If critical thinking shapes the bones of successful communication, logic is the chemical structure those bones fundamentally consist of. This book is intended to help people build a framework of critical thinking which is not given to crumbling. It is the first broad overview of the topic aimed at bringing logic into commonplace communication I have come across. In parallel, it aims to prepare readers for communication in settings which are formal and or impartial (a subset of everyday communication). This review assesses the book according to these goals.
Logical arguments are a formal look at specific types of reasons and their relationships with proposed conclusions, not "he said, she said" arguments. The scope of the book is kept to logical argument types which are most often incorrect (known as fallacies); when they are applicable; how to process them; and how to effectively respond when others utilize them. Inherent to this discussion is how to avoid these when they are not applicable.
In language, the book is very accessible to anyone of a curious mind. In dealing with each fallacy, the book does a fantastic job of preparing the reader for further exposure and reading. Because of this, the book should be of great use for anyone in or out of college and high school--or lower--who engages in public speaking or debate.
In the broader goal of critical thinking, the book is supplementary. While the book is excellent in providing a foundation in practical logic, those seeking to improve their critical thinking skills would benefit from accessing additional materials. And, of course, putting them to use! Critical thinking is a practical skill best honed in actual use--whether interpreting a newspaper article's significance, or presenting a proposal to your boss or customer (the latter two with prior practice, hopefully). Keeping these points in mind, I do recommend this book for those seeking to improve their critical thinking skills.
I suggest a second section, or companion text, of somewhat similar length could guide critical thinking more broadly. If, as I here suggest, critical thinking were broadly treated with the excellence the book treats fallacies with, this book / hypothetical set would be closer to indispensable.
In structure, the book 1) presents each fallacy and its structure (including whether formal or informal), 2) defines it, 3) provides a quick conceptual example, 4) a real-life example, 5) discusses why and or when it is wrong/right, 6) presents solutions to the fallacy and discusses their effectiveness, and 7) discusses what meaning/significance/use this fallacy has in communication. Throughout, the kindle edition touches on related fallacies and provides links to the relevant entries. To give you an idea of the length of each entry, the print version is represented as 200 pages long, and I count 61 fallacies / variants.
If you navigated this review with ease, then you should have no problem navigating the book with ease.
On critical thinking; from the Foundation For Critical Thinking--which also invokes Socrates:
"Why Critical Thinking?
The Problem
Everyone thinks; it is our nature to do so. But much of our thinking, left to itself, is biased, distorted, partial, uninformed or down-right prejudiced. Yet the quality of our life and that of what we produce, make, or build depends precisely on the quality of our thought. Shoddy thinking is costly, both in money and in quality of life. Excellence in thought, however, must be systematically cultivated.
A Definition
Critical thinking is that mode of thinking - about any subject, content, or problem - in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking and imposing intellectual standards upon them. "
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