Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Bad writing

Someone asked me about bad philosophical writing. Here was my quick response, to add to my pile of observations about this topic. 

Oh, I was thinking about your question about bad philosophical writing---in the context of trying to write for ordinary people---and was thinking that some of the main problems I see are these:

  1. People just don't explain things well: they use words that ordinary people won't understand, and they don't realize they need to explain those words, with examples. 
  2. In general, they just don't, or can't, think about how ordinary people are apt to see issues and present content in a way that engages that perspective. 
  3. They are disorganized: they don't think about an ideal organization.
  4. They are long-winded: they don't cut what isn't needed, at all levels: section, paragraph, sentence, words. 
  5. They take too long to get to the point: make that ASAP in case your reader dies or gets bored or distracted!

These are some initial ideas of how things go poorly!

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