I am a philosophy graduate who has been 'out of the game' for about 3 years now. During this time I have not read much philosophy, and what little I have seems to be forgotten as soon as a couple of days later. I was wondering if any of you might recommend any techniques or reading material that might get me back into the philosophical way of thinking, with a view to renewing my interest and bringing back my intellectual confidence. Thanks.

Philosophy is my profession, but even I find picking up and just reading a piece of philosophy outside of my area of expertise plain difficult. Part of the reason for this, I think, is that philosophy emerges best, for me, at least, in conversation and spirited collaborative reflection. Thus, Joe Moore's suggestion of finding a reading group is a fine one. That can be difficult, though, and without a structure academic context (like a graduate program) to infuse life into the group, they often fizzle out or attract people of widely different skills, interest, and background. Another tack is not to read philosophy to get back into a philosophical mode of thinking. There is much great literature that is philosophically sophisticated and provocative. My favorites are the short stories of Jorge Borges, a great Argentinean writer of the 20th century (available on-line). Try, for instance, "The Library of Babel," which evokes a wealth of metaphysical and epistemological themes. Another is "Funes...