How to Think Clearly: A Guide to Critical Thinking

by Doug Erlandson

How to Develop Critical Thinking SkillsThe Principles of Straight ThinkingHow to Think A Guide to Critical Thinking is an easy-to-understand and lively introduction to the serious issues of learning how to think clearly and being able to spot the difference between good and bad reasoning. Dr. Doug Erlandson draws on concrete examples of good and bad reasoning from the political and social realm and everyday life to make his points in a sometimes lighthearted but always meaningful way.



Here's a Preview of What's in the BookIdentifying the differences between good and bad argumentsAvoiding fallaciesCreating good explanationsAssessing probabilitiesRecognizing that statistics and numbers can lie˃˃˃ Here's How You BenefitHow to Think Clearly gives you the tools you need to critically assess the claims and counterclaims with which you are bombarded by politicians, pundits, commentators and editors, as well as coworkers, friends and family, and will aid you in developing skills to present your view in ways that are clear, coherent, sensible and persuasive.



˃˃˃ Suitable as a classroom text and for independent studyHow to Think Clearly is easy to understand and suitable for independent study. At the same time it offers the content and intellectual rigor that you would expect in a text for an introductory college-level course in critical thinking.

˃˃˃ What Others Are Saying About How to Think A Guide to Critical ThinkingDr. Erlandson has given a wonderful introduction to good critical how to recognize good and bad arguments, helpful and non-helpful explanations, the ways that numbers can be manipulated. You can tell that he must be a good teacher. (G. Feltner)

The author offers a refuge of reason within our culture of disregard for open-mindedness and rational discourse where the popular debate of serious issues or ideas is often a shouting match from the margins. (Cubs Fan)

A great read for anyone who is new to logic and critical thinking, or someone who just wants to review and refresh their knowledge. (Paul D.)

Scroll up and grab a copy today.

Genres: Logic, Philosophy

185 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 28, 2012

About the author

Doug Erlandson was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1946. He received his B.A. from Wheaton College (Ill.) and his doctorate in philosophy from Johns Hopkins University. Doug was an assistant professor of philosophy at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln 1972-1980 and since 1994 has been an adjunct instructor of philosophy at Southeast Community College in Lincoln.

Doug is the author of 19 books, including the popular Kindle book, How to Think Clearly: A Guide to Critical Thinking; the Jargon-Free Guide Series, including Philosophy Basics: A Jargon-Free Guide for Beginners; Faith Reborn; Spiritual Anorexia: How Contemporary Worship is Starving the Church; Godly Contentment: Kingdom Living in an Age of Economic and Social Uncertainty.

Doug and his wife are co-owners of the online candy store Licorice International, which is located in the Historic Haymarket District in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Reviews

[Rodney Harvill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good teachers use humorous illustrations and anecdotes to make arcane topics understandable and hold the interest of their students. Professor Erlandson uses this approach in his presentation of critical thinking. Furthermore, he uses actual arguments and commentary from religion, politics and punditry instead of freeze-dried canned examples. Not only does he chose arguments relevant to the concerns of average citizens, he provides even-handed criticism. In one section, he might pick apart bad reasoning from a Democratic pundit; in the next he might be picking on a Republican argument.

Topics addressed include:

- The definition of an argument
- Deductive reasoning and formal fallacies
- Inductive reasoning
- Fallacies of relevance
- Fallacies of weak induction
- Fallacies of presumption
- Fallacies of ambiguity (This had to be one of the more entertaining chapters.)
- Fallacies of grammatical analogy
- Explanation
- Probability and is applicability to decision making
- Statistics and its applicability to decision making

Professor Erlandson closes with an appeal for the proper use of critical thinking. There is truth, and critical thinking can help us to approach it. There are many ways to abuse rhetoric such that truth is obfuscated in the interest of persuasion. It is clear to me that Professor Erlandson cares deeply about truth and wrote this book to help the rest of us to pursue it. May we take this appeal seriously.

[Avinash K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of it is good.

Well... More than it being a guide to critical thinking, it's soft version of the formalisms. The first seven chapters are really good and well written with simple illustrative examples. Eight is meh and then on it's painful. The so-called chapter on probability (Don't bet on it), that's exactly what it is; the next one is also bad. The last one is nice, regarding what to watch out for in debates and discussions, but it's overall presentation is lame. Take the few useful lines in chaps 8 & 9, a fair portion of 10 make it one chapter and you have a really good book. That's why Ive given it 4 and not 3 stars.
However, I must say, this is formalisms for the uninitiated. If you are looking for critical thinking, with a more problem solving and hands on approach, better try, Thinker's toolkit by Morgan Jones.

[Jason Coleman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, as far books on logic go. I'm not a college student, but still read it for fun, and I learned a bit about fallacies and ways of evaluating an argument. The author definitely uses a mix of common vernacular and recent political debates to make his points. Perhaps a little more humor (there is some), and maybe offering some suggestions how to be effective in arguing would help.

[david allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fair introduction

to formal debate logic. Has a slight advantage in bringing in examples one could encounter in real life. The first 3 or 4 chapters covers things that are covered by almost any book on this topic. Except this author apparently recognizes that not B doesn't necessarily mean A. The last three chapters are the more significant contribution in this offering.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise Communication

And interesting and anecdotal collection of communication snafus, imprecise and precise communicative reviews and thorough explanations of deliberate semantic ploys to deceive all kinds of listeners. The author made this topic interesting, in that he makes you think about your use and the potential consequences of the rhetoric.

[Ari Raliegh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Useful and fantastic. Great read.

[Phat Nguyen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A helpful guildbook of how to think well. With a not so funny but very straightforward writing style, he make it easy to understand and apply those essential skill in daily life.

[Royce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enlighten Yourself.

I rated 'How to Think Clearly: A Guide To Critical Thinking' five stars because it is an easy read as an entry level guide to a much needed and lacking skill in modern society.

The author goes through the basics of understanding a view of an issue and deciding if the presenter is right, wrong, or intentionally misleading. The lack of basic critical thinking skills is overtly evident every time I log onto Facebook or read the comments after almost any article on a politicized issue.

He defines and describes through easy to grasp examples the main logical fallacies you will encounter on a day to day basis. This is a crucial step to seeing how so many Americans are duped into zealously fighting against their own best interests.

If you have ever encountered someone who tried to convince you of something that you were certain wasn't true but didn't know how to go about disproving them verbally or in writing the you should definitely read this book.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

There have been countless times I've heard an argument from a politician or read an op-ed piece from an editor and have sensed something about their reasoning is off. I felt their position was built on a shaky foundation or supporting evidence, but I couldn't quite put my finger on why.

After reading How to Think Clearly, I feel better equipped identify soft spots in thinking - both in others, but more importantly, in myself. Especially helpful are the many examples he provides.

Perhaps his most important point is near the end of the book: "Right thinking requires fairness, particularly fairness toward one’s opponents. If our main goal is to win others to our position at all costs, to be so sure of the rightness or even the righteousness of our cause that we are unwilling to listen to what others have to say, then, while we may win our battles, we will not have succeeded at what is most important--the discovery of the truth."

[James Sims · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sounds like Sarah to me..

Sounds like Sarah to me..

read the a few paragraphs in the first chapter thought I was watching fox news with a interview with Sarah miss Alaska Palin.you can't teach anything using your political views or religious views unless it is a course or book on those subject.amazon needs to allow the reviewers to give zero or better yet negative stars....

[Mitchell Shamsud-din · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good starting point.

Good book to start the quest of becoming a critical thinker, but I did feel like there were a few parts that he could have used different non-religious and non-political examples.