I think of philosophy as a companion that has helped me throughout my life. . . . Sometimes I need inspiration, sometimes consolation. Always philosophy is there by my side. (Albert Navarra)
Albert believes that philosophy helped him "learn how to learn." His professors taught him that "you first need to understand what the philosopher is trying to say. Don't be critical at first. Just try to understand the philosophy 'in its best light.' Then you can think more critically about the philosophy. I think this is a great approach to learning anything and I tried to follow this approach later in life."
When Albert arrived at law school, he was surprised to learn that the emphasis was not always on law. Instead, professors often emphasized how to analyze an issue from different perspectives. He learned the importance of understanding how others see one's case.
Albert learned to ask himself: "What might your opponent say, or a judge, or a jury, or an independent expert witness? You have to think through as many different perspectives as you can to avoid unpleasant surprises. And again philosophy was there to help me, remind me the world is full of different perspectives, and maybe even humble me so that I did not always assume I was right."