Dr H
5th March 2009, 06:19 PM
This is the best, most concise description of the techniques of critical thinking that I have ever read. If I were teaching a course on critical thinking, I'd use this as the textbook. Topics like the use and misuse of statistical data; how to separate research from writings about the research; ferreting out logical fallacies; junk science; identifying the stakeholders in an issue and their motivations -- are presented clearly, in detail, and reinforced with real world examples.
Many people in the JREF fora are already well familiar with these techniques, but even if you don't need to read this book yourself, it's an excellent tome to recommend to someone trying to find out just what critical thinking is, or for anyone who's tired of getting ripped off by anyone from snake-oil purveyors to used-car salesmen. It's an easy read, just 224 pages, and written clearly and simply enough that a high school student, or even a bright middle school student should be able to work through it without being unduly mystified.
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Many people in the JREF fora are already well familiar with these techniques, but even if you don't need to read this book yourself, it's an excellent tome to recommend to someone trying to find out just what critical thinking is, or for anyone who's tired of getting ripped off by anyone from snake-oil purveyors to used-car salesmen. It's an easy read, just 224 pages, and written clearly and simply enough that a high school student, or even a bright middle school student should be able to work through it without being unduly mystified.
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