Critical Thinking: An Introduction to the Basic Skills - Softcover

William Hughes; Jonathan Lavery

Softcover

ISBN 10: 155111884X ISBN 13: 9781551118840

Publisher: Broadview Press, 2008

Synopsis

William Hughes's Critical Thinking, revised and updated by Jonathan Lavery, is a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the essential skills required to make strong arguments. Hughes and Lavery give a thorough treatment of such traditional topics as deductive and inductive reasoning, logical fallacies, the importance of inference, how to recognize and avoid ambiguity, and how to assess what is or is not relevant to an argument. The authors also cover less traditional topics such as special concerns to keep in mind when reasoning about ethical matters, and how the nature of a language can affect the structure of an argument. In addition to covering basic concepts for analyzing and assessing arguments, the text also has two chapters that are designed to help students write argumentative essays. Last but not least, Critical Thinking includes a selection of logical paradoxes and puzzles that are as entertaining as they are enlightening. For the fifth edition particular attention has been paid to the needs of Canadian students and instructors.

About this title

About the Author:

The late William Hughes was Professor and Chair in the Philosophy Department at the University of Guelph. Jonathan Lavery is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Contemporary Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, Brantford.

Review:

"Critical Thinking works very well indeed with first-year students. As a means of improving their thinking it is more successful than anything I've tried―and when their thinking improves, their writing improves. The exercises are excellent ... you can see the lights turn on as the students work through them. All in all, Hughes's Critical Thinking is a text I recommend highly." (Cleo Boyd)

"This is a good book. Hughes's writing is always clear, and his approach is thoroughly sensible. The examples are useful, as are the self-test questions and questions for class discussion." (David Detmer)

About this edition

• Publisher: Broadview Press
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 155111884X
• ISBN 13: 9781551118840
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 5
• Number of pages: 392