Robyn asked:

How much does a typical academic philosopher read in a typical week and how long should this take
him? e.g. how many papers etc..

Or put another way, how long should one spend on a piece of written philosophy for practical
purposes (say an imminent essay or seminar)?

I am lost in a labyrinth of papers, articles and books and wonder how people cope with such a huge
literature.

============

The way to cope with the labyrinth of articles and books is to step lightly. Dip in. Read enough to get
the gist of what the author is saying and move on. Use the time that you save to concentrate on the
book or the article that deserves your close attention. Usually, in writing an essay or preparing for a
seminar, it is possible to narrow the list down to one or two important pieces.

You have to unlearn the habit of automatically treating authors of philosophical texts with respect. Be
bloody minded. If you are not convinced that the piece is worth spending time on after the first or
second page, the author has missed their chance.

Lecturers love to write long book lists. It's a way of showing you all the hard work they have done on
your behalf. Often, though, the thing you should really be reading is not in the book list but in the
current issue of Mindor the Philosophical Review.Once again, healthy disrespect is the order of the
day. Trust your judgement in rifling through the journals, or scouring the selves of the book shop or
library.

As regards time, I remember Freddie Ayer in an interview once saying that he found it impossible to
do more than four hours concentrated work in philosophy in one day. I would set an absolute upper
limit on philosophical reading of two hours. You'll be surprised what you can do in that time, if you
concentrate your efforts. Look after your eyes, they have to last you a lifetime.

Geoffrey Klempner