Book Description
This classic work on critical thinking--now fully updated and revised--uses a novel approach to teach the basics of informal logic. On the assumption that "it takes one to know one," the authors have written the book from the point of view of someone who wishes to deceive, mislead, or manipulate others. Having mastered the art of deception, readers will then be able to detect the misuse or abuse of logic when they encounter it in others--whether in a heated political debate or while trying to evaluate the claims of a persuasive sales person.
Using a host of real-world examples, the authors show you how to win an argument, defend a case, recognize a fallacy, see through deception, persuade a skeptic, and turn defeat into victory. Not only do they discuss the fundamentals of logic (premises, conclusions, syllogisms, common fallacies, etc.), but they also consider important related issues often encountered in face-to-face debates, such as gaining a sympathetic audience, responding to audience reaction, using nonverbal devices, clearly presenting the facts, refutation, and driving home a concluding argument.
Whether you're preparing for law school or you just want to become more adept at making your points and analyzing others' arguments, The Art of Deception will give you the intellectual tools to become a more effective thinker and speaker. Helpful exercises and discussion questions are also included.
Customer Reviews:
Incredible book,incredible review.......2005-06-08
Exactly as Dr. Schweinsberg said. This text was a magnificent accomplishment. Reading some of the reviews, I was dismayed. I of course believed that there was some sort of miscommunication, or perhaps that the readers knew nothing of the subject, or that they simply didn't know what they were getting when they purchased the book. Whatever the case, I would suggest to anybody to read Dr. Michel Schweinsberg's brilliant review. His comical yet serious review offers advice to the argumentation student in words I can't achieve. With a playful attitude, he has delivered valuable information in the same spirit with which one should "weild" the tools in the text; that is, as a serious weapon, but done mostly for enjoyment and clarity of thought. READ DR. SCHWEINSBERG'S REVIEW, AND FOLLOW HIS ADVICE!
Argue Well.......2005-05-25
If you have ever been told that your arguments lack facts, structure, or logic, then this book is for you. Learning the skills to challenge and defend anything and everything is an art indeed. Highly recommend it for partisan zealots.
PenetratingArmenian
A Self Certified Blogspot Blogger
Good idea poor execution.......2004-07-14
The book mainly promotes the use of deception over reason. I know you're thinking, duh. But this is contrary to what the author says in the introduction. The deception is supposed to be used as a device to aid in learning informal logic, not as a tool to crush others. The author has a very aggressive and pretentious tone. Capaldi, the author, encourages people to be stubborn and uncompromising rather than problem solving. This book is classic sophism. I think the most valuable part of this book is the appendix. The practice problems are nice to look over. This book is effective at being uncompromising, but that is incompatible with being a good communicator. I should have borrowed this one. Since, I want my money back. -laughs- Also, the references to the "Great Books" by the author were interesting, but extraneous in my opinion.
Good Weapon Against the Trogs.......2004-04-22
The techniques outlined in this book are good when you are arguing against yahoos and troglodytes. If taken to heart, this book can help you can vanquish almost everyone you encounter in day-to-day life. Do NOT use these techniques against more skillful opponents or against sincere, intelligent questioners seeking real answers to important questions. These are powerful debater's tricks, not tools for getting to the bottom of honest inquiries. Caveat emptor.
Good Intentions, Faulty Execution.......2004-03-19
I appreciate what the author was trying to do: teach logic and rhetoric in a fun how-to-succeed format. I don't think it works very well, though. It's too disjointed to be helpful to the beginner and too familiar to be interesting to more advanced students.
For the beginner: To learn logic, start out with David Kelley's "The Art of Reasoning" and Irving Copi's "Introduction to Logic". To learn rhetoric and argumentation, try David Zarefsky's audiotape course on "Argumentation: The Study of Effective Reasoning" and his books on public speaking.
More advanced students will want to check out Chaim Perelman's books on rhetoric and Douglas N. Walton's studies of informal fallacies. An excellent but out-of-print book is William J. Brandt's "The Rhetoric of Argumentation" which gives detailed analyses of effective and ineffective rhetorical strategies in essay-writing.
Book Description
Fresh with contemporary relevance, this classic of positive thinking from one of the world's great motivational writers offers galvanizing insights on self-transformation. Based on Emmet Fox's simple message that "thoughts are things" and all potential lies in their creative and constructive use, these thirty-one inspiring essays how to have it all -- health, healing, happiness, and a liberated spirit -- through the power of constructive though. First published in 1940, Power Through Constructive Thinking has been a never-failing source of strength and renewal for generations of readers.
Customer Reviews:
Solid Inspiration from one of the real founders of the New Age Movement.......2007-10-14
"To be afraid is to have more faith in
evil than in God."
--Emmet Fox
This quote from Emmet Fox, taken out of Power through Constructive Thinking is just one small example of powerful moments of insight to be found throughout this book. Much of what Fox says back in the 1930s and 40s is echoed by today's new age teachers. Abraham-Hicks comes to mind specifically.
All of the below & more!!.......2007-09-30
To me - Emmet's "Power Through Constructive Thinking" is the foundation stone of all his powerful, inspiring & motivational books.
This one outlines in detail & comprehensively the technique for turning your thought processes into power to achieve peace, prosperity, health & happiness.
The process is easy & logical as soon as you see it. He uses Bible tracts to expand his ideas & show that this is nothing new. Mental science & the power of the mind has been around & recognised for thousands of years. Some successful people take the idea for granted & may not even realise they're using this system.
Despite the books age & the period from which it came, Emmet writes clearly & with fluidity that makes you want to carry on & finish the next chapter.
If you can just hold his ideas in place, remember them (write them down if need be) & daily put them into practice, you'll see your success's grow from day to day, followed health, happiness, prosperity & peace. All of which is nothing more than we're all clambering for - isn't it?
Balm for any soul.......2007-03-03
Bypass "The Secret" for now and start with this. If there were 50 stars I would give it 50. Not that there is anything wrong with The Secret; this book is all that and far more, an oft-neglected work of sublime spiritual integrity, accessible to anyone. This is a powerful, metaphorical, dramatic, rewarding look into the soul of the Bible and a way of living. Walk the path, embrace the discipline and all honest traditions of spiritual discovery and you will be forever nourished. I keep this book by the bedside and read and re-read the Bible with new passion and seek to apply it to life. (If you are in an Eastern tradition or even an atheist, this book is still of profound benefit). Start with this book, read no more than one chapter a day, then proceed to Fox's Sermon on the Mount and Ten Commandments and take it from there. Fox, who died at 65 in 1951, struck a chord 70 years ago, when Depression-wracked people and the world were coming unglued and seeking solace. It is no accident that he is a virtual patron saint of Alcoholics Anonymous, founded 1935. His work has the flinty realism of those times, and he writes as if he has walked, like Dante's Beatrice, through the pit. If you are in the clergy and do not know him, you are in luck; he will inspire you for Friday night or Sunday morning. If you are an academic, this book will help you approach the Western Canon with new passion, and the Eastern Canon with wisdom. I was lucky to be educated by the best in great universities, but this book stands out. Wherever you are on life's path, this book will inspire you in walking the walk and will open many doors. Enjoy and prosper!
Power through Constructive Thinking.......2006-11-11
I am a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, I was introduced to Dr Fox's books about 10 years ago. This is my favorite of all I have read. It gives me peace and reminds me of what ever I might need reminded of at the time. I keep re-ordering this book because I give it to friends who are seeking peace.
A Guide To Help Explain The Truth of The Word.......2006-11-10
I have searched all my life for a HIGHER POWER and this book and others written by this gentelman.Helped me to find the one I have today who is my friend. I was given a set of his works from and old friend and if he had known that he was giving me a treasure better than Gold. He may have kept them instead of giving them to me. I wanted everyone to find what I had found in His writings. So I loaned the books out to friends and I lost them. Because they didn't find the samething from the treasure as I did. Thats'why we are all differant what I found was something I had been looking for and I was ready to be taught a better way of life,It was a Great Set of Books for me.It didn't do the samething for those people who borrowed them or they would have made sure I got them back. I just hope that there are people out there who will open up these books from Mr EMMET FOX and see for yourself what gold awaits all who want the truth.If you are on a jounrey like I was to find a Spiritual awakening please read this book."STRANGE AS IT MAY SEEM TO YOU,THER EXISTS A MYSTIC POWER THAT IS ABLE TO TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE SO THROUGHLY, SO, RADICALLY,SO COMPLETELY,THAT WHEN THE PROCESS IS COMPLETED YOUR OWN FRIENDS WOULD HARDLY RECOGNIZE YOU,INFACT,YOU WOULD SCARCELY BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE YOURSELF." If you want to know more, then read the book: Power Through Constructive Thinking :By Emmet Foxx
Book Description
Chris Horner and Emrys Westacott present a clear and accessible introduction to some of the central problems of philosophy through challenging and stimulating the reader to think beyond the conventional answers to fundamental questions. No previous knowledge is assumed, and in lively and provocative chapters the authors invite the reader to explore questions about the nature of science, religion, ethics, politics, art, the mind, the self, knowledge and truth. Each chapter includes inset boxes providing links to classic philosophy texts on the issues discussed. In addition, the book relates the adventure of philosophy to some of the key principles of critical thinking.
Customer Reviews:
A better approach than most philosophy books.......2006-06-06
Most introductory Philosophy books provide you with a list of various philosophers throughout time and give you an overview of their thoughts. If this is the type of book you are looking for then try "Story of Philosophy" or "Spark Notes 101 Philosophy". However, I believe this approach misses something.
I found that a far better approach was to provide the reader with the major areas and questions addressed by philosophers and then use reason and logic to examine those areas and questions. When appropriate a major philosophers views on a question being examined should then be provided. Here are some sample philosophical areas and questions:
- Logic: How do we think? Inductive and Deductive Reason, etc.
- Epistemology: Is knowledge possible? How do we "know"?
- Metaphysics: What is reality and what exists? What is truth?
- Ethics: What is right and wrong? Are values relative?
- Aesthetics: What is Art? Does true beauty exist?
- Politcs: How should we be governed? Are we our brothers keeper?
- Religion: Does God exist? Do we have freewill?
Finding these questions and coming up with your own answers is what philosophy is truly about.
The first book I found that took this approach was "Philosophy For Dummies". Unfortunately the author is very religious and that comes through strongly in his book. I remember reading this book and loving the way he layed out the questions, but wishing there was another book out there that was written from a non-religious standpoint.
"Thinking through Philosophy" is exactly the book for which I was looking. It lays out the major questions of philosophy and provides you with different approaches to answering these questions. I particularly like his arguements for the philosophies of idealism and relativism even though I still disagree with both (the authors definately make you think). The only critisism I have is that some basic knowledge is assumed. For example, the topic of skeptism was handled far more thouroughly in "Philosophy For Dummies".
If I were rating this book as a first book on philosophy I would only give it 4 stars, but as a second or later philosophy book I definately give it 5 stars. I really liked this book. (For a first book I would still recommend "Philosophy For Dummies" even though I'm agnostic/athiest. If you already believe in a higher power then definately read it first.)
This Book Does Not Exist.......2005-06-15
There is a lot of competition on the market for books such as this - namely, attempting to provide an overview of philosophy and the core disciplines it encompasses.
This book is one of the best. By way of illustration, its chapter on Morality & Ethics is outstanding - a masterful introduction/overview given such limited allocation; a real achievement.
Most philosophy is circular pursuit of the vestigial tail - utterly futile and without utility (but it succeeds in sustaining academic careers & easy earnings...). `Philosophers' `contributing' by analysing mind or knowledge or science? What a joke. Philosophy is somewhat fraudulent - it has always made a pallid meal of that other great fraud - Religion & the Existence of God. It is inadequate to most such tasks and merely ends up discussing itself.
However, within the realm of Philosophy, Morality & Ethics undoubtedly has much utility and value and is a worthwhile pursuit.
The best of these books have a knack of getting readers to begin the process of their own reflections, insights and opinions of the subject disciplines and this `Thinking Through Philosophy' achieves well.
The book covers: Theory of knowledge (Epistemology); Moral Philosophy; Philosophy of Religion; Philosophy of Mind; Political Philosophy; Philosophy of Science; Philosophy of Aesthetics; and Metaphysics.
If you are looking for an introduction-primer-aide memoir, consider this work.
Beyond such books, both the Blackwell Companions & the Blackwell Guides, are consistently outstanding and good value for money.
Book Description
Over the last decade the philosophy of film has emerged as a distinctivefield within aesthetics, engaging with a variety of questions concerningthe relationship between film and art. One question in particularhas become very prominent in philosophical discussions of film: to what extent can film-or individual films-act as a vehicle of or forum for philosophy itself? This is the domain of "film as philosophy," which forms the focus of this volume. The collection brings together a wide range of contributors, including both philosophers and film scholars. All of them address the question of whether philosophy can take the form of, or be articulated through, film. The contributors canvas a wide variety of forms and periods of film as they present diverse answers to this question.
Book Description
Thinking it Through is a thorough, vividly written introduction to contemporary philosophy and some of the most crucial questions of human existence, including the nature of mind and knowledge, the status of moral claims, the existence of God, the role of science, and the mysteries of language. Noted philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah shows us what it means to "do" philosophy in our time and why it should matter to anyone who wishes to live a more thoughtful life. Opposing the common misconceptions that being a philosopher means espousing a set of philosophical beliefs--or being a follower of a particular thinker--Appiah argues that "the result of philosophical exploration is not the end of inquiry in a settled opinion, but a mind resting more comfortably among many possibilities, or else the reframing of the question, and a new inquiry." Ideal for introductory philosophy courses, Thinking It Through is organized around eight central topics--mind, knowledge, language, science, morality, politics, law, and metaphysics. It traces how philosophers in the past have considered each subject (how Hobbes, Wittgenstein, and Frege, for example, approached the problem of language) and then explores some of the major questions that still engage philosophers today. More importantly, Appiah not only explains what philosophers have thought but how they think, giving students examples that they can use in their own attempts to navigate the complex issues confronting any reflective person in the twenty-first century. Filled with concrete examples of how philosophers work, Thinking it Through guides students through the process of philosophical reflection and enlarges their understanding of the central questions of human life.
Customer Reviews:
Good Introduction.......2003-05-26
Appiah maps out the basic terrain of philosophical inquiry for beginners. The book is readable and the terminology is accessible--highlighted terms are defined and indexed. Key themes include: Philosophy of Mind, Epistemology, Language, Science, Ethics, Political Theory, Legal Theory, and Metaphysics. If someone said, "So what do contemporary philosophers write about?" I would give them this book.
However, I wouldn't give them this book if they asked, "What makes philosophy interesting?" Appiah is circumspect and unimpassioned, careful to take few defined stands (which is appropriate to the book). But "Thinking It Through" reads like an automobile owner's manual rather than a guide to making key decisions about life. Furthermore, there are some ambiguous structural choices in the book: why are ethics and metaphysics separated? ...why does law now get its own chapter in an introduction to philosophy (previously subsumed under political philosophy)? ...why does political theory include indepth discussion of the two most recent contributions to political philosophy, but no mention of Marx, Locke, or Jefferson? ...why does the philosophy of mind not mention John Searle? ...why no discussion of aesthetics? ...why no existentialism?
Perhaps this is all too much to ask of one book. After all the subtitle is intentionally "An Introduction to Contemporary Philosophy," and Appiah really does go specifically through the who's who of living philosophers. This is an EXCELLENT book for someone who is thinking about majoring in philosophy at University. I wouldn't give it to the curious layreader who suspects philosophy might have to do with the meaning of life.
Non-patronising beginners guide to philosophy.......2003-05-21
Philosophy is a subject that most people feel intrigued by but for many reasons most people never get involved with. I have been surrounded by philosophy students for many years and I have always wanted to learn more but was put off because I didn't know where to start, there is so much new language to learn and it just seems like an impenetrable academic subject into which would be foolish to venture unguided.
'Thinking it Through' manages to start at the very beginning of the process of philosophy without dumbing down. Each of the nine chapters (covering Mind, Knowledge, Science, Morality, Politics, Law, Metaphysics and a chapter on Philosophy as a subject) begin with the discussion of a premise on which the rest of the chapter is based. In the chapter on the Mind the discussion revolves around whether a computer could ever be considered to have a mind. This initial question is then slowly broken down into the major philosophical arguments. Each is dealt with in turn, in a clear rational manner that is easy to understand. Different arguments are compared and evaluated. By the end of each chapter you have learnt so much and gone through so many arguments and discussions that you have almost forgotten what you read, but the chapter summary springs to the rescue and tells you exactly what you just learnt.
Every new term used, and there are a lot of them, is highlighted in bold print, defined and can be found in the index for future reference. The author has the skill to explain all the ideas and arguments without losing track of the the fundemental purpose of the chapter.
It is layed out clearly and openly and is extremely informative. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I think I may have learned more from it than from almost any book I have ever read. The authors intent in writing this book was to give the reading all the skills and knowledge to enable them to read original philosophical text and I certainly feel well prepared.
A wonderful book for the beginner but a philosophy graduate friend of mine said that 'It covers all the main arguments that are discussed in a philosophy degree, and to be honest most philosphy graduates haven't taken away with them much more the the contents of this book'.
Book Description
From a variety of historically grounded perspectives, After the Imperial Turn assesses the fate of the nation as a subject of disciplinary inquiry. In light of the turn toward scholarship focused on imperialism and postcolonialism, this provocative collection investigates whether the nation remains central, adequate, or even possible as an analytical category for studying history. These twenty essays, primarily by historians, exemplify cultural approaches to histories of nationalism and imperialism even as they critically examine the implications of such approaches.
While most of the contributors discuss British imperialism and its repercussions, the volume also includes, as counterpoints, essays on the history and historiography of France, Germany, Spain, and the United States. Whether looking at the history of the passport or the teaching of history from a postnational perspective, this collection explores such vexed issues as how historians might resist the seduction of national narratives, what—if anything—might replace the nation’s hegemony, and how even history-writing that interrogates the idea of the nation remains ideologically and methodologically indebted to national narratives. Placing nation-based studies in international and interdisciplinary contexts, After the Imperial Turn points toward ways of writing history and analyzing culture attentive both to the inadequacies and endurance of the nation as an organizing rubric.
Contributors. Tony Ballantyne, Antoinette Burton, Ann Curthoys, Augusto Espiritu, Karen Fang, Ian Christopher Fletcher, Robert Gregg, Terri Hasseler, Clement Hawes, Douglas M. Haynes, Kristin Hoganson, Paula Krebs, Lara Kriegel, Radhika Viyas Mongia, Susan Pennybacker, John Plotz, Christopher Schmidt-Nowara, Heather Streets, Hsu-Ming Teo, Stuart Ward, Lora Wildenthal, Gary Wilder
Book Description
"Reel Racism goes beyond reflection theories of the media to examine cinema's active participation in the operations of racism-- a complex process rooted in the dynamics of representation. Written for undergraduates and graduate students of film studies and philosophy, Reel Racism focuses on methods and frameworks that analyze films for their production of meaning and how those meanings participate in a broader process of justifying, naturalizing, or legitimizing difference, privilege, and violence based on race. In addition to analyzing how the process of racism is articulated in specific films, this text examines how specific meanings can resist their function of ideological containment, and instead, offer a perspective of a more collective, egalitarian social system-- one that transcends the discourse of race."
Customer Reviews:
hard to read.......2007-04-07
If you have not seen the movies the author writes about the book is hard to understand. It was hard to read and I found it quite boring.
"Reel Racism" is the Real Thing.......2001-02-22
Simply put, the best book there is on race and cinema. Rocchio refuses the simple, and simplistic, route of identifying negative racial stereotypes in film (a route that, as he points out, has governed previous studies of race and cinema). Rather, he explores the ways in which a variety of films--including The Birth of a Nation, Driving Miss Daisy, and Mississippi Burning--actively participate in the creation and circulation of racial discourse. This approach enables him to show that even seemingly "positive" depictions of African American characters (as in Driving Miss Daisy) can participate in the construction of racial difference and inequality. Rocchio does not, however, mean to suggest that film is solely a racist vehicle; he also includes readings of films--notably those of Spike Lee--that challenge or contest processes of racism. What's great about the book, too, is that it's accessible for students of film or for a general audience; it's not meant only (or even mostly) for film scholars, as evidenced by the straightforward prose and careful selection of footnotes. And the book's accessibility is particularly important since film, and the racial discourses Rocchio identifies in film, aren't confined to a particular segment of the population either.
Customer Reviews:
Very Useful Book.......2005-09-26
This book will reinforce early American History, which plays a big part in our lives today. I recommend this book and give it 5 Stars.
Books:
- The Battle of Alamein: Turning Point, World War II
- The Bermuda Triangle (Unsolved Mysteries)
- The Bewitched Viking (Wink & a Kiss, 1)
- The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game
- The Book of Air and Shadows
- The Chicago Manual of Style
- The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World (New Press People's History)
- The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street
- The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine
- The Frontiersmen: A Narrative
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Of Mice and Men
- Complete Mage: A Player's Guide to All Things Arcane
- Sliding Filament Mechanism in Muscle Contraction: Fifity Years of Research
- The Portable Dorothy Parker
- 9 Heads: A Guide to Drawing Fashion
- Complete Puzzle World: Puzzle Island/Puzzle Town/Puzzle Farm/Puzzle Castle/Puzzle Planet/Puzzle Moun
- Basset Hounds/Kw069
- The Draw 50 Way: How to Draw Cats, Puppies, Horses, Buildings, Birds, Aliens, Boats, Trains and Ever
- The Painter: Joaquín Sorolla Y Bastida
- Life of Napoleon Bonaparte, Part 4
General
| Philosophy
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
A Rulebook for Arguments
Nonsense: A Handbook of Logical Fallacies
Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking (8th Edition)
Critical Thinking
Being Logical: A Guide to Good Thinking
