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The Power of Logical Thinking: Easy Lessons in the Art of Reasoning...and Hard Facts About Its Absence in Our Lives Paperback – Illustrated, April 15, 1997

by Marilyn vos Savant (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 93 ratings
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A classic of critical thinking that is now more urgent than ever!

America has become a society devoid of understanding of the power of logic and numbers. All too often, we rely on our intuition or on empty statistics to formulate opinions about ourselves and our world. As a result of inadequate schooling in the art of reasoning, we have become a people unable to make truly logical decisions, intimidated by numbers, and too passive to reverse this disturbing trend.

The Power of Logical Thinking addresses these concerns, illustrating how you can reason better, how numbers are used against you, and how your vote may be affected. Marilyn vos Savant writes, "We can't trust our intuitions, our statisticians, or our politicians. The 1992 presidential campaign is a case in point. Numbers were used, abused, and misused by the candidates as never before in the history of our country. Voters were easily manipulated, setting a precedent for years to come."

Part One of The Power of Logical Thinking explains the most provocative of the counterintuitive problems that Marilyn vos Savant has encountered in recent years, such as the now classic "Monty Hall Dilemma," the improbability of winning the lottery, and much more.

Part Two shows how statistics have quietly become a tool of persuasion instead of education. In addition to exploring puzzles and paradoxes, this sections explains the underlying reasoning to help you answer questions such as which surgery should you choose? What are your odds of having breast cancer? Do drug-testing and AIDS-testing give you yes/no answers?

In Part Three, vos Savant illustrates how our votes are affected, with examples of selective logic, specious reasoning, and outright sophistry collected from the campaigns of the '80s and '90s...techniques that politicians and corporations still use to manipulate voters today.

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  1. Print length
    228 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    April 15, 1997
  4. Dimensions
    6 x 0.52 x 9 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0312156278
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0312156275
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Savant, the Parade magazine columnist known for having the highest recorded I.Q., has written an interesting analysis of the use and misuse of statistics. Using the style of earlier books such as I've Forgotten Everything I Learned in School (LJ 1/94), she covers mathematical reasoning that seems illogical at first glance but can be explained rationally. She also presents at length (covered further in a long appendix) the controversy that has become known as the "Monty Hall dilemma" and discusses financial twists on logic and misused statistics to convey information or benefit a political candidate. (President Clinton takes the brunt of criticism in this section.) Recommended for libraries where Savant's earlier writings have been popular.?Marguerite Mroz, Baltimore Cty. P.L., Towson, Md.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Fellow English majors, arise! This book is for those of us whose brains stalled when faced with the threat of "word problems" in math class. Vos Savant shows us how even the most well educated can be semiliterate in the arts of reasoning and problem solving. She illustrates how easily we are duped by "counter-intuitive" problems whose solutions run against the grain of instinct. In part 1, vos Savant analyzes examples of these problems, including the famous "Monty Hall Dilemma" that initiated a deluge of mail from irate mathematicians after she posed it in her Sunday column. Part 2 unveils how easy it is to misunderstand mean-spirited statistics. This section also contains fascinatingly thorough descriptions of every conceivable verbal fallacy--a tour de force to delight the number-impaired. Part 3 is an eye-opening analysis of the ways politicians use statistics, "selective logic," and faulty reasoning to sway our votes. Vos Savant's clear, logical approach to convoluted problems is a tonic for anyone who feels queasy around economics, statistics, word problems, or politicians. Patricia Hassler

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Griffin; Illustrated edition (April 15, 1997)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 228 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0312156278
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0312156275
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.3 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.52 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 93 ratings

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Marilyn Vos Savant

Marilyn Vos Savant

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
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93 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Justin
5.0 out of 5 stars This Book will get You thinking.
Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2023
Verified Purchase
There are many short stories and behind the scenes accounts to keep you engaged. It offers some truly eye opening accounts of absurdly stupid policies, political agendas, and flagrant sexist opinions that were held in the professions, beyond what anyone could imagine today. Along with countless tidbits of information that keep you on your toes and make you really think through some basic math and word problems. Bring your reading comprehension A-game, and you will do fine. This might be a top 10 book of all time. I love it!
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remembers old comic strips
5.0 out of 5 stars everybody should study this book
Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2021
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Book is not always easy or interesting to read, BUT everybody should try.
How can our society cannot improve if we're all illogical?
As author points out; we delegate our dumb politicians to spend $trillions$.
One person found this helpful
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Richard Killen
5.0 out of 5 stars Need help seeing through the Lies we are being given every day!?
Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2019
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After many Philosophy courses, Such as Logic, I think that thisBook would be of benefit to many people.....and goodness knows that many could benefit from such exposure! We all need help trying to cut through the lies, fabrications and twisted reasoning handed out by Politicians and pollsters! There is not enough clear thinking in our population today
5 people found this helpful
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Drago
4.0 out of 5 stars INTRIGUING BUT LACKS SYSTEMATIC STRUCTURE
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2022
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Nice book yet in my view it lacks systematic structure. The author uses Q&As and letters she received as examples and intros to her concepts...

I found this a bit boring as you have to read irrelevant bits to go to the juice.

That is how books were done 20 years ago... full of fillers.

Could be easily written with 20% of the pages... and that is not an issue.
One person found this helpful
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Massimvs
5.0 out of 5 stars On time and good condition
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2022
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I enjoyed my book
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Matthew
5.0 out of 5 stars This was a fun read with many practical applications for people seeking to ...
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2017
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Marilyn's a real smarty pants, and in this book takes pleasure in exposing how our intuitive thinking about even seemingly 'simple' and 'obvious' things can sometimes be hopelessly incorrect--especially when numbers and statistics are in play. This was a fun read with many practical applications for people seeking to understand the world around them through the acquisition and analysis of numerical data (something I believe all people do, albeit to differing degrees).
6 people found this helpful
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Magnificent Splendour
2.0 out of 5 stars A collection of her columns Ask Marilyn
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2023
Verified Purchase
It's just collection of Ask Marilyn columns organized into chapters. Wouldn't have bought it if that was clear from the product page or book cover. Yet to find a lesson in the Art of Reasoning promised by the book's cover.
One person found this helpful
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James D. Veach
5.0 out of 5 stars Really makes you think
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2020
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A fascinating discussion about how our minds make false assumptions with many practical examples and puzzles.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Good book for students
Reviewed in India on April 27, 2024
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Good book for students and all for improve logical thinking
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Cliente Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Facilidad al leer.
Reviewed in Spain on June 12, 2019
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Es un libro excelente, te cambia la perspectiva sobre la vida actual.
Me ha sido muy útil.
Gracias.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Know what the book is about before buying it
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 23, 2010
Verified Purchase
I read many reviews about the book and I knew what to expect, more or less. It is not an essay, but a collection of problems that the author came across while writing on her column, most of which are counter-intuitive. Along with many of those posts in the column, she adds the wrong answers from many readers, especially when they ridicule her for being wrong -she wasn't, of course-. That's the book. Many interesting and (mostly) challenging problems -with their answers- with some occasional responses from people here and there, just to show how easy is it for the human mind to err. There is no argument, no hypothesis, no discussions, but many of the problems are fascinating. If what I described is exactly what you want, buy the book; if you expect something else, don't.
6 people found this helpful
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Bela
4.0 out of 5 stars great book
Reviewed in Canada on June 22, 2019
Verified Purchase
Only NOT a complain that it written in the 90s. I wish it would be more current. Great reading. Thank you
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