How can you begin to understand complex philosophical theories?

It is a great idea to start with books about philosophy and learn about the history of all great philosophers. One needs an overview. Then you start reading certain authors, the original texts.... only by doing this you will understand how philosophy works in real life. So may be you start with Platon....... it all does take less time when you make it a daily routine, for example in the early morning hours. To make an impact in discussions about theories ( also nowadays and even in debates about wider movements in society ) you need to know about philosophy. As before any action there is a thought, and they are and they were never by accident. A good idea is also to listen to a podcast ( from a philosophy Prof. you like for example ).

Start with foundational texts and introductory resources. Building a solid understanding of the basics lays the groundwork for comprehending more complex ideas.

One thing I have found helpful is to compartmentalize the theory or philosophy. Break them into chunks and understand the purpose of each and the working principle that unites those compartments. Get to understand the philosopher and his background is crucial and also where his inspiration comes from. For instance, the Hegelian philosophy has Roman origin with 4 compartments: 1. Thesis 2. Antithesis 3. Synthesis 4. Predetermined Agenda. You get (create) two diametrically opposed ideologies (thesis and antithesis) and rub them up which results in an ideology or circumstance totally different from the original two. The new circumstance (synthesis) now serves as a precursor to achieving the predetermined agenda.

Knowledge is power, the more that you can learn, the better prepared you can be for whatever may lay ahead! I will forget more than most people ever choose to learn….

Philosophers can not be counted the time they gone through. In order to understand the theory, it is essential to devote to search the time and place of the philosophers. The difficulties they encountered is directly related the theory they come up with. The most influential philosophers are mostly lived in very difficult life and they struggled. So there is clearly direct proportion between the difficulties and being a good philosopher.

I like having a Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus on hand so if by chance I do come across a word I don’t comprehend then I can look it up and then use a Thesaurus to help me come to a better understanding of said text. Again knowledge is definitely power!

Once you know specific philosophical theories by heart and you also know about the impact they made in a certain time you may engage your own thoughts and as well bring other philosophers in who have a different viewpoint on the subjects at hand. I am a fan of looking for a "school of thinking" which includes real outcome- meaning: can be measured in real life. So is a line of thought constructive for those who live with it or does it even contain a very destructive aspect? Of course these are judgements that can only be personally entertained when you really know the literature. But it is a wonderful adventure and keeps the thinking keen and flexible. To argue in a discussion of any kind is of course easier when trained in philosophy.

Engage in discussions with peers or join study groups. Exploring theories with others can provide different perspectives and deepen understanding.

We definitely have different levels of understanding and education. I feel that unfortunately our school system is a bit broken, pushing our new generations through the grades despite their lack of comprehension with an ending result of high school diploma yet unable to read or write. How can someone pass a high school final without being able to read or write yet was able to walk and receive their high school diploma? ?? I know this to be true for FACT in the Sacramento school system and nothing is being done about it! Our future and their future will be dictated by misguided individuals with amazing people of influence like Trump! Not a fan myself but he definitely holds influence over a large number of people but dumb as a box of rocks!

Reflection is very important in philosophy as it is needed to understand what was read, to digest the content, so to speak and to connect the dots between different schools of thought. I like to think between different disciplines as well: psychology and philosophy for a example but also literature, as they are often intertwined in real life. To find the personal motivation to think and reflect can be very intense. It is about the meaning of life, the meaning of work.... is it there, waiting do be discovered or do you give it the meaning ? To dive into the deep questions of meaning should be part of daily life in my humble opinion as it strengthens also the personal power of thought and the definition of personal goals.

When working with people it may be crucial to realise that everyone has a personal philosophy , even when these people are not trained in philosophy . It is helpful to understand the frame of thinking in which people explain life for themselves, before adding new ways of thought to it. There is a tradition of thought which is sometimes unconscious, which is not seen for what it is. A materialistic mindset is not always open for the metaphysical , but this can change when something happens which cannot be explained with the "old"mindset. Moments of change are moments of learning for many people. These are also the moments to bring philosophy in, apart from academic learning as known.

Yes, I tend to agree with your statement, moments of change seems to have the power to change us all, so who has the power of changing our moments?