In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Most students of philosophy will need to read through philosophical readings several times before they fully understand them. As you advance in your studies, you may work out your own system of reading. At the start, however, it can be helpful to work through a reading four times. During the first reading, look at the table of contents, key points, and/or glossary, then quickly scan through the passage itself. Move quickly, reading one page in roughly 30 to 60 seconds. Underline terms and ideas that jump out at you in pencil. Mark any unfamiliar terms, as well. For the second reading, flip through the text at a similar pace, but stop to look up any terms or phrases you do not recognize and cannot define by context. Your focus should still be on identifying key terms and ideas. Check off paragraphs you think you understand in pencil, and mark those you do not understand with a question mark or "x." During the third reading, go back to the sections you marked with a question mark or "x" and read them in greater detail. Check them off if you reach an understanding, or mark them with a second question mark or "x" if you do not grasp their meaning. During the fourth reading, quickly review the text again to remind yourself of the main focus and key arguments. If you're reading for class, identify the marked passages you had difficulty with so that you can ask questions. The only way to familiarize yourself with philosophy is to immerse yourself in the philosophical works of others. If you do not read philosophy, you will not be able to speak or write it. When studying philosophy for a class or degree program, you should always do the readings assigned to you. Listening to others' interpretations of those readings in class is not a good substitution. You need to review and grapple with the ideas on your own instead of having others do the work for you. Reading on your own is also beneficial. As you become more familiar with different branches of philosophy, you can gradually begin selecting your own readings on potential topics of interest. All philosophy was written within the confines of a certain historical setting and culture. While most lasting works of philosophy offer truths and reasoning that can be used in modern times, each one also has its own cultural biases to take into account. Think about who wrote it, when it was published, where it was published, its original intended audience, and the purposes it was originally developed for. Also ask yourself how it was received in its own time and how it has been received since then. Some theses are obvious and explicitly stated, but many are not. You will need to consider the key passages and ideas you spotted during your first and second readings to help you determine the main idea the philosopher is trying to argue. A thesis can be positive or negative, meaning that it can accept a particular philosophical idea or reject it. Identify the idea being addressed first. Then, use the writer's statements about that idea to figure out if the thesis is positive or negative. Supporting arguments should back up the writer's thesis. You may already know a few if you had to work backwards to find the thesis, but you should comb through the key ideas of the work again to identify any you may have missed. Philosophers usually use logical argumentation to support their theses. Ideas and patterns of thought that are clearly sound will be presented and used to support the thesis. Not every argument presented will be a valid one. Question the validity of an argument by looking at the premises and inferences it is built upon. Identify the premises and ask yourself if they are as true as the writer claims. Try to come up with a counter-example that proves the statement wrong. If the premises are true, ask yourself if the inferences derived from those premises are sound. Apply the pattern of reasoning to a different case and see if it holds up. If it does not remain valid, the inference is not sound. Once you have examined all of the premises and inferences surrounding a thesis, you will need to evaluate how successful and true the idea is. If all of the premises and inferences are sound and you can think of no logical argument against the thesis as a whole, you must formally accept the conclusion, even if you still do not believe it personally. If any of the premises or inferences are faulty, though, you can reject the conclusion.
Summary: Read through the text multiple times. Read as much as possible. Consider the context of the work. Determine the theses. Look for supporting arguments. Assess each argument. Evaluate the argument as a whole.

Some people want to cut themselves off from society for political or environmental reasons. They want to live off the grid, for instance. Living off the grid is a way to cut yourself off from society. This way, you are not dependent on the municipal and social services many of us simply take for granted, such as water, electricity, cell phone service and garbage removal. Most people living off the grid are also concerned with consumerism and the idea that modern society used too much of the earth's natural resources. Some people want to leave society because they are suffering from depression or social anxiety disorder. Depression or feelings of loneliness can cause people to isolate themselves from others. Research has shown that social isolation can be dangerous to your health, as it impairs immune function and increases inflammation. These symptoms are precursors to diabetes and heart disease. If you think your reasons for wanting to cut yourself off from society are due to your own feelings of sadness or loneliness, consider seeing your doctor or a mental health professional. Another reason people cut themselves off from society is to avoid the law. It's not recommended that you run from the police. If you have committed a crime or if there is a warrant for your arrest, turn yourself in to your local police station. If you think you've been wrongly accused, hire a lawyer and fight the charge. You will likely still need to report to the police. People may choose to cut themselves off from society for less strenuous reasons, such as simply wishing to avoid the grind of daily life. Working from home is certainly more possible these days than in the past. As you determine your reasons for cutting yourself off from society, it's important to understand that humans are naturally social. We benefit, both physically and psychologically, from being in relation or in connection with each other.
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One-sentence summary -- Decide if political or environmental reasons are motivating you. Determine if you have depression or anxiety. Ask yourself if you're avoiding the law. Assess whether you want to avoid the grind of daily life. Know that humans are social beings.

Problem: Article: You will be placing the finished haystacks onto this. Place a large saucepan on the stove, and add in the sugar and corn syrup. Turn the heat to low/medium and wait for the sugar to dissolve. Stir the mixture often with a spatula so that it does not burn or scorch. Keep stirring until everything is smooth and melted together. Don't worry, the mixture will harden again once it cools. You will finish making your haystacks here. Try to use a rolling motion, so that you are always bringing the mixture from the bottom of the pot to the top. Be sure to stir gently, so that the cereal does not break. Try to use a cereal without any added "frost" or sugar glaze. Don't worry about making the cookies neat; haystacks don't look very neat either. You can make the cookies as big or as small as you'd like. This recipe is enough to make about 24 cookies. This will take about 1 to 2 hours. If you are in a hurry, then place them into the freezer for about 10 minutes.
Summary:
Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper. Melt the sugar and corn syrup in a large saucepan over low to medium heat. Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla extract. Take the saucepan off the stove, and set it down onto a heat-resistant surface. Stir in the cornflakes cereal. Scoop the mixture out onto the baking sheets using a spoon. Put the tray into the fridge so that the haystacks can cool and harden. Transfer the haystacks to a plate to serve them, and store any leftovers in an airtight container.