Adler's four levels of reading

Summary

• Adler’s four levels of reading, from simplest to most complex:
  • elementary
  • inspectional
  • analytical
  • syntopical
• set out by Mortimer Adler, philosoper and author of how to read a book.

Details

• elementary reading: understanding the words and sentences
• inspectional reading: skimming to understand the general outline of a book
• analytical: slow and deliberate to grasp the details of the book. you ask questions and outline the main arguments and thoughts of the author
• syntopical reading: reading multiple books on the same subject, forming an independent judgement, building your own framework. not studying a book, but a subject

Quotes

• "Mortimer Adler, the American philosopher and author of How to Read a Book, argues that true reading is an art: a deliberate act of the mind that moves through distinct levels of depth." - culturalist

Reflections

• i think i am at 'analytical' after learning about Barbell Method of reading and Zettelkasten Method, but lets see if we can get to syntopical :)

References

• culturalist
• The Science of Self-Learning - How to Teach Yourself Anything, Learn More in Less Time, and Direct Your Own Education - Peter Hollins

Related

• SQ3R Method of learning
• Kruger's pyramid of learning
• Reading is Thinking
• What I began by reading I must finish by acting - Henry David Thoreau
• There is no point in reading if you are not learning something
• Barbell Method of reading
• Rereading and underlining is useless