Book of the Fallacy: A Training Manual for Intellectual Subversives [Hardcover]

Madsen Pirie (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 071020521X | ISBN-13: 978-0710205216 | Publication Date: November 1985 | Edition: 1st Ed

Those tricks of logic or language used to persuade people into accepting false beliefs are gleefully exposed.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Routledge Kegan & Paul; 1st Ed edition (November 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 071020521X
• ISBN-13: 978-0710205216
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,047,575 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Madsen Pirie is President of the Adam Smith Institute and author of numerous books including Boost Your IQ and The Sherlock Holmes IQ Book. He was formerly Distinguished Visiting Professor of Philosophy and Logic at Hillsdale College, Michigan, USA. He appears regularly as an expert on CNN and BBC television.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Put The Book of the Fallacy back in print, June 10, 2000

By 

Christopher Melley (Miesau, Germany) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Book of the Fallacy: A Training Manual for Intellectual Subversives (Hardcover)

Madsen Pirie's The Book of the Fallacy: A training manual for intellectual subversives is a highly entertaining introduction to logical mistakes or fallacies. There is no end to human error and folly, and Pirie's short treatment of the 50 most egregious fallacies is both instructive and entertaining. I will try to order the text through Amazon's out-of-print service, but also have access to one at the local library. It is a pity that the book has gone out of print. There are many newer books on the market, dealing with similar material, but this is the most accessible I've experienced.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic Guide to Common Sense, June 12, 2004

By 

Zeno (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Book of the Fallacy: A Training Manual for Intellectual Subversives (Hardcover)

Too bad this wonderful book has gone out of print. It is a pair of much needed glasses for a near-sighted world, especially in these days when-- whether from information overload or apathy-- we all seem to passively accept our collective blurred vision. Still, a prescription lies in here--if only you could get it filled. Every trick in the book explained in clear, pithy prose. Straw men, red herrings, wishful thinking, etc--if you don't know what they are, you should-- they are the wool that politicians, interest groups, media, and organized religion use to pull over your eyes everyday. I hope the author will put this much needed resource back in print-- perhaps by using one of the print-on-demand services. Never has it been more needed.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the top 3 books on the subject I've seen, August 22, 2007

By 

Michel (West Lafayette, India) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Book of the Fallacy: A Training Manual for Intellectual Subversives (Hardcover)

The most frustrating thing about this book, is that it is no longer in print. That doesn't make sense to me. Never has this subject been so entertaining as when I read it from this. It is one of the top 3 books I've ever seen on the subject. Apsolutely wonderful.