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Product Description
Product Description
This is an incisive, engaging, and entertaining guide to critical thinking and its benefits. What can I know? What am I? Why am I here? The way you answer these questions can tell you a lot about yourself. And if you ask others, their answer will tell you a good deal about them, how they think, and what they value. Of course, if you persist in asking these questions, others may think you've become a pain in the ass. But that's no bad thing, as according to philosopher Christopher DiCarlo, it means you've learned to think critically. This witty and incisive guide to critical thinking provides you with the tools to allow you question beliefs and assumptions held by those who claim to know what they're talking about - from politicians and lawyers to bankers, doctors, and even your boss.
About the Author
Christopher W. DiCarlo is a former research scholar at the Stone Age Laboratory, Harvard University, and an advisory fellow for the Centre for Inquiry, Canada.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.4 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
a great beginners guide to critical thinking, Sep 18 2011
By Tiger Ridge - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: How To Become A Really Good Pain In The Ass (Paperback)
Dr. Dicarlo's book is very fun to read and informative. It teaches the reader how to construct and map arguments, spot logical fallacies, be aware of your own cognitive biases, and ask the right questions. While doing this, it maintains a fun tone. I wish we would have used this book in my critical thinking class.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Useful Guide to Critical Thinking, Nov 12 2011
By Book Fanatic - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: How To Become A Really Good Pain In The Ass (Paperback)
I consider this book a very worthwhile introduction to critical thinking for those new to the topic and a useful refresher for the rest of us. Considering the topic, the book is quite easy to read; without sacrificing quality. It is an interesting combination of instruction in the principles of critical thinking and what the author calls the "Big Five Questions". I enjoyed this approach and I think most others will as well.The author begins by describing arguments and how to understand them. He follows that up with chapters on biases, context, and basic ideas of logic and the various types of evidence and methods of reasoning. He has an excellent chapter on the most common fallacies. The final section of the book asks the big five questions and contrasts a naturalistic answer with a supernatural answer. Make no mistake, the author is not simply splitting the difference. He comes down very heavily on the side of methodological naturalism. In providing the supernatural answers he shows how they come up short.
This book has a very good look inside content and I recommend you check that out. You will thereby get a good idea what you are getting before you buy. This book was well done and I recommend it.
5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
How to Become a Really Good Pain, Nov 1 2011
By dragon lady - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: How To Become A Really Good Pain In The Ass (Paperback)
This book is just what anyone interested in becoming a critical thinker needs to set them on the path of understanding the basis of other's arguments and what questions to ask in order to spot faulty reasons for the things they believe. Beginning answering five key questions: What can I know? What am I? Why am I here? How should I behave? What is to become of me? it is possible to learn a great deal about yourself and others. Those answers in large part determine why people believe certain "truths" even though there is no scientific basis for doing so. DiCarlo goes on to demonstrate how to argue effectively, ways of overcoming the biases we all have, what makes for sound science and so much more. Whether it is common fallacies, dealing with conflicting perceptions or belief in the supernatural, DiCarlo clearly demonstrates how a person's experiences and belief system (or lack of) color their view of themselves and the world around them.Rather then a dry dissertation, this is a light, approachable read that can be enjoyed by anyone with an open mind and a willingness to look at their beliefs with a critical eye. Matters of the supernatural, religion, pseudoscience and philosophy are given the same insightful evaluations that tie age-old beliefs with the latest research findings. It's too bad a copy of this can't be presented to all first year college students because with the tools provided, it would be possible to develop the necessary lifelong skills to have more productive arguments and reasoned responses to those around them.
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