Straight and Crooked Thinking (Headway Books) [Paperback]

Robert H. Thouless (Author), C.R. Thouless (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 1990 | ISBN-10: 0340527102 | ISBN-13: 978-0340527108 | Edition: Revised

An introduction to logical thinking and the tricks of argument, with 37 demonstrations of illogical and crooked thinking, and how they may be overcome by the use of straight thought.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'It is neither a dry nor weighty tome, but is jam-packed with raw rational sense. It will give you techniques for identifying fallacies and false arguments. It will help protect you from the devious subterfuges of politicians and preachers, journalists and jingoists. It is sweet manna from a rational heaven. Thouless describes 38 dishonest tricks that are commonly used in arguments (there may be more). ' -- answersingenes.blogspot.com "Straight and Crooked Thinking remains one of the most succinct and practically-applicable books ever written. One blogger named it as his favorite book of all time, describing it as "a concise work of supreme genius." -- http://neglectedbooks.com "...put it back on the mass market, where it belongs! (...) get it on every bookshelf on the planet." -- http://answersingenes.blogspot.com/2007/11/straight-crooked-thinking.html --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Born in 1894, Robert Thouless was a psychologist. He was Head of the Department of Psychology in Glasgow until 1938, after which he became Reader and Reader Emeritus at Cambridge. He specialised in logic, rationality and the study of responses to the paranormal and wrote several titles in addition to this one. He died in 1984. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Hodder Arnold H&S; Revised edition (March 15, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0340527102
• ISBN-13: 978-0340527108
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,700,293 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review of Straight and Crooked Thinking, May 30, 2000

By 

Gary Henriksen (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Straight and crooked thinking (Paperback)

This book should be required reading for anyone that takes public policy issues seriously. It explains the various techniques and ploys by which emotionally loaded words and various debating tricks can transform an intellectually honest debate into a propaganda campaign, and gives techniques to counter these ploys. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book, amazingly pertinent today, October 27, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Straight and crooked thinking (Paperback)

Although written at the end of the 1930's, the book is amazingly relevant today and one of the most clearly presented and well thought-out books of its kind that I've ever read. It is well worth your time.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Helps one to keep focussed on the main issues in a debate., October 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Straight and crooked thinking (Paperback)

This is one of the most useful books that I have ever read. The author points out how debates are often lead away from the main issues by using arguments that appeal to emotion rather than to facts.He clearly describes how it is done and how to avoid being lead away from the issues by such devices. Important reading for anyone who has been in a debate and wonders why the opponent didn't sound convincing and yet you were unable to answer him/her!