The Uses of Argument
by Stephen Edelston Toulmin
from Cambridge University Press
This reissue of the modern classic on the study of argumentation features a new Introduction by the author.
"In spite of initial criticisms from logicians and fellow philosophers, The Uses of Argument has been an enduring source of inspiration and discussion to students of argumentation from all kinds of disciplinary background for more than forty years. " Frans van Eemeren, University of Amsterdam
A central theme throughout the impressive series of philosophical books and articles Stephen Toulmin has published since 1948 is the way in which assertions and opinions concerning all sorts of topics, brought up in everyday life or in academic research, can be rationally justified. Is there one universal system of norms, by which all sorts of arguments in all sorts of fields must be judged, or must each sort of argument be judged according to its own norms? In The Uses of Argument (1958) Toulmin sets out his views on these questions for the first time. In spite of initial criticisms from logicians and fellow philosophers, The Uses of Argument has been an enduring source of inspiration and discussion to students of argumentation from all kinds of disciplinary background for more than forty years.
The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature
by Steven Pinker
from Viking Adult
New York Times bestselling author Steven Pinker possesses that rare combination of scientific aptitude and verbal eloquence that enables him to provide lucid explanations of deep and powerful ideas. His previous books—including the Pulitzer Prize finalist The Blank Slate—have catapulted him into the limelight as one of today’s most important and popular science writers.
Now, in The Stuff of Thought, Pinker marries two of the subjects he knows best: language and human nature. The result is a fascinating look at how our words explain our nature. What does swearing reveal about our emotions? Why does innuendo disclose something about relationships? Pinker reveals how our use of prepositions and tenses taps into peculiarly human concepts of space and time, and how our nouns and verbs speak to our notions of matter. Even the names we give our babies have important things to say about our relations to our children and to society.
With his signature wit and style, Pinker takes on scientific questions like whether language affects thought, as well as forays into everyday life—why is bulk e-mail called spam and how do romantic comedies get such mileage out of the ambiguities of dating? The Stuff of Thought is a brilliantly crafted and highly readable work that will appeal to fans of readers of everything from The Selfish Gene and Blink to Eats, Shoots & Leaves.
Metaphors We Live By
by George Lakoff
from University Of Chicago Press
In this updated edition of Lakoff and Johnson's influential book, the authors supply an afterword surveying how their theory of metaphor has developed within the cognitive sciences to become central to the contemporary understanding of how we think and how we express our thoughts in language.
Crimes Against Logic
by Jamie Whyte
from McGraw-Hill
A witty assault on lame rhetoric, specious logic, and official BS
Here's a fast-paced, ruthlessly funny romp through the mulligan stew of illogic, unreason, and just plain drivel served up daily in the media by pundits, psychics, ad agencies, New Age gurus, statisticians, free trade ideologues, business "thinkers," and, of course, politicians. Award-winning young philosopher Jamie Whyte applies his laser-like wit to dozens of timely examples in order to deconstruct the rhetoric and cut through the haze of shibboleth and doubletalk to get at the real issues.
A troubleshooting guide to both public and private discourse, Crimes Against Logic:
- Analyzes the 12 major logical fallacies, with examples from the media and everyday life
- Takes no prisoners as it goes up against the scientific, religious, academic, and political establishments
- Helps you fine-tune your critical faculties and learn to skewer debaters on their own phony logic
Critical Thinking
by Brooke Noel Moore
from McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
More than any other textbook, Moore and Parker's Critical Thinking has defined the structure and content of the critical thinking course at colleges and universities across the country--and has done so with a witty writing style that students enjoy. Now in full-color, the eighth edition brings the concepts of critical thinking to life in vivid detail, with current examples relevant to today's students.
Finite and Infinite Games
by James P. Carse
from Ballantine Books
An extraordinary book that will dramatically change the way you experience life.
Finite games are the familiar contests of everyday life, the games we play in business and politics, in the bedroom and on the battlefied -- games with winners and losers, a beginning and an end. Infinite games are more mysterious -- and ultimately more rewarding. They are unscripted and unpredictable; they are the source of true freedom.
In this elegant and compelling work, James Carse explores what these games mean, and what they can mean to you. He offers stunning new insights into the nature of property and power, of culture and community, of sexuality and self-discovery, opening the door to a world of infinite delight and possibility.
"An extraordinary little book . . . a wise and intimate companion, an elegant reminder of the real."
-- Brain/Mind Bulletin
A Concise Introduction to Logic (with CD-ROM) (Concise Introduction to Logic)
by Patrick J. Hurley
from Wadsworth Publishing
Unsurpassed for its clarity, conciseness, and comprehensiveness, Hurley's market-leading A CONCISE INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC has established itself as the standard for introductory logic classes. Hailed in the first eight editions for an unwavering commitment to lucid, focused, reader-friendly presentations of logic's basic topics, the latest edition also continues to expand upon Hurley's tradition of technological excellence with the introduction of vMentor and iLrn Logic. These two technologies help you manage the workload of teaching logic by providing your students with a live, online logic tutoring service and you with an online system that automates homework and test grading. In addition, Hurley's outstanding LEARNING LOGIC-an interactive, audio-visual recasting of the entire text-remains a free supplement with each copy of the text. Rounded out with a Book Companion Website that features student quizzing and interactive tutorials on Venn diagrams and truth tables, Hurley's A CONCISE INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC, Ninth Edition is not only the most logically sound choice that a professor could make for his or her logic course, but the most "technologically" sound choice as well.
How We Know What Isn't So: The Fallibility of Human Reason in Everyday Life
by Thomas Gilovich
from Free Press
The Logic of Scientific Discovery (Routledge Classics)
by Karl Popper
from Routledge
When first published in 1959, this book revolutionized contemporary thinking about science and knowledge. It remains the one of the most widely read books about science to come out of the twentieth century.
Introduction to Logic
by Irving M. Copi
from Pearson Education, Inc.
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