How to Think Straight: An Introduction to Critical ReasoningPractical reasoning and clear thinking are essential for everyone if we are to make sense of the information we receive each day. Being able to quickly know the difference between valid and invalid arguments, the contradictory versus the contrary, vagueness and ambiguity, contradiction and self-contradiction, the truthful and the fallacious, separates clear thinkers from the crowd. How to Think Straight lays the foundation for critical reasoning by showing many ways in which our thinking goes awry. Celebrated philosopher Antony Flew entertainingly instructs on the many and varied faults that occur in argument, the power of reason, how to challenge assertions and find evidence, and how not to be persuaded by half-truths. Flew also examines poor reasoning, and why we should be concerned with finding the truth. Lucid, terse, and sensible, with study questions and exercises to help along the way, this enlightening second edition will help you develop the skills necessary to argue and reason effectively by following a few simple, easy-to-remember directions. |
Contents
Foreword | 9 |
IfThen and AllNone | 33 |
Evasion and Falsification | 55 |
Copyright | |
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able accept actual ambiguous apparently argue argument assert becomes believe better called causes certainly chapter claim committed concerned conclusion condition consequent Consider constitutes contradiction countries course crime decisive deduce defined definition deny described discussion distinction distinguished doubt effect employed equally established evidence example experience expression extreme fact fallacy false figures follows given grounds happen human important impossible income individual instance interpretations invalid involved kind knowledge known least less living logically maintain matter meaning moral move natural necessarily necessary object obvious once original paragraphs particular percent perhaps person policies position possible practice premises present principle produced proposition question rational reason reference refute sense simply social society someone sort statistics sufficient suggested Suppose surely theory thing thinking tion true truth understanding United universal valid wrong