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Critical Thinking: An Introduction to Reasoning Well 3rd edition

Paperback by Watson, Dr Jamie Carlin (Cleveland Clinic, USA); Arp, Dr Robert (University of Missouri, USA); King, Skyler (University of Kansas, USA)

Critical Thinking: An Introduction to Reasoning Well

£24.99

ISBN:
9781350232938
Publication Date:
22 Feb 2024
Edition/language:
3rd edition / English
Publisher:
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Imprint:
Bloomsbury Academic
Pages:
536 pages
Format:
Paperback
For delivery:
Estimated despatch 16 - 18 Jan 2026
Critical Thinking: An Introduction to Reasoning Well

Description

'You shouldn't drink too much. The Earth is round. Milk is good for your bones.' Are any of these claims true? How can you tell? Can you ever be certain you are right? For anyone tackling philosophical logic for the first time, here is a practical guide to the skills required to think critically. From the basics of good reasoning to the difference between claims, evidence and arguments, Jamie Carlin Watson, Robert Arp and Skyler King cover the topics found in an introductory course. Now revised and fully updated, this 3rd edition gives you the chance to develop critical thinking skills that can be used in and out of the classroom. Two new chapters on reasoning in the age of conspiracy theories and fake news demonstrate how to apply reason and avoid being dissuaded by the persuasive power of evidence-free emoting. Features include a glossary, chapter goals, more student-friendly exercises, study questions, diagrams, and suggestions for further reading. Chapter topics, organised around real-life examples such as predicting the weather, a murder mystery and the Ouija board, cover: - the structure, formation, analysis and recognition of arguments - deductive validity and soundness - inductive strength and cogency - inference to the best explanation - truth tables - tools for argument assessment - informal and formal fallacies This entertaining and easy-to-follow introduction is a complete beginner's tool set to good reasoning, analyzing and arguing.

Contents

Preface to the Third Edition Part I: The Basics of Good Reasoning 1. The Basic Tools of Reasoning 2. Evaluating Arguments Part II: Deductive Reasoning 3. Thinking and Reasoning with Categories 4. Basic Propositional Logic 5. Truth Tables 6. Rules of Inference Part III: Inductive Reasoning 7. Probability and Induction Real-life Examples 8. Inductive Arguments Real-life Examples 9. Experiment and Inference to the Best Explanation 10. Informal Fallacies Real-life Examples Part IV: Application 11. Putting it All Together 12. Reasoning in the age of Conspiracy Theories 13. Reasoning in the age of Fake News Glossary Index

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