod if you opt in.

Choose how you join

Come live for the full experience, or get the video if you can’t make the date. Both include the recorded lecture, up for a month after it’s ready.

Live

$85 $60 early bird

Ends October 31, 2026

16 seats, with small-group practice and the accountability pod.

Reserve your spot

Video Only

$65 $45 early bird

Ends October 31, 2026

The recorded lecture and live demos, sent after the session.

Get the video

How the 3 hours run

0:00Opening & theory as a familiar foreign language20 min
0:20Building reading consistency through ritual25 min
0:45Focused reading work and experiencing Philosophy20 min
1:15Starting your ideas notebook30 min
1:45The C.I.A. method, live practice50 min
2:45Going deeper with your unique perspective10 min
2:55Accepting the 2-week challenge & close20 min

Frequently asked

Do I need to have read any philosophy before?
No. This is built as much for absolute beginners as for people restarting after a bad experience with it in school. The whole premise is that reading philosophy is a learnable skill, not a personality trait.
Is the session recorded?
Yes. The lecture and live demos get recorded and sent to everyone, live and video-only alike, as soon as it’s ready, with a month to watch before the link expires. The small-group practice and the accountability pod only happen live, since that’s the part that doesn’t really work on video.
What if the 2-week challenge doesn’t fit my schedule?
There’s a built-in reassessment at day 14 — extend it, adjust it, or let it go. The point is momentum, not a perfect streak.
What happens after the workshop?
Live participants who opt in are matched with an accountability pod to keep reading together after the workshop. Participants also get first access to more in-depth workshops as they’re scheduled, and the option of 1:1 mentoring sessions if you want more personalized support down the line — no obligation, just there if you want it.
Are scholarships available?
Yes, two of them. If you’d be excited to attend but a scholarship is what would make it possible, email me at hello (at) philosophypublics.com and let me know.
What if I can’t make this date and I really want to participate live?
Join the interest list for the next live How to Become a Philosopher workshop. You’ll get early access to registration and the best price before it opens to everyone. This isn’t a newsletter: you’ll only hear from me about this workshop.

More questions? hello (at) philosophypublics.com

Led by Mona Mona

Mona Mona

Mona Mona holds a PhD in Philosophy from Stony Brook University, a top Continental Philosophy program, and has over a decade of teaching experience. She works at the intersection of phenomenology, feminist philosophy, and the history of Western philosophy.

Long before “content” was a thing, Mona was organizing philosophy salons, running feminist reading groups, and hosting a philosophy podcast. She writes at Philosophy Publics, where she writes on the history of philosophy and feminist theory.